In Preaching Articles: "Devotional Life"

Spiritual Disciplines And The Sinkhole Syndrome

By Donald Whitney on Jan 22, 2022

As the pressures of life increase and more deadlines loom, it becomes harder to maintain time for the devotional life. And herein is where the erosion begins.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:12, John 17:17, Luke 4:16, Matthew 14:23

Tags: Follow Jesus, Spiritual Maturity, Spiritual Discipline, Spiritual Failures, sermon spiritual  (view more)  (view less)

Last-Minute Messages: How To Craft A Short Devotional With No Notice

By Rob O'lynn on Sep 7, 2021

"Hey, Pastor, could you say a few words..." Use this strategy to deliver short, meaningful talks with little or no prep time.

Scripture: Luke 19:1-19

Tags: Preaching, picture, passage, point

Preaching For Life-Change

By Rick Long on Mar 31, 2025

Does preaching for life-change always produce a watered down message?

Tags: Preaching, preaching

A Life Well Lived

By Lance Witt on Sep 19, 2023

No matter what has happened in the past or what your ministry situation is today, you can have a rich, meaningful life.

Scripture: Matthew 25:21

Tags: vision, gratitude, Legacy, Godly Legacy

Preaching To Promote Life Together

By Chris Surber on May 20, 2025

Preach with a focus to cultivate life together and nurture incarnate community rather than simple gatherings of people.

Tags:

Brokenness In A Pastor’s Life

By Charles Stone on Jun 29, 2023

As I enter the sixth decade of my life and reflect over the brokenness I’ve faced as a pastor, I’m beginning to see its great value. It still hurts and I’d prefer not to face it. Yet, I’m experiencing the fruit of brokenness: inner peace, joy, and a purpose that supersedes ‘ministry success.’

Scripture: John 12:24

Tags: Healing, Rejection, brokenness, success in ministry

The Work Life Balance Myth

By Shawn Lovejoy on May 27, 2022

Family and work can’t be balanced. The good news is that it’s not supposed to be.

Scripture: Proverbs 24:27

Tags: family, leadership, priorities, Balanced Life, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Change Your Sermon By Changing Your Spices

By Erik Raymond on May 19, 2023

Are you constantly mining the same sources for your sermon illustrations?

Scripture: Psalm 38:1-10, Colossians 4:1-5

Tags: Read, Preaching, Devotional, Spices, Classic, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

8 Preachable Marks Of A Transformed Life

By Philip Nation on Jan 9, 2025

Philip Nation offers preaching tips for pastors guiding a congregation to and through the life transformed in Christ.

Scripture: Galatians 4:19, Romans 8:29, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Church, Discipleship, Preaching, pastor, Transformation, Pastor, preaching, church  (view more)  (view less)

Preaching On Life: An Interview With Max Lucado

By Max Lucado on Jul 27, 2024

"I really believe the purpose of Scripture is to give us this authoritative handbook. We have a place where we can take people when they come to us with questions so we're not just speaking out of our own opinion."

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Letter To A (Real Life) Hurting Pastor

By Chris Surber on Apr 26, 2025

Author Chris Surber suggests six avenues to handle the hurt and disappointment so common in pastoral ministry.

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Death And Life: Preaching Through Lent

By Patricia Tull on Mar 2, 2020

"Ultimately, for the faithful, all this talk about death in the lectionary offers liberation."

Scripture: Mark 11:1-11

Tags: Death, Preaching, Life, lent, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Adjusting To Reality: Loss And The Christian Life

By Joe Mckeever on Feb 4, 2020

Earlier this year, author and pastor Joe McKeever lost his beloved wife of more than 50 years, Margaret. In this moving article, he reflects on what it means to "adjust" to the new reality--and how faith requires an adjustment, as well.

Scripture: Ephesians 5:14-17

Tags: death in Christ

Breathing New Life Into Your Preaching

By Lance Witt on Mar 25, 2023

Fresh is always better. Taking a breath of clean, fresh air is way better than inhaling polluted air. Eating fresh bread is way better than choking down a piece of dry, stale bread. And likewise, sermons that are fresh are way better than warmed over messages.

Scripture: Luke 10:31

Tags: Preaching, New life, preaching

1,000 Sermons Will Change Your Life

By Trevin Wax on Mar 26, 2020

Pastors, don’t underestimate the cumulative effect of your preaching. You are not dumping information into brains. You are forming the habits of your people, teaching them how to read and understand and apply the Bible for themselves.

Tags: Preaching, New life, preaching