Talbot Davis
Rev.
Talbot Davis
Preacher, Pastor, Teacher
Talbot Davis was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. As a teenager, he was the two-time Texas state champion in tennis for boys’ 18-and-under. After graduating from high school in 1980, he attended Princeton University in Princeton, NJ, where he played varsity tennis for four years, served as team captain, and graduated with honors in English in 1984.
Talbot is a 1990 graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY. In 32 years of full-time United Methodist ministry in the Western North Carolina Annual Conference, he has served two appointments: Mt. Carmel-Midway (1990-1999) and Good Shepherd (1999-present)
Since 1999, Good Shepherd’s average worship attendance has increased from 500 per Sunday to 2,000 per Sunday. The church is known for its modern style of worship, ethnic and racial diversity, and radical impact projects.
Talbot’s preaching and teaching ministry caught the eye of Abingdon Press which has turned five of his sermon series into books: Head Scratchers, The Storm Before The Calm, The Shadow Of A Doubt, Solve, and Crash Test Dummies. A sixth book, Simplify The Message; Multiply The Impact was released in February of 2020. Unlike the others, which are collections OF preaching, Simplify is ON preaching. Designed for preachers, public speakers, and students in bible college and seminary, the book gives a fresh window into sermon design and delivery in the 2020s and beyond.
Talbot has been married to Julie since 1984 and they have two adult children.