In Preaching Articles: "Congregational Engagement"

5 Easy (And Overlooked) Keys To Better Preaching

By Erik Raymond on Sep 30, 2021

"I have never met a preacher who did not want to increase the effectiveness of his sermon. The question is where to start?"

Scripture: Acts 1:1-21, Acts 15:6-19

Tags: Plan, Preaching, preparation, Engage, Outline, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Matt Chandler's Advice To Young Preachers

By Matt Chandler on Jun 17, 2023

"If you can't feel the text, I don't know if you've been called to preach."

Tags: Grace, Preaching, Engage, moment, grace, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

I Write Stories During Sermons

By Carolyn C. Givens on May 12, 2021

"My soul cries out for modern parables that leave me thinking about the Creator of the Universe – the Storyteller whose words sustain and move the pieces of time and space."

Tags: Parable, Preaching, Story, Engage, narrative, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Do Your Listeners Feel The Text?

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Nov 27, 2020

Exegesis is always the foundation for a sermon, but does your preaching reach your listeners' feelings?

Tags: Preaching, audience, Engage, feel, exegesis, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

8 Ways To Hook Your Congregation Into Your Message

By SermonCentral .com on May 12, 2020

Whether you’re looking back at Plato or Jesus, virtually every culture has had great communicators who realized the power of attention-grabbing hooks.

Tags: flowers, preaching, anxiety, Bird, Preaching, Anxiety, Field  (view more)  (view less)

8 Powerful Ways To Hook The Congregation Into Your Message

By SermonCentral .com on Feb 8, 2020

Effective speakers realize the power of attention-grabbing hooks. What's in your toolbox?

Scripture: Isaiah 43:1-5

Tags: hook, effective speakers, preaching, Preaching, Attention  (view more)  (view less)

Your Congregation Needs An Arc Of Hope, Not A String Of Pearls

By Nathan Aaseng on Nov 5, 2021

In our information-saturated age, your listeners have all the gems of wisdom they need, far more than they can process.

Tags: Parable, Hope, Preaching, string of pearls, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

These Six Questions Reveal How Well You Are Engaged In Your Neighborhood

By Karina Kreminski on Jun 3, 2024

"What does it look like to keep ourselves accountable to joining with God on his mission in our neighborhood?"

Tags: Inviting others, open to others, Reaching out, Loving the lost, Outreach, neighborhood, reaching the lost, community outreach  (view more)  (view less)

If Jesus Gave A Ted Talk Principle 6—engage The Heart (Emotion)

By Charles Stone on Nov 17, 2021

Engage the heart is the sixth instalment of an 8 part series on how neuroscience can improve your preaching.

Scripture: John 11:35, Luke 10:21

Tags: neuroscience, preaching, sermonprep, Preaching, pastor, sermon, Pastor, Sermon  (view more)  (view less)

Why Doesn't Every Congregation Respond The Same Way?

By Peter Mead on Jun 27, 2025

Peter Mead reveals eight powerful insights into how to gauge a congregation's responsiveness.

Tags: church culture, preaching, guest, Unique, Preaching, Congregational  (view more)  (view less)

Slow Down! And Connect Your Preaching To Lectio Divina

By C. Christopher Smith on Nov 1, 2019

If we re-cast preaching as a kind of "slow reading," we might lead our congregations into deeper engagement with the biblical text--and with one another.

Scripture: Luke 23:45-46, Psalm 1:1-6

Tags: lectio divina, slow reading, Preaching, exegesis

Reviving Bible Engagement: How To Spark A Bible Reading Revolution In Your Church

By SermonCentral .com on Aug 5, 2019

Bible reading is in decline, but it doesn’t have to be. Explore five practical strategies to ignite a Bible reading revolution in your church and community.

Scripture: 1 John 4:1-6

Tags:

What Kind Of Christians Will People Be If They Listen To Your Sermons For A Decade?

By Ray Hollenbach on Jul 23, 2025

Beyond the weekly phrase, "Good word, Preacher," the spiritual lives of the people in your church provide excellent feedback regarding the effectiveness of your preaching.

Tags: spiritual health, preaching, believer, Preaching, Congregation, Generation  (view more)  (view less)

How Can The Pew Help The Pulpit?

By H.b. Charles, Jr. on Mar 7, 2024

Good preaching is a partnership between pastor and congregation, pulpit and pew, the one who preaches and the one who listens.

Scripture: John 13:31-35

Tags: Pastor, preaching, Preaching, pastor, Congregation, Encourage, Partnership  (view more)  (view less)

Have You Discovered The Largest Roman Road In History?

By SermonCentral .com on Nov 4, 2023

Here's how one man engaged in a global vision without leaving home.

Tags: aaron tabor, preaching, Global, Preaching, Engage, social media  (view more)  (view less)