In Preaching Articles: "First Things First"

The Worst Thing About My Own Sermons

By Joe Mckeever on Aug 21, 2024

Joe McKeever loves praise as much as the next guy. He also knows the preaching error he is most likely to make.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:5

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Four Things To Consider After The Police Shootings

By Lisa Robinson on Apr 1, 2024

Lisa is a member of Town North Presbyterian Church (PCA) and graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. She is also a non-profit professional, anti-poverty advocate, and writer at theothoughts.comLisa is a member of Town North Presbyterian Church (PCA) and graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. She is also a non-profit professional, anti-poverty advocate, and writer at theothoughts.com

Tags: experience, Christian Love, facts vs truth

6 Things Millennials Need From Pastors

By Joe Hoagland on Mar 25, 2022

What I always try to get across is there is no magic bullet to reach millennials.

Tags: Culture, authentic ministry, future generations, millennials, culture  (view more)  (view less)

22 Things Learned In 42 Years Of Ministry

By Ron Edmondson on Jun 24, 2022

For those of you in the vocational ministry, let me offer some reflections on 42 years of ministry.

Scripture: Isaiah 26:12

Tags: Wisdom, leadership, advice, Pastoral Ministry, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

The Most Significant Thing A Pastor Will Ever Do

By Joe Mckeever on Jul 8, 2024

The most valuable ministry thing you have done just may be the time you stopped to encourage a homeless man and bought him lunch.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:7, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, 1 Corinthians 4:3-4

Tags: servant leadership, church leadership, Faithfulness, priorities, Servanthood, Christian Love, Godly Leaders, pastoral leadership  (view more)  (view less)

The Dumbest Thing I Ever Did As A Pastor

By Charles Stone on Oct 17, 2024

What's the dumbest mistake you've every made as a pastor?

Tags: mistakes, Pastoral Ministry

When A Private Apology Is Not Enough

By Joe Mckeever on Jul 14, 2022

"Nothing is so lovely and so welcome and so healing in a church as for a member to go before the congregation and admit to his/her destructive behavior and ask for forgiveness."

Tags: Humility, Reconciliation, repentance, restitution, Confession of Sin, church ministry, Apology, Making things right, Admitting Guilt, Repentance  (view more)  (view less)

6 Ways To Grow In The Gospels

By William Boekestein on Apr 26, 2021

A number of years ago I was about to preach for the first time in a certain church. As I arranged my papers and books I noticed a sign near the top of the pulpit. It was a quotation from John 12:21: “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

Scripture: Mark 9:7, Mark 15:1-15, Matthew 27:3, Mark 6:34, Acts 26:22-23, John 12:21, Matthew 14:20, Hebrews 12:2, John 11:15, Luke 24:44-45, Hebrews 1:1, Jeremiah 8:1-3  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Jesus, Biblical, preaching Christ, Preaching Gospels, Rakahanga gospel day  (view more)  (view less)

10 Things Every New Believer Should Know

By Brian Mavis on Mar 6, 2025

"I have been a Christian for over twenty-five years, and God has had to redirect me on multiple things because of what I mistakenly believed early on about being a Christian. And it is better to learn sooner than later."

Scripture: Matthew 6:33, James 4:10, Romans 5:8

Tags: Discipleship, Preaching, temptation, Deliverance, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

7 Things Pastors Don't Need To Know

By Ron Edmondson on Aug 2, 2024

As a pastor, I’ve learned there are plenty of people willing to tell me things I would never hear if I wasn’t the pastor. Sometimes I need to know...sometimes I don’t.

Tags: Pastors, Gossip, Christian Values

3 Things All Great Sermons Have In Common

By Ron Edmondson on Jul 13, 2020

The best part of my sermon message preparation is after it's written; what not to say is perhaps the most important part.

Tags: Preaching, preaching

10 Things Every New Believer Should Know

By Brian Mavis on Nov 19, 2024

"I have been a Christian for over 25 years, and God has had to redirect me on multiple things because of what I mistakenly believed early on about being a Christian. And it is better to learn sooner than later."

Scripture: Colossians 3:13

Tags: Preaching, Pray, Mentor, love your neighbor, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

10 Things We Should Never Tell A Preacher

By Joe Mckeever on Oct 30, 2025

When I honor the Lord’s shepherd, I honor the Lord Jesus Christ. He takes personally my treatment of His servant. That should put the fear of the Lord into us. And keep it there.

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Effective Pastors Never Do These Deadly 5 Things

By Joe Mckeever on Jan 10, 2021

Great advice from Joe McKeever: "Don’t ever resign your church in a fit of passion. In a rush of anger. That’s a huge no-no for preachers."

Tags: Preaching, preaching

6 Things To Do When Someone Insults You

By Josh Reich on Apr 13, 2023

You know the conversation. Someone in your church asks to meet with you, or you set up the meeting because you know they are angry at you, the church or a decision that was made.

Tags: Hurt, church conflict, Dealing with Conflicts, Leadership Listening