In Preaching Articles: "Churches"

5 "On-Ramps” To Drive Giving To Your Church

By Kent Woodyard on Mar 31, 2023

The Church itself plays an important role in fostering generosity. Yes, at the end of the day, it is the responsibility of the giver to give. But it is also the responsibility of the church to create opportunities for generosity.

Tags: Money, Giving, Generosity, giving generous

The 25 Most Influential Preachers Of The Past 25 Years

By Michael Duduit on Jan 2, 2025

From Billy Graham to Tim Keller, this article profiles 25 preachers who have most shaped the American pulpit over the last 25 years and why their influence endures.

Tags: Church, leadership, Preaching, pastor, Influence, Circumstance, Pivotal, Leadership General, church leadership, Pastor, Leadership, preaching, church, Church Leadership, Ministry History  (view more)  (view less)

Don't Like Small Churches? Me Neither

By SermonCentral .com on Jul 3, 2023

The problems most people have with small churches aren’t about size, they’re about sickness. And sickness can happen in churches of any size.

Tags: Community, Preaching, Small Church, community, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

How Leadership Capacity Affects The Growth And Health Of A Church

By Josh Reich on Oct 5, 2023

Now, we all know that God is the one who grows a church, but often that church is healthy and growing because of the character, quality and capacity of the lead pastor and leaders.

Tags: leadership, Discipline, leadership capacity, coaching, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Top 10 Healthy Ways To Handle The Church Critic

By Charles Stone on Aug 17, 2022

“Two things you can’t avoid in ministry are…people late to the service and … church critics.” In this short post, I suggest 10 ways to handle the church critic.

Tags: Criticism, patience, offense, pastoral leadership, Pastoral Ministry, church ministry, loving enemies, Disarming, criticism  (view more)  (view less)

Do We Need A broader Definition Of Church Growth?

By Karl Vaters on Oct 13, 2023

Any definition of church growth that doesn’t allow for, even celebrate, churches that contribute in non-numerical ways is incomplete.

Tags: Church Growth, priorities, pastoral leadership, First Things First, Right Values  (view more)  (view less)

Six Terrible Ways To Recruit Ministry Volunteers In Your Church

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 28, 2021

Sometimes I think church leaders take the most negative approaches in an attempt to encourage more people to get involved in ministry in the church.

Tags: Prayer, Spiritual Gifts, Lay Leadership, Recruiting

What Does It Really Mean To "Go Deeper”?

By Alan Danielson on May 2, 2020

Alan Danielson offers his take on one of the most overrated comments in the church today.

Scripture: Colossians 2:6-7, Colossians 2:7

Tags: Thought, Church, leadership, Preaching, spiritual growth, Leadership, preaching, church  (view more)  (view less)

Understanding Halloween: A Biblical Perspective For Believers

By Josh Read on Oct 28, 2025

As the autumn leaves start to crunch underfoot and the air is turning crisp, Halloween pops up on our calendars once again. For so many, it's all about the costumes, candy, and a bit of harmless fun. But for us as believers, it often sparks some thoughtful questions: Is this just a lighthearted holiday, or is there more we should consider in light of our faith? Let's dive into Scripture together and explore a gentle, biblical lens on Halloween that helps us navigate it with grace and joy.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17, Philippians 2:4, Matthew 22:39, Ephesians 6:12, Deuteronomy 18:10-12  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Halloween, advice, Pastoring, church leadership, Church Leadership, pastoring, halloween  (view more)  (view less)

Top 3 Mistakes Churches Make With New Believers

By Bob Franquiz on May 9, 2020

Discover the three mistakes churches make that keep new believers from "sticking."

Tags: Outreach, Discipleship, Assimilation, New believer, Church General  (view more)  (view less)

Not A Fan: The Hard Words Sparked A Church-Wide Revival

By Kyle Idleman on Jan 13, 2025

A preacher’s honest reckoning with crowd-pleasing sermons led to a bold call for true discipleship, sparking repentance, revival, and hundreds of unexpected baptisms.

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Love, Baptism, Jesus, Church, Commitment, Discipleship, Preaching, Disciples, revival, Church Growth, follower, preaching, church, love, Gospel call, Revival, Gospel Call  (view more)  (view less)

3 Keys To Overcoming Barriers To Bible Engagement In The Church

By Paul Caminiti on Jan 18, 2025

In North America, we have more Bibles than ever, but less and less real engagement. Why?

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:12-21

Tags: Bible, Scripture, Preaching, BIBLE STUDY, Biblical, Bible Study, bible study, preaching, bible  (view more)  (view less)

10 Ways To Know Someone Is Leaving Your Church

By Brian Dodd on May 11, 2020

Churches lose people, but wise leaders spot warning signs early. This guide outlines practical indicators that someone is drifting and how to reconnect proactively.

Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25, 1 Peter 5:2-3, Galatians 6:1-2, Acts 20:28

Tags: shepherding, Shepherding

How Your Preaching Can Hurt Your Church

By Erik Raymond on Apr 25, 2025

Like so many blessings from God, we can elevate them to become a distraction or even an idol.

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Are You Leading The Church You’d Want To Attend?

By Bill Couchenour on Jan 25, 2024

Relationships are more important to church growth than preaching, media or music. How are yours?

Tags: Building, Preaching, relationships, lead, Leadership General, preaching  (view more)  (view less)