In Preaching Articles: "Connection"

5 Ways To Grow Your Church's Congregation

By Ricardo Hernandez on Apr 16, 2023

Dwindling church attendance is a concern faced by almost every established or newly-created church and should be strategically addressed. Here are five simple approaches that will make your church more inviting for your existing members and help attract new ones.

Tags: connect, young people, church, members, Connect, Young people, social media, community, church members, Community, Church, Church Members  (view more)  (view less)

If Jesus Gave A Ted Talk Principle 3—create Connection (Affinity)

By Charles Stone on May 23, 2024

Create Connection is the third installment of an 8 part series on how neuroscience can improve your preaching.

Scripture: Matthew 9:4-7

Tags: Pastor, neuroscience, brain, preaching, sermonprep, Preaching, pastor, Brain  (view more)  (view less)

No Pressure: Great Preaching Must Connect Worlds Separated By Time And Space

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Sep 17, 2021

Helping people understand the Scripture in its native Bible world is not enough. We must help people to experience it.

Scripture: Genesis 15:8-21

Tags: Bible, Preaching, guest preaching, lecture, bible story  (view more)  (view less)

Connect With Your Listeners: 7 Strategies To Make Your Preaching Relevant

By Peter Mead on Jul 4, 2021

The Bible is relevant. We don't need to "make it relevant," but we do need to demonstrate how it is relevant.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Preaching

The Very Best Way To Connect With Your Listeners (And How To Do It)

By Brandon Kelley on Oct 9, 2025

Sure, it's simple: but that doesn't mean it's easy to do.

Tags: Preaching, preaching

I Can’t Figure Out Millennials: 3 Reasons To Stay Connected

By Steven A. Hitz on Mar 15, 2022

There is a growing disconnect with Millennials because of the stereotypes many people hold about them.

Tags: Listening, future generations, Generations, Millenial

3 Building Blocks Of A Truly Memorable Sermon

By Sherman Haywood Cox on May 25, 2023

Help your listeners connect with your preaching points--and their purpose!

Scripture: Hebrews 11:35-40

Tags: strong points, illustrate, preaching, Preaching, Building Blocks, memorable sermon  (view more)  (view less)

Do You Preach To Real People Or Straw Men?

By Chris Surber on Nov 7, 2024

Preaching in the abstract means missing real lives and real people. Here are four ways to connect to real people.

Tags: preaching, Holy Spirit, Preaching, Sensitive, real people, straw men  (view more)  (view less)

Everyone Else Is Preparing For Christmas--Are You?

By SermonCentral on Nov 15, 2020

It's not too early! Brandon Cox shares his ideas for a Christmas sermon series sure to connect with your congregation.

Tags: Christmas, Hope, Preaching, prepare, receiving, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

People Listen In Different Ways—can You Reach All Of Them?

By Leslie Holmes on Feb 27, 2023

You're preaching to one congregation, filled with many listening styles. How can you connect with every individual?

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:1-15

Tags: Preaching, reflection, Listen, reach, application, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Are You Serving Slop In The Pulpit?

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Aug 24, 2021

Sherman Cox warns, "There's an inclination today to resort to tactics and tricks to manufacture a connection to the congregation that is neither real nor helpful."

Scripture: Romans 14:1-23

Tags: Preaching, pulpit, Insult, frown

4 Steps From Good To Great Preaching

By Kenton C. Anderson on Feb 17, 2025

For those of us who try to preach “good sermons” every week, it's useful to understand what it takes to connect with our listeners.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Preaching Without Notes: Four Must-Have Skills

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Jul 12, 2021

Sherman Cox: "Sermons with or without notes should eliminate irrelevant asides. By irrelevant, I mean that they are not connected to your sermon’s main point."

Tags: Preaching, preparation, note

8 Tools To Explain A Biblical Passage Clearly

By Peter Mead on Dec 8, 2024

Why not simply read a bit of Bible and then say what you want to say, making the odd vague connection? This passes for preaching in many places.

Scripture: Genesis 49:10

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Five Essential Reasons For Christians To Gather In Public Worship

By Brian Croft on Nov 1, 2023

Does church attendance really matter? Here are five important reasons why it is essential that every Christian gather with other Christians in the same local church weekly to hear the preaching of God’s Word.

Scripture: Romans 10:17, Hebrews 10:25, Hebrews 13:17

Tags: Covenant Community, community, church attendance, Discipleship, Church Attendance, church membership, Christian community, Growing in Faith, Connected, Community  (view more)  (view less)