Saturday, April 13, 2019

Practical Preaching Advice for Pastors and Lay Preachers #45


How to Encourage that Preacher

Having spoken to many preachers and having preached a fair bit myself, I began considering the kind of encouragement that preachers most love to hear. I thought I’d pass them along and provide a brief explanation for each. Read More

Sermons Are Not For Liking

Today I want to share a lesson I’ve learned that applies primarily to those of us who listen to preaching (as I do, most Sundays, since I am not an every-Sunday kind of preacher). Here’s the lesson: Sermons are not for liking. Sermons are for listening, they are for discerning, they are for applying, but they are not for liking. You don’t get to like or dislike a sermon. We tend to ask questions like, “So how did you enjoy the sermon today?” It is just the wrong question to ask. Read More

What I’ve Learned Along the Way

As someone who is rather new to the pulpit, I thought it might be helpful to tell you what some of the surprises have been as I’ve somehow transitioned to a person who preaches on a regular basis. Here are some of the things I’ve learned about preaching.... Read More

More Lessons Learned Along the Way

learned that preaching can be discouraging, that preachers are fragile, that success in preaching is difficult to measure, and that preaching is a joy. Upon further reflection, I want to add a couple of items to my list. Read More

The Preacher’s Cheat-Sheet

I am a relative newcomer to preaching and as I’ve prepared sermons I’ve relied on others to teach me how to pray and how to prepare. Here are two lists that have been very helpful to me. I combine them into what I affectionately call my Preacher’s Cheat-Sheet. Read More


Listen To Your Sermon Just Before You Preach

Sermons are not made for paper--they're made for the human ear. Have you tried listening to yours? Read More

Of Course Leadership Matters--But So Does Preaching!

"I'm just not getting fed." That means they are hungry. They are hungry for God's Word for their lives today. Read More

How To Make Easter Stand Out

Easter is the real ground zero of the Christian faith. We tend to, or should, return to it week after week. So what do we do when Easter comes around? Read More

What Biblical Book Should I Begin Preaching in a Church Plant?

I would encourage any pastor, whether planting or replanting, to start by preaching through the Pastoral Epistles (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus). Why the Pastorals? Here are my top four reasons. Read More

I Preached 98 Times In 2 Years. Is That Too Much?

How many times per year do you preach? How many times SHOULD you? Read More

How Long Should You Preach to Students?

This is a common question among youth workers, especially within an American culture where attention spans matter. I wonder sometimes if ministries in foreign cultures that are used to longer church services ever have to even ask the question, but that’s perhaps another blog post for another time. Read More

Sincerity In Preaching Can't Be Faked: Do You Have It?

Eight tips on "bearing your honest heart" for greater preaching impact. Read More

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