Selected Articles on Preaching from 2017 (and Earlier)

Advice to a Young Preacher

reached my first sermon in 1967 to a congregation of three people, having had no instruction and no training. I have been learning how to preach ever since. Here is my advice for those who are starting out in their preaching ministry. Read More

Questions to Ask Before You Preach Your Next Sermon

What questions do you ask during sermon prep? Read More

What Expository Preaching Is Not

Expository preaching explains what the text means by what it says, seeking to exhort the hearers to trust and obey the God-intended message of the text. It is preaching in which the point of the message is rooted in, aligns with, and flows from the primary meaning of the sermon text. Read More

3 Ways to Let the Fire of the Sermon Warm Your Own Heart

One of the biggest lessons I have learned over the years with preaching is that I must ignite my heart’s affections with the truths I intend to proclaim. If I stand up and say true things, but I do not say them with the passion and conviction the truth merits, my preaching will suffer. Preaching with inflamed affections is one of the keys to ignite the hearts of listeners. Read More

15 Ways to Improve Your Preaching or Teaching

I am a professor who doesn’t like course evaluations and a preacher who doesn’t enjoy sermon critiques. So, I’m leery of telling others how to improve their preaching or teaching. Nevertheless, here are 15 ways (some that are perhaps surprising) to improve your communicating the gospel.... Read More

7 Ways Preachers Can Learn from Educators

As Dean of Graduate Studies at Southeastern Baptist Seminary, I teach our PhD course on Higher Education.[1] Every time I teach that course, reviewing educational strategies challenges me to improve my preaching by applying some of those strategies. Here are some ideas that have helped me.... Read More

10 Reasons Preaching Is Scary

Anybody who knows me probably knows I love to preach. I so clearly knew God’s calling many years ago that only disobedience would allow me to ignore preaching today. To be candid, though, preaching scares me. Here’s why.... Read More

10 Reasons Preachers Should At Least Audit a Preaching Course

As a Dean of Doctoral Studies at Southeastern Seminary, I realize I’m suggesting an idea here that sometimes gets complicated to accomplish – that is, encourage people to audit a preaching course. In fact, not every seminary allows this kind of option. Nevertheless, here’s why I think every preacher ought to consider this option.... Read More

You may also want to check out the article archives on Rookie Preacher: Helping You Preach and Lead Better and ProPreacher: Helping Pastors Preach Better.