In Preaching Articles: "Character"

How To Teach Old Testament Characters

By J.d. Greear on Feb 25, 2025

"I believe most contemporary teaching on Old Testament stories is hopelessly moralistic, giving us merely examples to emulate rather than a Savior to adore and hope in."

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6

Tags: Old Testament, David, Preaching, preaching

The Ultimate Character Test Any Great Leader Passes

By Carey Nieuwhof on Nov 14, 2023

Moral failure takes out more leaders than it should. But real success is deeper than just avoiding the ditch.

Tags: leadership, Character, Faithfulness, Home Life, Integrity, Popularity, pastoral leadership, church leadership, First Things First, Leadership Failure, True Success, e, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Should You Start A Chapter Of The Boring Preacher's Club?

By Michael Duduit on Sep 28, 2020

In a culture obsessed with activity and extremes, a little bit of boring can build character.

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Can We Please Stop Preaching About All The Good People In The Bible?

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 30, 2019

The way we have traditionally approached character-based sermons has a tremendous flaw.

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Larry Osborne: My Ministry Game-Changers

By Larry Osborne on May 23, 2020

Larry Osborne offers time-tested wisdom to help leaders avoid two dangerous mindsets that often destroy pastors.

Tags: leadership, Character, Leadership General, Leadership

Are You A Well-Defined Leader?

By John Holm on Jul 19, 2021

"I've rarely coached someone who decided that more knowledge or more skill would help them become a successful leader. Instead, what they needed to learn was more about themselves."

Tags: Leader, Character, define, Leadership General

Have Mercy On Me: Four Glimpses Into The Heart Of God

By SermonCentral .com on Aug 8, 2022

God has made the world to turn again and again on fresh revelations of his mercy.

Scripture: Exodus 34:6-7, Exodus 33:19, Luke 1:78, Ephesians 2:3, 2 Chronicles 30:9, Romans 9:22-23, 2 Samuel 24:13-14, Psalm 51:1, Lamentations 4:10, Isaiah 30:18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: David, Mercy, Moses, God's Character

Star Wars Preaching: The Force Of Nostalgia

By Peter Mead on Sep 6, 2019

"There is something profoundly satisfying about seeing familiar characters, familiar scenery, familiar scenes, and familiar storylines. "

Scripture: Psalm 88:1-18

Tags: Preaching

Framing Thanksgiving

By Mark Looyenga on Nov 14, 2024

Again and again in Scripture, biblical characters experience contentment amidst struggle or difficulty in ways that go beyond just circumstance.

Scripture: Daniel 6:1-28, Ruth 1:16-17, Psalm 63:1-8, Philippians 4:11, James 1:2, 1 Peter 1:6, Matthew 26:53, Matthew 27:14, Romans 12:1  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Thanksgiving, Contentment, gratitude, Perspective, perspective  (view more)  (view less)

Only One Perfect Pastor

By Taelor Gray on May 1, 2021

Growing up in church, I used to think of pastors as heroic, super-powered leaders who were almost like enhanced human beings. For me, they were moral superiors operating beyond the scope of failure and “common” struggle.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:1-27, Galatians 2:11-14, Acts 20:17-38, 2 Corinthians 12:9

Tags: pastor, humanity, Imperfection, Pastoral Character, Pastor  (view more)  (view less)

4 Deadly Dangers In Shortcutting Quality Exegesis

By Peter Mead on Dec 18, 2024

Shortcuts in exegesis result in a passage idea that does not carry the true content--nor the character--of the passage on which we claim to be preaching.

Scripture: Mark 4:35-41

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Just What Is Pulpit Plagiarism?

By Ron Forseth on Jan 1, 2024

Executive Editor of SermonCentral.com Ron Forseth answers the thorny question in defining pulpit plagiarism.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15, 1 Corinthians 10:29

Tags: Preaching, Character, Integrity, Honesty, Plagiarism, Homiletics, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Check The Mirror, Pastor – After Five Years, Your Church Looks Like You

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 27, 2021

Show me a spiritually healthy church and I’ll show you a spiritually healthy pastor. Show me a spiritually unhealthy church and I’ll show you a spiritually unhealthy pastor.

Scripture: Hebrews 13:7

Tags: Humility, pastor, spiritual leadership, Pastoral Character, Pastor  (view more)  (view less)

Promote Jesus: Not Personality, Professionalism, Or Brand

By Joe Hoagland on Jan 18, 2022

The church can learn a lot from worldly business and marketing trends but many times churches and church leaders end up promoting the wrong thing.

Tags: Jesus, focus on GOD, Pastoral Character, church marketing

The Battle Against Burnout

By Peter Walters on Feb 9, 2022

I think we don’t take seriously enough the fact that taking care of our bodies is a spiritual issue.

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:4-6, Mark 6:31, Leviticus 25:4, Exodus 20:8, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Proverbs 23:2, 1 Corinthians 6:12  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Body Temple, Rest, Commandments Sabbath, Pastoral Character