In Preaching Articles: "Difficult People"

4 Things We Wish People Knew About Us As Pastors

By Lane Sebring on Nov 6, 2019

Being a pastor is unlike just about any other profession. Because of the holistic nature of the work, we tend to take on "pastor" as an identity and not just a career.

Scripture: John 12:32, John 12:29-36

Tags: Preaching, pastor, identity, Profession

3 Things People Hate To Tell You About Your Preaching

By Dr. R. Larry Moyer on Aug 10, 2021

Not everyone will tell you how they feel about your preaching. Larry Moyer offers three popular frustrations about preaching that people often keep to themselves.

Tags:

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

By Leslie Holmes on Feb 28, 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)

Does Your Preaching Impress Your Old Professor Or Your People?

By Gavin Adams on Oct 11, 2021

A deep, layered and rich sermon might impress some people, but it does it work?

Scripture: Acts 13:15-20

Tags: Preaching, focus, Complicated, point, marinate, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

The Main Reason Our Sermons Don't Get Through To People

By Nathan Aaseng on Dec 3, 2025

Ask the average person in the street what Christianity is about and the answer will be nowhere near what most of us proclaim in our pulpits every week.

Scripture: John 8:1-11

Tags: Preaching, preaching

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)

4 Ways Your Church Can Help People Simplify Christmas

By Karl Vaters on Dec 13, 2025

It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but Christmas is also the busiest.

Tags: Christmas, Christmas Eve, Holidays, Giving, teach, simplify, Christmas Joy, church leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Loving Muslims Begins With Honesty

By SermonCentral .com on Apr 24, 2020

Do Christians and Muslims worship the same deity? It has become one of the most pressing and controversial questions in the world in the last fifteen years.

Scripture: 1 John 5:12, John 8:19, John 5:42-43, John 5:23

Tags: Islam, World Religions, disagreement, loving people, Identity of Jesus, what Muslims believe  (view more)  (view less)

Can We Please Stop Preaching About All The Good People In The Bible?

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 30, 2019

The way we have traditionally approached character-based sermons has a tremendous flaw.

Tags: Preaching, preaching

7 Things Forgiveness Is

By Ron Edmondson on Jun 11, 2022

As difficult as forgiveness may be to extend, it is often a most important ingredient in healthy relationships and in being a completely healthy person.

Scripture: Romans 12:19, Hebrews 12:1, Colossians 3:13, Romans 12:18

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness, relationships, Loving Others, grace  (view more)  (view less)

How Do We (Or Should We) Motivate Our People To Read The Bible?

By Peter Mead on Oct 4, 2019

"We should be concerned when there is a lack of motivation for God's Word--both in our own lives and in those we care about."

Tags: Accountability, motivate, read Bible, preaching, Preaching  (view more)  (view less)

5 Tough Challenges For Any Pastor

By SermonCentral .com on Aug 10, 2020

Thom Rainer shares his biggest challenges and asks, "What specific part of being a pastor is the most difficult for you?"

Tags: Preaching, gentle, preaching

Create Innovative *next Steps*

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 30, 2020

We all want to end our messages with application, but sometimes the next steps we offer are difficult for others to take.

Tags: Preaching, Story, success, step, next, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Tips For Preaching To A Hard Audience

By Dr. Larry Moyer on Aug 23, 2024

Preaching to hardened hearts is difficult, but Scripture, humility, communication skill, and dependence on God can break through where human effort cannot.

Scripture: Romans 7:24, John 16:8, John 17:20, 2 Timothy 2:25, Ephesians 4:15  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: spiritual leadership, Spiritual Leadership

When People Make Up Stories About You: A Pastor’s Guide To Handling Labels

By Charles Stone on Jul 31, 2024

Pastors are often misunderstood and mischaracterized. Responding with wisdom, restraint, and Christlike character helps transform false stories into God-honoring ones.

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:12

Tags: Church Relationships