In Preaching Articles: "Facing Controversy" showing 31-39 of 39

Why Was I So Hard On That Church I Visited?

By Karl Vaters on Jul 2, 2022

How might a newcomer view your church? What barriers may they face? What obstacles could be unintentionally in the way of them connecting and finding a place to belong?

Tags: leadership, Visitors, church ministry, Welcoming Others, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Two Questions To Break Despair

By Marion Clark on Dec 2, 2022

There is a great need for Christian counselors with the expertise to unravel the problems of life. The more a pastor is equipped in this area, the better they will be able to serve the members of their church who are facing difficulties and trials.

Tags: Hope, encouragement, Counselor, Despair, pastoral care, WISE COUNSEL, fixing eyes on Jesus, counseling  (view more)  (view less)

You Are Up To The Task Whether You Feel Like It Or Not

By SermonCentral on Feb 18, 2022

Deep in the heart of every man I’ve ever met lurks a daunting question that casts a shadow over every major challenge we ever face: Am I up to this?

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14, Philippians 1:6

Tags: leadership, Courage, Overwhelmed, confidence in God, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Why Kids Need Exegetical Bible Teaching For The Long Haul

By Cameron Cole on Nov 15, 2022

"Preparing kids to face the real world on their own is scary and daunting. There are only so many things we can do and there are no guarantees. Within the realm of things, we can control resides the teaching of God’s word."

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16

Tags: Discipleship, teach, parenting, Equip, parenthood, Youth Ministry, guard the truth, child training  (view more)  (view less)

5 Ways To Grow Your Church's Congregation

By Ricardo Hernandez on Apr 17, 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: Community, Church, Church Members, members, Connect, Young people, social media, community, church members, connect, young people, church  (view more)  (view less)

How Leaders Defeat Discouragement

By Charles Stone on Apr 15, 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

Dealing Hope In The Darkest Of Nights

By Dave Furman on Jan 20, 2022

God delivered me from the darkness of despair through my friends and family as they shared their hope with me. I’m not talking about a shove-it-in-your-face kind of “sharing.” They didn’t try to explain all my problems away or attempt to explain all of God’s intentions for my suffering.

Scripture: Job 2:11-13

Tags: Jesus, Hope, friendship, Depression

What To Do When Someone Close To You Is Hurting

By Josh Reich on Jun 20, 2022

Let’s face it, when someone hurts us, we can brush it off and often move on. We can be tough, ignore it, deal with it or get even (although that rarely helps), but something changes when it is our spouse, kids, a close friend or a family member who is hurt. We feel powerless in that moment.

Tags: pastoral leadership, bearing burdens, shepherding, counseling, Shepherding  (view more)  (view less)

5 Pastoral Emergencies That Aren’t Emergencies

By Carey Nieuwhof on May 18, 2024

"If you’ve been in ministry for any length of time, you know the challenge of trying to move the mission forward and handle the pastoral needs of a congregation at the same time. One of the most perplexing problems pastors and church leaders face is how to handle ‘pastoral emergencies’—the crises that come up in the lives of people that they look to you to help solve."

Tags: resolving conflict, Time Management, crisis response, conflict management, pastoral leadership, questions, Pastoral Ministry, avoiding burnout  (view more)  (view less)