In Preaching Articles: "Divided Heart"

How To Speak To A Hardened Heart With Truth And Grace

By Dr. Larry Moyer on Jun 10, 2021

Preaching to a hardened heart is one of the hardest tasks in ministry. Scripture shows that prayer, humility, and faithful exposition are the most powerful tools God uses to soften hearts.

Scripture: John 16:8, 2 Timothy 2:24-25, Hebrews 4:12, John 17:20, 1 Corinthians 3:7  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, difficult, audience, spiritual growth, preaching, Spiritual Growth  (view more)  (view less)

Great Leadership Often Starts With A Broken Heart

By Brandon Cox on Oct 1, 2023

Usually, knowing what breaks your heart is knowing what you should do with your life, and how you should be leading others.

Scripture: Nehemiah 1:4

Tags: broken, Brokenhearted, authentic ministry, Call to ministry

Deliver Me From Distraction

By SermonCentral .com on Feb 27, 2022

Since the fall of man, people have had trouble staying focused, but we live today in an age of unprecedented distraction. Since you’re already reading this on some electronic device, I don’t need to elaborate.

Scripture: Romans 8:28, Romans 12:6, Romans 8:1, Luke 12:48, Galatians 5:22-23, Matthew 6:13, Romans 8:20-23, Luke 10:41-42, Psalm 27:4, Ephesians 5:16, Ephesians 5:20  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Heart, Humility, distractions, idolatry, Distraction  (view more)  (view less)

Max Lucado On Questions, Suffering, Scripture, And The Heart Of Preaching

By Max Lucado on Jul 26, 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."

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34, Romans 5:8, 1 John 4:16, Luke 5:1-11, John 21:1-19  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: BIBLICAL TEACHING, Biblical Teaching

Why We Preach: Gospel Bread For Desperate Hearts

By David J. Lose on Oct 5, 2020

Preaching is not merely instruction or exhortation. It is weekly renewal in the story of God’s love for weary believers who struggle to believe.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:2, Romans 10:17, Matthew 4:4, 1 Corinthians 1:23, Hebrews 10:23  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, gospel, preaching, Christian worship, Christian Worship, Gospel  (view more)  (view less)

Have Mercy On Me: Four Glimpses Into The Heart Of God

By SermonCentral .com on Aug 7, 2022

God has made the world to turn again and again on fresh revelations of his mercy.

Scripture: Exodus 34:6-7, Exodus 33:19, Luke 1:78, Ephesians 2:3, 2 Chronicles 30:9, Romans 9:22-23, 2 Samuel 24:13-14, Psalm 51:1, Lamentations 4:10, Isaiah 30:18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: David, Mercy, Moses, God's Character

3 Warning Signs That Leaders Are Not On Board

By Brandon Kelley on Mar 2, 2021

What happens when leaders get passionately divided? Church splits. Or worse.1 If leaders get divided and don’t reconcile, they can become viruses within the body of the local church that leads to a slow death.

Scripture: Romans 8:1-31

Tags: Preaching, leaders, preaching

How I Write A Sermon

By Bruce Frank on Aug 16, 2020

Bruce Frank, lead pastor of of Biltmore Baptist Church, one of the top 50 fastest-growing churches in America, shares his sermon prep process.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-16, 2 Samuel 11:1-15, 2 Timothy 2:15

Tags: Heart, Study, repent, circumcise, Sword, Reject  (view more)  (view less)

5 Questions Before You Preach

By Joel Mayward on Mar 9, 2026

Strong preaching requires intentional focus. These five questions help preachers keep their sermons centered on Jesus, the gospel, the heart, and practical response.

Scripture: John 16:20-23, Ephesians 5:6-14, 1 Corinthians 2:2, James 1:22, Luke 24:27  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: points, preaching, Speak, Heart, Preaching, Homiletics  (view more)  (view less)

Aim For The Ear

By Hershael York on May 23, 2025

Preaching is fundamentally an oral event, not a written one. Effective preachers understand that delivery, connection, and presence are essential to communicating the Word.

Scripture: Acts 2:37, 2 Timothy 4:2, 1 Corinthians 2:4, Nehemiah 8:8

Tags: preaching, Heart, Preaching, mistakes, Head, connection  (view more)  (view less)

The Secret Ingredient For Effective Ministry

By Ray Hollenbach on Jun 16, 2025

What if there were a way to open the floodgates of heaven for other people? What if YOU could have this secret?

Scripture: John 5:9-16

Tags: Ministry, Humble, Humility, effective, humble heart, ministry  (view more)  (view less)

6 Ways You Can Break Through To Reach Hardened Hearts

By Dr. Larry Moyer on Sep 7, 2025

"Hardened hearts need to hear from a communicator, not a speaker." What can you do to reach them?

Tags: Truth, Preaching, humor, hard heart, Attitude, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Would You Rather Hear *good Sermon, Pastor* Or *you Just Destroyed My World*?

By David Fitch on Feb 3, 2023

There's a difference between safe, enjoyable preaching and challenging the listener. How do you divide the two?

Tags: preaching, Devil, Preaching, Safe, challenge, listener, enjoyable  (view more)  (view less)

Prepare Your Heart To Lead Your Home: Advent Advice For Fathers

By Douglas Wilson on Dec 11, 2025

A father who wants to lead and disciple his family needs to remember that the one thing he must cultivate is heart loyalty. He must, of course, connect that loyalty to scriptural and worthy objects, but if he does not have heart loyalty, childrearing will simply be one grief replaced by another.

Scripture: Ephesians 6:4

Tags: Christmas, Advent, parenting, discipling, teach children, Discipline, Attitudes of thanks, child training  (view more)  (view less)

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

By Charles Stone on Nov 16, 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: Preaching, pastor, sermon, Pastor, Sermon, neuroscience, preaching, sermonprep  (view more)  (view less)