In Preaching Articles: "Church Development"

Rightly Dividing The Preaching Load

By Larry Osborne on Mar 19, 2025

Sharing the pulpit can strengthen a church, sustain its pastor, and deepen preaching impact by developing trusted co-preachers instead of a one-man show.

Scripture: Acts 20:28, 2 Timothy 4:2, Ephesians 4:11-12, 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, 1 Peter 5:2-4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Sermon Preparation, sermon preparation

6 Tips On How Pastors Can Help Others Discover Their Spiritual Gifts

By Charles Stone on Apr 1, 2023

The more pastors help people discover, develop, and deploy their spiritual gifts, the healthier our churches become. How have you helped others discover their gifts?

Tags: Preaching, Spiritual Gifts, preaching

You're Preaching, But Do You Know Who's Listening?

By Mike Miller on Jan 18, 2023

Good preachers must develop the extra skill of "congregational exegesis."

Tags: Preaching, Listen, Congregation, audience, preaching  (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)

Growing A Church

By Barry O. Johnson on Aug 19, 2024

Should church growth be our focus?

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 10:12, Matthew 28:20

Tags: Discipleship, Preaching, Church Growth, glorifying God, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

The Growing Church Series: 10 Characteristics Of Churches That Grow

By Brandon Kelley on Feb 5, 2022

Instead of sitting and worrying about the state of the Church in America, let’s begin asking the question, what are growing churches doing differently?

Tags: Church Growth, intentional, proactive, Dying Church

The Barnabas Factor: Five Traits That Build Leaders

By Larry Osborne on Jan 30, 2024

Barnabas quietly shaped world-changing leaders. Discover five traits that made him a master encourager and team builder, and how they can transform your ministry.

Scripture: Acts 4:36

Tags: Growth, Discipleship, leadership, pastor, encouragement, Barnabas, development, lead, team building, Mentor, Leadership General, Pastor, Leadership, Encouragement, Team Building  (view more)  (view less)

How Much Is Enough? The Only Safe Rule For Giving

By Kent Woodyard on Jan 5, 2024

Working in business development for a church giving platform, I am asked often if there is a Biblical precedent for churches using digital technology to accept tithes and offerings. Any scriptural evidence that text-2-give is acceptable to the Lord? I’ll save you a concordance search: there isn’t.

Scripture: Mark 12:41-44, 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

Tags: Money, Giving

Pastor + Scholar = Preacher

By Philip Ryken on Sep 3, 2021

John Calvin, the great reformer, is an excellent model if you're looking to develop your preaching skills.

Scripture: Acts 27:13-26

Tags: Preaching, pastor, Scholar, john calvin, preaching skill, Pastor  (view more)  (view less)

The Best Way To Promote Church Growth? Support Small Churches

By SermonCentral .com on Jan 27, 2021

I want as many people as possible, all over the world, to know Jesus. The good news of the gospel can’t be confined within the walls of my church, the distinctives of my denomination, the borders of my country, or the customs of my culture.

Tags: Support, Preaching, Church Growth, Small Church

The Benefit Of A Church Crisis

By Josh Reich on Feb 16, 2021

Nobody likes a crisis. No one likes bad news or being disappointed or being uncomfortable. We like when things work, when things are easy, when things go our way. Yet if you are a leader, at some point you will walk through a crisis with your church.

Scripture: Acts 12:1-10

Tags: Preaching, crisis

Who Is Lord Of The Church?

By John Macarthur on Jun 16, 2022

The church today is badly in need of reformation again. And Christ’s lordship over His church is still the central truth we must recover, which requires the unleashing of His Word among His people again. We cannot merely float along with the latest evangelical trends and expect things to get better.

Scripture: Acts 10:42

Tags: Church, Body of Christ, Christ the head, Lord Of The Church, church  (view more)  (view less)

6 Ways To Recycle Your Sermon

By SermonCentral .com on May 5, 2025

You've put in all that time developing a powerful word, so why not find other avenues for the message?

Tags: Study, Preaching, resources, social media, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

11 Ways To Be The Church For People Who Don't Go To Church

By SermonCentral .com on Jan 8, 2026

People need to know us before they can trust us. And they need to trust us before they’ll go to church with us.

Tags: Evangelism, Outreach, Apologetics, Discipleship, Preaching, christian living, evangelism, preaching, Christian Living  (view more)  (view less)

6 Things Church Leaders Need To Know About Small Churches

By SermonCentral .com on Feb 15, 2022

Ninety percent of the churches on earth are under 200 people. Eighty percent are under 100. There may be no segment of the church that is more normative. But they may also be the most misunderstood.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:25

Tags: christian unity, Church Unity, Megachurch, Small Church