D.A. Carson once said, with respect to preaching, that students learning to preach tend to imitate what they have seen. Carson was of the opinion that there are some pretty dismal examples out there to learn from, and that this is facilitating even more poor preaching. He also said something to the effect that, if it were possible, he would gather all of the best preachers extant and bring them to his school (Trinity?) so that the students would have nothing but the best examples to learn from and imitate.

Anyway, here is my dilemma - who do we listen to? In other words, who are the really good preachers? MLJ comes to mind, and I think John Piper deserves mention. But who else? Going to sermon audio is a bit of a process - there are so many to look at, and how do you know if they are good?

So now to the point, which is the question; who would you recommend listening to?

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Rob Somers
New Creation RPC
Kitchener, ON

First of all, I recommend sitting under or listening to your own minister every Sunday. Nothing can replace the regular preaching of the gospel as a means to better your own preaching (at least it worked for me).

Second, if you are going to listen to other ministers (something which I would also recommend) listen to a wide variety. Though the preaching of the Word must be objective, there is always a subjective element included with regards to the delivery. Listening to a variety of preachers will help to balance out your weakness' and strengths.

Third, there a lot of underrated preachers across the denominational spectrum who are not 'advertised' because they are either not well known or don't have their own ministries.

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Rev. Daniel Kok
Pastor of Grace Reformed Church (URCNA)
Leduc, Alberta CANADA
Church Blog

"there is no creature, either in heaven or on earth, who loves us more than Jesus Christ"
Belgic Confession, Article 26

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

I don't wish to discourage you from searching SermonAudio, although I will leave the recommendations to others. I'm not sure if you are just desirous to hear more excellent sermons, or if you want to listen to men in order to emulate them yourself.

But might I simply commend study of whomever is your present pastor? I apologize if that sounds either simplistic or facile. And you may not relish the preaching you get regularly, or at least not prefer it to previous pastors of yours, in which case I hope better things for you, or at least God's grace to help you get more from your curent situation.

But on average, a typical Presbyterian/Reformed or even RefBapt church presents a man of tolerable gifts, and usually above average. And often, the smaller the denomination, the more "choosy" they are, and have a disproportionate amount of high-quality preaching.

But there is more to preaching than the auditory experience. If that were the case, then playing audio of history's best or the premiere living pulpiteers best sermons would be de rigeur in our churches, "OK now, everyone put on your headphones."

I think this is closer to what Carson meant when he said he wished he could "bring them in." He would like to give his students a full exposure to "men of God" who most evidence their calling in the pulpit. They need to "see" them, as he said, which includes the hearing too, of course. Analysis is important, true, but preaching is better "caught" than "taught". A hundred thousand unteachable nuances that are absorbed, synthesized, and adopted into a new preacher's style and personality.

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Rev. Bruce G. Buchanan
ChainOLakes Presbyterian Church, CentralLake, MI


When posting friends, kindly bear those words of earthly wisdom in mind:
Oh, that God the gift would give us
To see ourselves as others see us.
--Robert Burns, 1786 (modernized) ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions? --

Spurgeon, Spurgeon, Spurgeon.

Actually, a wide variety. Even those we dis-agree with nocturnally. MacArthur's sermon on what we can do for the Church encouraged and convicted me to stay at my church. (pesky arminian that he is). Sproul is good too (his radio show is teaching, but in his eletter of the month, it links to a sermon of his). Alot of the Preachers on SermonAudio are really good. From country folk like me to the refined types. (Checking statements left by listeners helps). J. Vernon McGee, although dispensational, KNEW how to preach and is worth it to see his style. Owens, Edwards, and other great ones of the past are good too, because not many preach like they do of days of old. They help bring thunder to your pulpit and help one not to sound like a wuss.

I could go on and on, but variety is the key. And having a good theology of homiletics helps!! (ie, what to look for, how should a sermon be structured, and what is the purpose of preaching). Variety, Variety, Variety

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Timothy Johnson
First United Presbyterian of Moline
PCUSA (Yea, I know)
Theology/Philosophy Sunday School Teacher
Davenport, IA

I would like to add something very important.

We are judging these men by their performances on Sunday.


Only 1 day in 7 makes up this part of a pastors work.

Many very effective men have been less than steller in the pulpit but shining examples of evangelistic witness one on one.


Being a "preacher" is only a small part of being a "pastor" or a "minister". We often, however, spend most time focusing on the one aspect that takes up the least time.

Only a portion of a pastors work is preaching. Sitting under a monologue one time each week is less of an effective way to learn than to witness his day to day dealings with sinners - assuming that he actually deals with sinners day to day

(I have met some who do not really deal with hurting souls throughout the week and instead spend up to 30 hours per week alone in their study.....COME ON.....10-15 might be needed, maybe, but surely more time can be spent in personal counsel with persons who talk back, question, hurt, and interact).


If we desire to be ministers, we must model ministry and not just preaching.

Therefore, I say sit under the day to day ministry of a pastor that deals with souls everyday and offers kind counsel. Situnder his preaching too, but don't stop there.

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Pergamum


"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"
-- David Livingstone

I agree with both of you.

I sit under my pastor's preaching regularly - and I am edified by it. He is a good preacher, a faithful man, and I most definitely am not desirous of going elsewhere for preaching. In other words, it is not as though I am looking for 'star preachers' on account of my being dissatisfied by my own pastor's preaching. That much said, the reason I am looking for other examples of preaching is by his [my pastor's] suggestion. This is in relation to preparation for ministry. He suggested a few names, but also thought that listening to a broad array of preaching could be helpful.

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Rob Somers
New Creation RPC
Kitchener, ON

Don Fortner.

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J. M. - Baptist - Ontario, Canada -

Feileadh Mor
The Orthodox Catechism

I listen to a ton of preaching on my iPod.

Some of my favorites are:

John Piper
Joel Beeke
Joseph Pipa
Tim Keller
Alan Cairns
Reggie Kimbro
John Greer
Spurgeon has a ton of messages read on Sermon Audio

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Ryan Barnhart - Pastor of OGBC
Husband to a beautiful wife, Father to two beautiful girls
"But by the grace of God I am what I am." I Corinthians 15:10

"I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms. And in the Great Day my Resurrection body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer." - John Paton

I know I said I wasn't going to suggest, especially as it has a self-serving quality to it...

but Calvary OPC - La Mirada . And yes, we have a relation.

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Rev. Bruce G. Buchanan
ChainOLakes Presbyterian Church, CentralLake, MI


When posting friends, kindly bear those words of earthly wisdom in mind:
Oh, that God the gift would give us
To see ourselves as others see us.
--Robert Burns, 1786 (modernized) ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions? --

Al Martin
Joe Morecraft

Both can be found via a SermonAudio search.

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~James Helbert~, Wytheville, VA
Providence Reformed Presbyterian Church, RPCUS
TheBibleAlone.com / The Edinburgh Inn
"Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” - Zechariah 3:2

Phil Newton
Sermons Preached at South Woods Baptist Church

Art Azurdia III
Spirit Empowered Preaching

Paul Washer
SermonAudio.com - Paul Washer

D.A. Carson (you already mentioned him but here is a site)
Shall we Sing a Song for you? » Blog Archive » Don Carson

Phil Johnson
2007 Sermons: Phil Johnson

Charles Leiter
SermonIndex.net audio sermons: Charles Leiter

Bill Ascol (my own Pastor)
Bethel Baptist Church - Sermons

Ken Jones ( He is a regular on The White Horse Inn.)
SermonAudio.com - Ken Jones

I think all of the above are Baptists but what do you expect I am a baptist.


Everyone that I have listened to here seems good.
Expository Sermons from Genesis to Revelation

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Bryan Riddle
1689 London Baptist Confession
Bethel Baptist Church Owasso, Oklahoma

I know the guy who runs the Shall we Sing a Song for You? blog?

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Daniel Ritchie
Saintfield, Northern Ireland - Queen's University, Belfast:History/Politics
Member of Dromara Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland (Covenanter)

I have greatly profited from hearing Charles and Jim Dennison, my former pastor Randy Bergquist as well as a certain PB'er named John T. Dyck's sermons.

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Josiah Lovett
Member of
Trinity OPC Bothell Wa.
Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Westminster Standards

Jeff Noblitt at Anchored in Truth ministries (First Baptist of Muscle Shoals, AL). He is Reformed.

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Sean Caouette
Independent Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Memphis, Tennessee

Great points Rev. Buchanan and Rev. Kok about commending one's present pastor. Over the past year and a half I have had the opportunity to hear some big name Reformed pastors. I am grateful for this, but it made me appreciate my pastor and those I've had previously all the more because I realized that often there wasn't much difference other than the size of their ministries and that some happen to be authors of some note and some aren't. That's not to say the big names aren't well known for a reason, but that in some cases the more "ordinary" ministry can be just as good if not better in some respects.

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Chris
OPC member
Now attending Grace Community Baptist Church
Mandeville, LA

"Faith alone saves, but it is a faith that works." - S. Lewis Johnson

My advice is to study those men whose ministry God has blessed and then ask yourself whether our lack of success can be traced back to the sovereign purpose of God or our lack of holiness. I cannot get beyond that most noble Scottish minister:'A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God'.

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Independent Reformed Baptist Church (NE England, nr. Durham)