In Preaching Articles: "Christian Growth"

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

33 Wise Sayings From My Most Trusted Teachers

By Ray Hollenbach on Aug 25, 2022

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” ~ C.S. Lewis

Scripture: Proverbs 4:19

Tags: Gems, Quotes, Wise Words, Illustrations, e  (view more)  (view less)

Two Questions To Break Despair

By Marion Clark on Dec 2, 2022

There is a great need for Christian counselors with the expertise to unravel the problems of life. The more a pastor is equipped in this area, the better they will be able to serve the members of their church who are facing difficulties and trials.

Tags: Despair, pastoral care, WISE COUNSEL, fixing eyes on Jesus, counseling, Hope, encouragement, Counselor  (view more)  (view less)

4 Tips For Understanding Any Passage Of The Bible

By Brandon Smith on Dec 1, 2022

Whatever you do, just read the Bible.

Tags: Reading God's Word, Christian community, personal holiness, Personal Devotions, bible study, Study, Prayer, BIBLE STUDY, godly character, Bible Study  (view more)  (view less)

The Hottest Thing At Church Today

By Tim Challies on Jul 19, 2022

According to a new study by Gallup, the hottest thing at church today is not the worship and not the pastor. So what is it?

Scripture: Romans 10:17

Tags: Teaching, Preaching, Church Growth, Expository, Biblical truth, Teaching God's Word, BIBLICAL TEACHING, preaching, teaching, expository  (view more)  (view less)

How To Stop Flirting With Sin

By Chad Ashby on Nov 14, 2022

Brothers and sisters, “As long as it is called ‘today,’ [be sure] that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin!” (Hebrews 3:13)

Scripture: Judges 16:1-31, Matthew 5:29, Judges 16:4-5, Matthew 7:13, 1 John 3:8, Hebrews 3:13  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Discipline, Abide in Christ, personal holiness, fighting ungodliness, fighting sin, God's Grace, Personal Growth, Know the Truth  (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: TEACH THE BIBLE, call to discipleship, training disciples, guard the truth, Study the Bible, Discipleship, spiritual growth, church community  (view more)  (view less)

New Year, New Adjective: "Christ-Exalting”

By John Piper on Dec 27, 2022

My aim here is to encourage you to make “Christ-exalting” the featured adjective in your prayers. Let me explain what I mean. Then I’ll give you three reasons why I think this would be a great New Year’s resolution.

Scripture: Philippians 1:20, 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Tags: Personal Growth, exalting christ, daily prayer, new years, Christ Centered, New Years Resolution, Prayer, Resolution  (view more)  (view less)

The Greatest Gift You Give Your Team- Part 1

By Lance Witt on Jul 11, 2024

This week work at paying attention to your soul. Listen to your emotions. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand what is going on beneath the surface of all your “doing”.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 7:1, John 16:32, John 16:32

Tags: Approval, personal holiness, Growth in Christ, pastoral leadership, God's Approval, Guarding your heart, motives, soul care  (view more)  (view less)

The Greatest Gift You Give Your Team- Part 2

By Lance Witt on Jul 15, 2024

Some of the qualities that people will applaud in your life are the very things that will wreck your soul.

Tags: Time of Reflection, Guarding your heart, motives, soul care, sanctification, Personal Growth, pastoral care, Examine self  (view more)  (view less)

What Is Saving Faith?

By R. C. Sproul on Sep 1, 2022

Faith is central to Christianity. The New Testament repeatedly calls people to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. There is a definite body of content to be believed, which is part and parcel of our religious activity.

Scripture: James 2:14-17

Tags: God's righteousness, preaching the gospel, salvation by grace, Salvation, justification, Adoption, Reformation, saving faith, Preach Christ  (view more)  (view less)

How To Make Easter Stand Out

By Peter Mead on Apr 11, 2020

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?

Scripture: John 15:1-10

Tags: Crucifixion, Preaching, ground zero, preaching, Jesus, Easter  (view more)  (view less)

Seeing Is Not Always Believing

By R. C. Sproul on Nov 29, 2022

One comment that Christian pastors sometimes hear from people they are counseling is that it would be easier for them to have a strong faith if they could see God doing the same kinds of miracles today as are recorded in the Bible.

Scripture: Joshua 7:6-9, John 11:45-53

Tags: Joshua, Believe, miracles, Courage, Seeing, faith and obedience, Faith, doubt  (view more)  (view less)

How To Apply The Bible

By Josh Reich on Sep 21, 2022

"When we read the Bible, we want to understand it and apply it. We want to know what the Bible says and how it affects our lives. We want something to happen, we want to get something out of it. But we’re often left frustrated and wondering what we missed."

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12

Tags: understanding, BIBLE STUDY, bible study, Personal Growth, Bible Study, soul care, Growing in Christ, Study the Bible, applying scripture  (view more)  (view less)

Don’t Be Yourself

By Greg Morse on Dec 8, 2022

Don’t be yourself. Be something higher. Be who God predestined you to be. Be who you are in Jesus.

Scripture: Ephesians 5:8

Tags: Abide in Christ, personal holiness, Born Again, Character, Born Again, sanctification, new creation, Personal Growth, Becoming like Christ  (view more)  (view less)