In Preaching Articles: "Christian Community"

Practical Ideas For Servant Evangelism

By Steve Sjogren on Apr 8, 2023

Servant evangelism uses simple acts of kindness to nudge people toward God. These practical, low-cost ideas help churches connect with their communities with high grace.

Scripture: John 4:5-26, John 15:9-17

Tags: Evangelism, Church, Outreach, Servant, Evangelism How To, Evangelism The Lost, evangelism, church  (view more)  (view less)

The Power Of Testimony

By Peter Mead on Nov 19, 2022

"Hearing how God has worked in a life can be very powerful. Having someone “give their testimony” can also backfire. Here are a few of the problems that can create the tension."

Tags: leadership, Church leaders, Our Testimony, Sharing My Testimony, Personal Testimony, christian testimony, church leadership, Power Of Testimony, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Slaves In Your Church’s Backyard

By David Batstone on Dec 14, 2022

Modern slavery hides in plain sight. These stories reveal how trafficking thrives worldwide and even locally, calling Christians to seek justice with persistent, sacrificial love.

Tags: Compassion, Culture, Slavery, Justice, traffic, injustice, Human Trafficking, abolition, culture, Modern Slavery, Abolition  (view more)  (view less)

The Power Of Biblical Thanksgiving In A Thankless Age

By J. John on Nov 19, 2025

True thanksgiving reshapes the Christian life. It redirects our hearts toward God’s grace, transforms our attitudes, and strengthens hope through daily gratitude.

Scripture: Psalm 136:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Philippians 4:6, Colossians 3:15, Matthew 26:26-27  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Prayer, Thanks, Thanksgiving Holiday, Spiritual Disciplines

Powerful Preaching Means Transformation, Not Information

By James Scott on Jul 13, 2020

Being informed by Scripture can still leave lives unchanged. Biblical Christianity calls for Christ to be formed within us, producing real transformation, not mere knowledge.

Scripture: Galatians 4:19, Romans 12:1-2, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Colossians 1:27, James 1:22-25  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, Transformation, preaching, Pastoral Theology

Which Bible Translation Is Best? How To Choose The Right One

By Clay Smith on Jul 17, 2021

Christians often debate Bible translations, but the real goal is understanding and living God’s Word. Learn how different translations work and how to choose wisely.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16, Acts 2:6, Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 119:105, James 1:22  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Bible, Holy Spirit, Guide, translation, Bible Influence, bible  (view more)  (view less)

10 Things Every New Believer Should Know

By Brian Mavis on Mar 7, 2025

New believers thrive when they learn God’s love, grace, Scripture, prayer, community, and Christ centered living early. These ten lessons safeguard a healthy start.

Scripture: Matthew 6:33, James 4:10, Romans 5:8, 1 John 4:16, James 1:22  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Discipleship, spiritual formation, Spiritual Formation

Preaching A Wedding: The Practical Do's And Don'ts

By Jared Moore on Mar 24, 2025

Preaching weddings brings unique pressures and expectations. These clear do’s and don’ts help pastors keep Christ central, avoid distractions, and communicate the gospel well.

Scripture: Ephesians 5:25-32, Proverbs 3:5-6, Colossians 3:17, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Matthew 19:4-6  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Death, Love, Commitment, Preaching, forever, Weddings, preaching, love  (view more)  (view less)

How Church Buildings Shape The Hearing Of A Sermon

By Ron Geyer on May 28, 2021

The design of a worship space influences how people listen, participate, and respond to preaching. Architecture, acoustics, and layout silently communicate priorities and shape the congregation’s experience of the Word.

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:4-8, 1 Corinthians 14:26, Colossians 3:16, Psalm 96:6, Hebrews 10:24-25  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Building, Preaching, Sound, room, Loud, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Sorry, Pastors – The Growth Of The Church Is Not Up To Us

By Karl Vaters on Jun 5, 2024

"Preaching the Word, training disciples and ministering to the community may or may not increase the number of people who sit in front of me from Sunday to Sunday. But it will produce a healthy church."

Tags: Church Growth, Surrender, Healthy Church, God's Church, God in control, pastoral leadership, call to discipleship, church leadership  (view more)  (view less)

11 Common Preaching Mistakes That Distract From God

By Jared Moore on Jan 5, 2026

Avoid 11 common preaching mistakes that shift focus from God to yourself. Learn how to preach Christ-centered sermons that point hearers to God’s truth.

Tags: preaching tips, Expository Preaching, expository preaching, Preaching Tips, Preaching Mistakes, Biblical Communication, Christ Centered Sermons  (view more)  (view less)

3 Things Our Culture Is Doing To Bible Reading And Discipleship

By Mary C. Wiley on Jun 24, 2024

"We live in a microwave meals, listen-to-podcasts-in-double-time world. We want more with less; work smarter not harder. However, the move forward or get left behind mentality of today is not a good transferrable principle for discipleship. Mostly because discipleship is all about people, and people can’t be boiled down to a series of tasks. People are messy and their needs aren’t linear."

Tags: Discipleship, spiritual growth, church community, TEACH THE BIBLE, call to discipleship, training disciples, guard the truth, Study the Bible  (view more)  (view less)

Niceness Is Not The Gospel

By SermonCentral .com on Oct 1, 2024

Faithful Christians pursue kindness and humility, yet the gospel itself will offend some people. Disciples must be willing to face rejection rather than dilute the message of Christ.

Scripture: Mark 13:13, John 15:18, 2 Timothy 3:12, Romans 1:16, 1 Corinthians 15:1-6  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Evangelism, Persecution, Gospel, Preaching, hate, evangelism, gospel, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Should Pastors Address Marijuana Use From The Pulpit?

By SermonCentral .com on Sep 2, 2023

Changing cultural attitudes toward marijuana raise new questions for pastors. Many younger Christians no longer view recreational use as sinful, creating a growing pastoral challenge.

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Romans 12:1-2, 1 Corinthians 10:23, Galatians 5:22-23  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Faith

What Are The Internal Scripts Driving You? Part 2

By Lance Witt on Oct 10, 2023

For many Christians shame isn’t about a sordid past or dark skeletons in our closet. We live with a low-grade nagging feeling that we are never “enough”.

Tags: Shame, beloved, Performance, Identity in Christ