Expositors Collective: Expository Preaching, Bible Teaching and Sermon Preparation

Faithfulness in Small Places and the Care of Souls

6 snips

May 5, 2026

Jonny Pollock, church planter and pastor in County Galway who writes simple guides for new believers. He reflects on preaching and pastoral care in small, rural contexts. Short sermons, accessible Bible teaching, and learning from new believers are highlighted. The conversation emphasizes staying rooted in the care of souls rather than seeking visibility.

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ADVICE

Let People Shape Your Preaching Voice

Do let real congregational relationships shape your preaching voice rather than copying experienced speakers.
Jonny says long-term faithful ministry and listening to ordinary people taught him more than trying to mimic famous preachers.

ADVICE

Preach To Real Questions Not Abstract Ideas

Try focusing sermons on questions people actually ask instead of only polished meanings and generic applications.
Jonny shifted to anticipating listeners' immediate concerns to make sermons more transformative, not just 'nice.'

ANECDOTE

Short Guides Born From New Believers' Questions

Jonny wrote short guides How To Pray and How To Read The Bible because new believers repeatedly asked foundational questions.
Those resources arose from monthly 'equip' sessions and simple pastoral conversations with converts.

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In this episode, Jonny Pollock joins Mike Neglia to reflect on preaching and pastoral ministry in small and rural church contexts. Jonny is the pastor of Calvary Church Loughrea, a church plant in a small town in County Galway, Ireland, which began in 2017 when he and his family relocated there to begin the work.

After an initial season of prayer and Bible study, the church began gathering for Sunday worship in 2018. Since then, the focus has remained simple and intentional: sharing the Gospel through the Word of God, while also sharing life together as a community shaped by God’s grace.

Drawing from that context, Jonny shares lessons from early preaching, the challenges of communicating with people who have little or no church background, and the importance of staying grounded in the care of souls rather than platform or visibility.

The conversation explores how to make biblical teaching accessible without diluting its depth, why new believers often ask the most insightful questions, and how intentional convictions shape the culture of a church. Throughout, Jonny and Mike return to a central conviction: we are not here to impress people, but to faithfully care for souls.

Jonny is also the author of How to Pray and How to Read the Bible, short and practical resources designed to help new believers engage with the foundations of the Christian life. He writes regularly on church planting, leadership, and mission in post-Christian contexts.

Learn more from Jonny:

Substack: jonnypollockwrites.substack.com

X: @jonnypollock

Upcoming Training Weekend

May 15th-16th, 2026 at Reliance Church in Temecula, California

Take advantage of early bird pricing until April 26th – only $140 per person!

The Expositors Collective is a network of pastors, leaders, and laypeople which exists to equip, encourage, and mentor the next generation of Christ-centered preachers.

What to expect:
In this interactive training weekend, attendees will hear insightful lectures, participate in Q&A panels, meet in small groups with a seasoned mentor, build ongoing relationships, and participate in a studying/teaching practicum.
Who should attend:
Christ-following men and women of all ages, ministry experience, and church backgrounds who are students of Scripture and desire to grow as teachers of the Word. Whether you’re a regular Bible teacher or have never taught the Bible in a public setting before, this training weekend offers invaluable tools to equip you in your journey.

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