"Keep Your Finger in the Text:  Opportunities to get built up as a faithful gospel minister.

Providing encouragement and exhortation to gospel ministers preaching in the open air."

Talking Points for 11/06/25:

Heath Pucel’s "Keep Your Finger in the Text" live report provides practical guidance and encouragement for open-air preachers, focusing on how to grow as effective gospel ministers. He strongly emphasizes the importance of prayer, discernment, and regular opportunities for skills development, highlighting recent workshops and mentorship options. Heath promotes "Taking Reps," a Monday night study group where participants collaboratively interpret biblical passages (currently working through Psalm 50), create sermon outlines, and sharpen their preaching with peer feedback.

He also details the ongoing “Preaching That Demands a Response” fall workshop (Monday mornings and Tuesday evenings), which blends biblical conviction with classical rhetoric to help preachers deliver sermons that move hearers to respond and apply the truth. Heath urges ministers to hone their craft by mastering sermon clarity, flow, balance, digestibility, and appropriate tone, and he encourages recording and re-watching sermons for honest self-evaluation and improvement.

Looking ahead, he previews the 2026 George Whitfield Summer Fellowship Conference in Chattanooga, TN (June 15–19), which will offer focused ministry tracks, practical workshops, times of prayer, and networking. The George Whitfield Preaching Academy, a two-year certificate program, also remains available for those seeking structured training and feedback in expository preaching.

Heath offers one-on-one mentoring, guidance on using Bible software, and advice for integrating sermon preparation tools on a budget. He encourages feedback, ongoing learning, and humility as key attitudes for lasting ministry growth. The live report closes with invitations to connect, join workshops, and make use of resources and opportunities to become more faithful and effective open-air gospel ministers.

For more details and to join the program visit: https://www.sfoi.org/KeepYourFingerintheText