The Preach Better Conference
Equipping every pastor in Western N.C.
Biltmore Church - Arden Campus, 35 Clayton Rd, Arden, NC 28704Saturday, October 10th, 2026
RegisterRegistration includes lunch and free books.
Whether you lead a historic rural church, a growing suburban congregation, or navigate the unique demands of bivocational ministry, we all share the same desire: to preach God’s Word faithfully and lead our churches further into His mission.
The Preach Better Conference is a one-day regional event designed to serve N.C. Baptist pastors by adding practical tools to your preaching toolbox.
In partnership with The Center for Preaching and Pastoral Leadership at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Fruitland Baptist Bible College, this conference offers:
- Tailored training for your local church: Directly applicable whether you have 20 people in the pews or 2,000.
- Immediate & practical frameworks: Gain actionable tools you can implement quickly.
- Regional connection: Be equipped by practitioners and theologians who understand the unique culture and challenges of the local church.
Faithful preaching shapes healthy churches. Join fellow pastors and Bible teachers to sharpen your preaching and strengthen your church for the mission of God.
Spanish translation & track: Translation for the main session and a dedicated breakout session track in Spanish.
Schedule
8:15 a.m. – Doors Open
9 a.m. – Welcome & Worship
9:10 a.m. – Main Session 1 (Bruce Frank)
9:40 a.m. – Worship
9:45 a.m. – Main Session 2 (Chuck Lawless)
10:30 a.m. – Breakout Session 1
11:35 a.m. – Breakout Session 2
12:30 p.m. – Lunch
1:10 p.m. – Breakout Session 3
2:05 p.m. – Worship
2:20 p.m. – Main Session 3 (Robert Smith, Jr.)
2:50 p.m. – Worship & Send-Off
Breakout Sessions
Handle with Care: A Biblical Approach to the Use of Word Studies, Illustrations and Support Texts
Steven Blanton
How do you ensure a word study, a powerful illustration or a support text serves a sermon rather than distracting from it? Every week, preachers wrestle with these questions as they study Biblical texts and prepare sermons. This breakout is designed to sharpen your process by teaching you how to select and position these supporting elements effectively. Learn how to anchor your illustrations and textual support alongside faithful exegesis and exposition.
How to Prepare a Good Sermon in a Shorter Amount of Time
Steve Scoggins
Juggling the demands of pastoring and preaching is a challenge, particularly for bivocational leaders. In this session, you will learn how to balance your workload, utilize effective study aids for preparing sermons every week, and discover how your daily ministry experiences can breathe new life into your preaching.
Preparing Talks that Reach Women’s Hearts
Karen Scoggins
If you were asked to speak at a woman’s event, would that cause you to panic? We will look at the steps you can take to connect God’s word with women’s hearts.
Starting Well and Finishing Better: Sermon Introductions and Conclusions
Chuck Lawless
Every preacher knows the tension of the “take-off” and the “landing.” If you often struggle to capture your congregation’s attention from the first sentence or feel like your sermons trail off, this breakout is for you. Learn a variety of approaches and practical ideas for sermon introductions and conclusions, to ensure you start with impact and finish with clarity. Spanish translation available.
Teaching for Non-Preachers
David Horton
This session will focus on how to develop and present Bible content effectively, even though you don’t do it from a pulpit. Ideal for those who teach Sunday School classes or lead Bible studies for men, women, and youth on a regular basis.
Aplicando bien para predicar mejor (Solo sesiones 1 y 2)
Lenin Almonte
Este taller busca brindarte herramientas y principios prácticos que te ayudarán a predicar la Palabra de Dios de manera fiel y relevante. Si tu oración es ver a tu congregación viviendo a la luz de las Escrituras, y no solo adquiriendo más información acerca de ellas, esta sesión es para ti.
Aprendiendo a aprender para ser mas aptos para enseñar (Solo sesiones 1 y 2)
Ricardo Sánchez
Taller avanzado sobre estilos de aprendizaje en el que los participantes serán evaluados mediante dos instrumentos distintos. A partir de estos resultados, podrán comprender cómo procesan y asimilan la información, y cómo esto influye directamente en su manera de enseñar en la iglesia. Si quieres ser un discipulo que es cada vez mas apto para enseñar, ¡ven a aprender a aprender!
Del Aprendizaje a la Aplicación: Predicadores que Enseñan, Aplican y Transforman (Solo sesión 3)
Panel interactivo con Lenin Almonte & Ricardo Sánchez
Después de explorar cómo aprender de manera más efectiva y cómo aplicar fielmente las Escrituras en la predicación, esta sesión reunirá a ambos expositores en un diálogo dinámico sobre el desarrollo integral del predicador. A través de una conversación guiada y un tiempo de preguntas e interacción con los participantes, se abordarán desafíos, principios y estrategias prácticas para crecer tanto en el aprendizaje como en la enseñanza de la Palabra de Dios. Una oportunidad única para profundizar en los temas de los Tracks 1 y 2 y recibir orientación contextualizada para el ministerio pastoral.
