In Preaching Articles: "Church Decline"

Five Steps To Respond To A Hurtful And Hateful Email

By SermonCentral .com on Jul 7, 2022

“You have no business being the pastor of our church. All you are interested in is getting your own way and changing all the good things we have going. People are saying you should be fired. I agree with them.”

Scripture: Proverbs 15:1

Tags: Perseverance, leadership, conflict, Criticism, loving people, pastoral leadership, church ministry, Difficult People, Facing Controversy, criticism, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Relational Leadership Part 1

By Lance Witt on Nov 6, 2023

What is the key to relational leadership?

Scripture: Galatians 5:13, 1 Peter 1:22, Romans 12:10, 1 John 4:21, 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, Ephesians 5:2, Hebrews 10:24, Colossians 3:14, 1 John 3:14, John 13:34-35, Matthew 22:37-39  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: leadership, relationships, Ministry Work, pastoral leadership, relational leaders, church leadership, Transactional, Transformational, Leading Like Christ, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Building A Preaching Team – Part Ii: Calendars, Rhythms And Getting Everyone On The Same Page

By Ross Lester on May 14, 2024

Many people are intrigued but leery of using a preaching team approach. This article aims to provide some practical answers to the obstacles involved in the process.

Tags: Teaching, Preaching, Preaching Help, Pastoral Ministry, Pulpit Ministry, church ministry, Preaching Team, Ministry help, preaching, teaching  (view more)  (view less)

Pornography’s Strategy Against Pastors

By Paul Kendall on Dec 15, 2022

Porn addiction destroys pastors, families, and churches. This exposes the enemy’s strategy and outlines a path to repentance, recovery, and lasting deliverance.

Scripture: Matthew 5:27-28

Tags: Addiction, Pornography, Spiritual Warfare, pastor, Purity, Pastors, sexual purity, Church Health, Pastoral Integrity, Pastor, Porn Addiction, Sexual Purity  (view more)  (view less)

John Piper: God’s Sovereignty Makes Mission Courage Possible

By John Piper on Mar 20, 2025

"It is hard to exaggerate how important it is for the mission of the church...to have a fully biblical vision of the greatness and the sovereignty and the glory of God."

Scripture: Matthew 24:14, Isaiah 46:9-10, Romans 8:28-39, Acts 13:48, 1 Peter 4:11  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Perseverance, Discipleship, Missions, Sovereignty, Risk  (view more)  (view less)

Why Authentic Preaching Could Be A Trap

By Maurilio Amorim on May 15, 2020

Authenticity blesses the church, but permissive confession erodes repentance. True vulnerability must lead to real change, not sympathy without transformation.

Scripture: James 5:16, 2 Corinthians 7:10, Proverbs 28:13, Psalm 51:10-12, 1 John 1:8-9  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Integrity

Chasing The Dream, Preaching Greatness, And Knowing Your Audience

By James Scott on Apr 28, 2023

"One of the greatest weaknesses we see from leadership in the church is not understanding the audience the leader is speaking to," says James Scott.

Tags: Love, Preaching, peaceful, preaching

In Times Of Conflict—preach Joy!

By SermonCentral .com on Jul 16, 2025

Regardless of your church's climate, one thing remains true: The preacher's task is to preach with joy, whether the conditions are desirable or undesirable.

Tags: Holy Spirit, Communication, Joy, Preaching, conflict, communication, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

20 Thanksgiving Quotes For Preaching And Inspiration

By SermonCentral .com on Oct 21, 2024

Give some freshness to your Thanksgiving message, or post these inspirational words on your church's website, Facebook page or Twitter feed.

Tags: gratitude, Thanksgiving Holiday

What A Rabbi Taught Me About Keeping Christ In Christmas

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 12, 2024

When people come to your church this Christmas season, they want to hear the story of Jesus. Give them what they came for.

Tags: Christmas, Culture, set apart, incarnation of Jesus, culture  (view more)  (view less)

16 Advent Sermon And Worship Resources

By SermonCentral .com on Nov 28, 2024

Advent is a season of watching and waiting on our Lord Jesus. Here are 16 powerful Advent sermon and worship resources for your church.

Tags: Christmas, Advent, Worship, sermon, Sermon  (view more)  (view less)

The Power Of Multisensory Preaching

By Rick Blackwood on Jun 2, 2020

Multisensory preaching engages more of the listener, increases clarity and retention, and can reignite your joy in teaching by making sermons more vivid and memorable.

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11

Tags: Church, Communication, Preaching, pastor, wake up, Cohabitation, illustration, Clarity, time is at hand, Homiletics, Awake, Dress Properly, adult children, Communication General, God's dwelling place, Pastor, Sermon Preparation, communication, preaching, church, sermon preparation, Teaching Tools, Pastoral Communication, Creative Ministry  (view more)  (view less)

Three Questions Every Small Group Ministry Must Answer

By James Emery White on Sep 22, 2022

"Regardless of the type of small group ministry you may have, there are three foundational questions that must be settled for maximum effectiveness and clear focus––yet seldom are. And they are foundational questions because they speak to the heart of your philosophy of ministry."

Tags: strategy, BIBLE STUDY, Small groups, Bible Study, Church Small Groups, Fellowship Group, Small Group Ministry, bible study  (view more)  (view less)

Doing Ministry Without Losing Your Soul Part 1

By Lance Witt on May 13, 2024

"There is nothing worse than trying to inspire people to be passionate about God when you have little or no passion yourself. There is nothing more empty feeling than trying to connect people to God when you feel disconnected from God."

Tags: pastoral leadership, Pastoral Ministry, soul care, avoiding burnout, church ministry, Growing in Faith, Christ's Love for Us, Healthy Ministry  (view more)  (view less)

Doing Ministry Without Losing Your Soul Part 3

By Lance Witt on May 22, 2024

When pastoring is your job, it adds complexity to simply loving Jesus. To live and lead from a healthy soul, we must learn the art of separating our own personal pursuit of loving Jesus from our “ministry” of leading in the church.

Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:19-20

Tags: time with God, pastoral leadership, Pastoral Ministry, soul care, avoiding burnout, Putting Christ First, Sincerity with God, church leadership  (view more)  (view less)