Now You Can Measure What Matters Most In Ministry
Discover the 5-Tools of Effective Ministry and How to Become a 5-Tool Pastor
Now You Can Measure What Matters Most In Ministry
Discover the 5-Tools of Effective Ministry and How to Become a 5-Tool Pastor
Get personalized, tangible improvements nobody in your congregation can or will tell you.
You’re not getting the response to your sermon you deserve. The work of a preacher is time consuming, grueling, and exhausting. At the end, hearing ‘pastor, great sermon’ is nice, but you want something more.
You deserve specific, tangible feedback to elevate the way you communicate God’s Word. This is exactly what you get when you participate in the Faithful & Fruitful Preaching Lab Cohort.
4.8/5
Recommended by pastors
The Preaching Lab Cohort is led by Luke Simmons, Lead Pastor at Ironwood Church in Mesa, Arizona. Learn more about Luke.
“I saw immediate improvement in my preaching and others noticed it too without me mentioning the Lab! Not just theory, but practical tools you can use instantly.”
“Fantastic! If you have NOT been involved in ‘continuing education’ for preaching, take The Preaching Lab as it is refreshing and challenging.”
“The Preaching Lab is worth every penny. The teaching is not theoretical – it’s rooted in seriousness about God’s Word and love for the church.
4.8/5
Recommended by pastors
Discover minor adjustments to your sermon habits in key areas for major impact in your preaching. ‘Tweaks’ that nobody in your congregation has the ability or the confidence to give you.
Develop your own set of ABCs for preaching — Assumptions, Beliefs, and Convictions — for intentional personal development and communication improvement, all so you can experience a thriving preaching ministry.
Learn how to tap into the full potential impact your preaching can have week in and week out.
Principles for how to read, interpret, and present the text to communicates core truth effectively to teens, adults, seniors, inner-city, suburb, or whatever audience God is gracious enough to give you.
Reinforce your strongest study habits, reset underperforming disciplines, and introduce new techniques to elevate your preparation to communicate God’s Word.
Disciplines for preaching the Gospel as good news — completely bypassing the perception of your people that you’re teaching “laws” or “ought tos.”
Trade in ‘scotch-taping’ an altar call to the sermon for true Good News preaching.
Frameworks, structures, and processes to leave hearers of your sermon thinking, “Isn’t this wonderful,” rather than, “I guess I need to get to work.”
The art of transforming your messages from good to interesting so your people want to listen versus feeling they should listen.
Learn to use every sermon element as connective tissue, keeping listeners interested and engaged from the start to the finish of your message.
Uncover the bad habits that are accidentally and substantially undermining your message.
Start taking the 70-93% of non-verbal communication seriously so you can preach with excitement and poignancy, be monotone while engaging, or speak tenderly with strength.
Turn the sermon into an experience and not a lecture. Transform your presence from teaching to preaching.
This is your framework for a thriving preaching ministry over decades — not sermon series.
Learn how to manage family dynamics, energy stewards, handle and receive criticism (and praise), and deal with your own hypocrisy — all so you can thrive in the pulpit and in your home.
The Preaching Lab Cohort isn’t a course. It’s a complete preaching system that you get to implement in real time with a group of preachers hungry to grow… and a coach to guide you.
From sermon prep to Sunday delivery to post-sermon reflection, this is a fully integrated framework that helps you preach with more clarity, confidence, and long-term fruit.
While seminary gives you the theology, The Preaching Lab gives you the traction — a practical, proven process you can implement right away and build on for years to come.
4.8/5
Recommended by pastors
“A super experience that’s very doable for pastors of any size church! The balance between personal reflection and colleague interaction was perfect. Luke’s sermon feedback was both encouraging and thorough – you can tell he really prepares. The projects on context and congregational profile are work most of us would never prioritize without this, but they’re incredibly valuable. No matter where you are in your timeline as a preacher, this will be helpful and encouraging.”
“The Preaching Lab transformed my approach and gave me something invaluable: a community of pastors who share both my joys and struggles. As a small church pastor, the honest sermon feedback was crucial. The session on Shepherding your Heart tackled my deepest struggles with inadequacy. Luke truly is a shepherd to shepherds, always available for support. If your preaching needs a refresh, this is the perfect place for renewed energy and community.”
If you’ve ever wondered whether a course can actually make a difference in your preaching, you’re not alone. These pastors came in with questions, roadblocks, and fatigue — and walked away with clarity, confidence, and tools they still use every week.
“I saw immediate improvement in my preaching — and others noticed it too.”
“Preaching has become more fun — and I’m saying more in less time.”
“The Preaching Lab is the preaching equivalent of drilling fundamentals.”
“It challenged me to rethink the difference between preaching and teaching.”
“The feedback and community refreshed my preaching and my soul.”
“Even feedback on other pastors’ sermons helped me grow.”
“I wasn’t aware of my habits until the feedback helped me refine them.”
“If you want to refine your craft, this is the place to do it.”
“A great opportunity to reflect and grow as a communicator.”
“A great investment in your time, your ministry, and your people.”
“The mix of expert teaching and peer interaction was the perfect lab.”
“Sharpened my skills and reminded me I’m not doing this alone.”
“The personalized feedback was the most helpful part.”
“More gospel focus. More confidence. More clarity.”
“If you’ve been preaching less than 10 years, take this course.”
4.8/5
Recommended by pastors
Spring 2026 Live Cohort4.8/5
Recommended by pastors
*The Preaching Lab Video Curriculum is also available on demand, click here to learn more.
You do not get what you expect. You get what you inspect and that’s exactly what happens during The Preaching Lab Cohort. This is a deep inspection of your routines, habits, study, and preaching.
The Preaching Lab is an invitation to become a better steward of the gift God has given you every single week — an audience. This is your opportunity to return the favor and preach a sermon that is faithful & fruitful.
I have already been recommending this cohort to others for a few reasons.
Number one, I stated on the front end, my main goal was to try to get my sermon time down.
My average sermon time this year before our cohort was clocking in at 50 minutes and 56 seconds.
In the weeks since this cohort began, my average sermon time is clocking in at 44 minutes and 1 second. And this past Sunday, I got under 40 minutes for the first time all year.
From a tangible, felt need, “why I signed up” standpoint, The Preaching Lab Nailed it. I’m actually saying more in less time. So super grateful for that.
Second, the whole sermon prep process and getting to do this has become more fun. In one of the early sessions you said, “you got to enjoy this if you’re going to do it for the long haul,” and I thought, “Oh, crap,” when I was watching that.
Over the last several weeks, it’s become so much more enjoyable finding better ways to do this. And I love that I get to do this.
Number three, Luke, you were so available to us. I never thought I was bothering you. I was actually kind of blown away at your availability. So grateful for that.
Finally, number four, watching you give us feedback and how you did it, I leave this cohort feeling like I could do this myself with a group of guys in the future, which is super cool! You not only blessed us and helped us, but you equipped us to do it with others.
For those of reasons, I highly recommending this to others. Thank you, again, for your investment in us. This has been life changing for me. Thank you.
The Preaching Lab is taught by Luke Simmons, Lead Pastor at Ironwood Church in Mesa, Arizona. Learn more about Luke.
I’m Luke Simmons — I’ve been in full-time pastoral ministry since 2004 and I’ve got the scars to prove it. After all those years, I’ve remained joyful in ministry, my family loves the church, and I still delight in helping people meet, know, and follow Jesus. I want the same for you.
Sometimes we need an experienced coach who can answer questions, offer suggestions, cheer us on, and be confident on our behalf. That’s why I’m here.
God has graciously allowed me to serve as a church planter, lead pastor, preacher, and leadership coach (read my full bio here). I love learning and when things I’ve learned get to help other leaders… oh baby, that’s the good stuff.
Luke has been a terrific resource in the areas of communication and preaching for me since 2016.
Nine years later, I still use his sermon evaluation forms and communication strategies as a tool for strengthening my skills as a communicator.
He comes highly recommended not based on knowledge alone, but attention to details and care for shepherding people well. (Shannon Butler, Associate Pastor, Calvary Chapel Tallahassee)
Luke has helped me become more like myself in pulpit; his insight and feedback has helped me close the gap between how I wanted to be experienced verses how I was experienced.
Some of the tweaks were strategic and tactical, but others were deeply personal and addressed me at the level of my insecurities.
Luke has been one of the people I go to and always listen to when it comes to preaching and leadership.
He has the ability to help people communicate strategically, without losing the heart of the gospel or shepherding your church through a moment or sermon.
I’ve walked away from every conversation with him with tons of notes and nuggets about how to move forward and communicate better as a pastor.
Working with Luke afforded me needed perspectives and ways to think about how to best lead in my context— all in real time.
While I could have gained those things otherwise, without Luke I would have paid in the form of many slow years of gaining experience and avoidable mistakes along the way.
The Preaching Lab was created for pastors who care deeply about faithful preaching — and want to keep getting better.
Whether you’re a few years in or a few decades deep, this experience will sharpen your skills, deepen your confidence, and help you preach in a way that actually connects.
But if you’re ready to preach with more clarity, confidence, and traction — The Preaching Lab Cohort is ready for you.
4.8/5
Recommended by pastors
Join The Preaching Lab Live Cohort! Begins January 21, 2026.
Join a small group of preachers for learning, evaluation, and coaching in a life format.
Use the video curriculum to improve your preaching at your own pace.
Immediate Access
Receiving feedback on sermons I had preached and watching footage was the most helpful. It was great to connect with other preachers and learn from them, as well. The environment was ideal for sharing, learning, growing, and receiving feedback. Killer course, a great experience, I learned a ton, and really enjoyed it.”
The Cohort begins Wednesday, January 21, 2026.
Each section lasts two weeks, with the first week for learning the material and the second week for discussion and group Zoom call.
Here is the schedule for our bi-weekly Wednesday calls.
January 21, February 4, February 18, March 4, March 18, April 1
Calls will run approximately 75 minutes in length, and will take place starting at 9AM PST.
The Preaching Lab Live Cohort is available a one time payment of $697.
If you want to go through The Preaching Lab Curriculum at your own pace, you can purchase our on-demand version, The Preaching Essentials for a one-time cost of $197.
The Preaching Lab is for pastors who preach with any regularity (once a year, once a month, weekly, etc.) and want to grow in one or more areas of their craft.
Participants must be able to handle straightforward feedback and be willing to receive and apply critique and instruction.
Each group will be no larger than 10 participants.
Live Zoom calls take place every two weeks on Wednesdays. Calls will be held for 75 minutes between 9am (PDT).
The Preaching Lab Cohort is a live group training experience.
Your group will be comprised of 8 participants and one Preaching Lab Coach. In addition to group training sessions, participants are also part of a Lab Chat where they can interact with the instructor and other participants throughout the entire 90 days.
The Preaching Lab Curriculum is also available in an on-demand, go at your own pace format (Essentials) with no live component.
Each section of The Preaching Lab Live is comprised of one produced training video and one 75 minute group call via Zoom.
In addition to the produced training and the group Zoom calls, participants will have access to the Lab Cohort Slack Group during the entire 90 days so you can interact and discuss the material in real time between calls.
Each Cohort Call will generally follow the format below:
Before signing up please make sure your schedule can accommodate all six group training calls on Wednesdays between 9am (PDT).
If you know up front that you will not be able to regularly attend during our designated call time, you will not be able to get the full benefit of The Preaching Lab Cohort experience.
That said, yes, calls will be recorded and available for on-demand viewing.
Yes. No red tape, no hassle, no questions — after going through the first month of The Preaching Lab Cohort, if you do not believe the instruction will help you become a better preacher, pastor, or leader, let us know and we’ll give you a 100% refund.
The Winter Preaching Lab will be led by Luke Simmons, Lead Pastor of Ironwood Church in Mesa, Arizona.
Click here to learn more about Luke, his qualifications as a trainer, and his ministry experience.
The Doors Close Soon for the Preaching Lab CohortEvery preacher’s journey is unique, but the desire to grow is universal. Here’s why pastors like you joined The Preaching Lab…
“I simply want to get better at this thing God has called me to do. While preaching isn’t my only responsibility, at a church our size it’s my primary way to impact people. Those 35-40 minutes each week? That’s when my congregation needs to hear the best version of what God wants them to hear. I believe I can grow as a speaker, and I’m ready to become a better communicator of His truth.”
“I recently stepped into a lead pastor role after years of being part of a preaching team. Back then, I had built-in feedback, shared preparation, and experienced voices speaking into my development. Now, as the primary preacher, I feel the full weight of the pulpit. I benefited so much from that team environment that I know I need to find new ways to keep growing in my preaching.”
“I was called into pastoral ministry without seminary training, and I’ve been learning to preach on the fly through courses, books, and other pastors. But now I need to stop trying to fit into fifteen different preaching molds and discover who God has called me to be in the pulpit. I want my preaching to be both more efficient and more joyful, because I know my Sunday morning messages are where most of my people learn to walk with Jesus. I want to do the best job I can for them.”
“Even after 21 years of preaching and a DMin in Expository Preaching, I know I still need to grow. While I can explain the text well and consider myself a polished speaker, I want to get better with illustrations and more efficient with my time. I’m still on this journey of improvement because my congregation deserves my best.”
“After 25 years in pastoral ministry, I’m looking to refresh and elevate my preaching. Not just for myself, but to better equip and encourage the other preaching elders and aspiring pastors I’m mentoring in our church.”
“I want to improve my preaching to better serve our church and reach our community, but I need help knowing where to start. While I know I have room to grow, I need guidance on what to prioritize. I want to stay organized in my preaching without falling into predictable patterns.”
“After 20+ years of preaching and a PhD in New Testament, I still want to become more effective in the pulpit. I love learning from new perspectives and getting honest feedback on my preaching. Plus, I want to show my staff and kids what it looks like to keep growing, no matter your experience level.”
These pastors found what they were looking for—and many found even more than they expected. That’s why The Preaching Lab consistently receives 4.8/5 stars from participants who’ve experienced the transformation firsthand.
4.8/5
Recommended by pastors
This is a complete guide to measuring and improving the intangible aspects of ministry that matter most.
Weekly insights to help pastors build the confidence to lead for the long-haul in a changed and changing world.
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