In Preaching Articles: "Encouraging Messages"

8 Ways To Hook Your Congregation Into Your Message

By SermonCentral .com on May 11, 2020

Your sermon text is central, but it doesn’t always need to come first. Strong hooks help listeners connect their lives to Scripture before exposition begins.

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:8, Luke 24:27, Ecclesiastes 12:10

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

Present The Unchanging Message, But Use Ever-Changing Methods

By Todd Wagner on Feb 12, 2024

God's "piano" has 66 keys, but it can be used to play all types of music.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:22-25

Tags: Message, Gospel, Unchanging, Method, God's Image, gospel  (view more)  (view less)

7 Ways To Keep From Killing Your Message

By Carey Nieuwhof on Feb 28, 2023

Every week, gifted communicators kill the messages they bring by making at least seven predictable, fixable mistakes.

Tags: Preaching, Feedback, call to action, preaching

How Leaders Defeat Discouragement

By Charles Stone on Apr 14, 2021

Somebody once said there are two things in life we can’t avoid, taxes and death. I’d like to add a third, discouragement. Church leader or not, you will face it. It’s an inevitable part of life. Here’s how I’ve learned to defeat discouragement.

Scripture: 1 Samuel 30:6

Tags: Discouragement, rest in god, Rest, Encouraged

Have We Been Preaching The Wrong Message From Revelation?

By Ed Cyzewski on Aug 8, 2025

This misunderstood book offers us a message of hope that the darkness of today will one day relent when God's all-powerful light will restore creation.

Tags: Revelation, Preaching, wrong, Meaning, Context, preaching, context  (view more)  (view less)

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

By Rob O'lynn on Sep 6, 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

Shake Up Your Christmas Messages: 7 New Approaches

By Peter Mead on Dec 23, 2025

You might be getting excited, or dreading another Christmas and the need to generate more messages when the obvious options feel well worn. Here are some other angles to consider.

Scripture: Philippians 2:6-11

Tags: Theme, Preaching, obvious, prophecies, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Preaching Needs Community: Here's Why

By Todd Hiestand on Nov 19, 2020

"One of the most individual things done in churches these days is preaching." (And that's not a good thing.)

Tags: Community, family, Preaching, Group, encouragement, community  (view more)  (view less)

Lay Aside The Weight Of Discouragement

By SermonCentral .com on Apr 25, 2022

Discouragement is not as powerful as it feels. We can defeat it if we confront it.

Scripture: Romans 1:5, 1 Peter 4:11, Psalm 42:5, Numbers 13:27-28, Numbers 13:31, 1 Samuel 17:49, Acts 4:31, 1 Timothy 6:12, Hebrews 12:12-14  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: encouragement, Discouragement, Depression, Empowerment, strengthening faith  (view more)  (view less)

Celebrate Mother's Day With Powerful Sermons And Resources

By SermonCentral .com on Mar 9, 2025

Mother’s Day Sermon Ideas & Free Resources for Churches

Tags: Faith, Love, Church, mom, Mothers Day, mothers, mother's day, Inspire, inspiration, Motherhood, resources, Powerful, churches, sermon prep, sermons, moms, Sermon Prep, Sermon Preparation, church, Sermon prep, Mom's Day, love, mothers day, mom's day, Sermons, Resources, Encouraging Messages, inspire, Worship Materials, Free Resources, Service Planning, sermon preparation  (view more)  (view less)

How To Preach On Kindness In 5 Minutes And 44 Seconds

By SermonCentral .com on Aug 1, 2025

Here's an outstanding video to introduce any message dealing with kindness or serving others.

Tags: Love, Message, Preaching, Kindness, good samaritan, preaching, love  (view more)  (view less)

Make Your Sermons Sticky With Just Three Words

By SermonCentral .com on Oct 7, 2021

Could it possibly be just this simple? Karl Vaters offers a startling suggestion.

Scripture: Matthew 16:21-28, Exodus 3:1-15

Tags: Message, Preaching, How to pray, sticky, karl vaters, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

What Your Gospel Message Reveals About Your View Of The Gospel

By Ray Hollenbach on Sep 5, 2025

When we preach we plant seeds, but what will grow from the seeds we plant?

Tags: Ministry, Preaching, conflict, redemption, gospel message, ministry, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

We Remember Dr. King But Have We Missed His Message?

By Ray Hollenbach on Jan 17, 2020

Nearly every schoolchild can tell you Dr. King had a dream but perhaps only one in ten can articulate that dream.

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How Can The Pew Help The Pulpit?

By H.b. Charles, Jr. on Mar 6, 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: Preaching, pastor, Congregation, Encourage, Partnership, Pastor, preaching  (view more)  (view less)