In Preaching Articles: "Follow Your Heart"

Why Every Sermon Needs A Clear Outline

By Joe Mckeever on May 16, 2025

Great preaching requires clarity and structure. A well-crafted sermon outline helps both the preacher and the congregation follow and remember the message.

Scripture: Romans 10:1-12, Nehemiah 8:8, 2 Timothy 2:15, 1 Corinthians 14:40, Ezra 7:10  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, Brain, Outline, Homiletics, brain, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

How Faithful Preaching Keeps Bibles Open

By Peter Mead on May 26, 2025

Effective biblical preaching keeps listeners engaged with the text, helping them follow Scripture during the sermon and return to it throughout the week.

Scripture: Matthew 24:1-22, Nehemiah 8:8, Acts 17:11, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:2  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Bible, Faith, Preaching, average, interest, preaching, bible  (view more)  (view less)

The Chase Scene Of The Cross

By SermonCentral .com on Feb 14, 2024

Great preaching follows a line to its climax. Hal Seed points to the glory of the cross and resurrection as the climax of God's story with humanity.

Tags: Jesus, Easter, Preaching, Cross, Hal Seed, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Why Your Congregation Is Your Second Text

By Mike Glenn on Oct 26, 2020

Faithful preaching requires devotion not only to the biblical text but also to the lived realities of the congregation. The pastor stands between both.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15, Hebrews 4:12, Ephesians 4:15, John 1:14, Mark 4:26-29  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, Congregation, role, second text, Pastoral Ministry, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Change Your Sermon By Changing Your Spices

By Erik Raymond on May 18, 2023

Are you constantly mining the same sources for your sermon illustrations?

Scripture: Psalm 38:1-10, Colossians 4:1-5

Tags: Read, Preaching, Devotional, Spices, Classic, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Three Questions Every Small Group Ministry Must Answer

By James Emery White on Sep 21, 2022

"Regardless of the type of small group ministry you may have, there are three foundational questions that must be settled for maximum effectiveness and clear focus––yet seldom are. And they are foundational questions because they speak to the heart of your philosophy of ministry."

Tags: strategy, BIBLE STUDY, Small groups, Bible Study, Church Small Groups, Fellowship Group, Small Group Ministry, bible study  (view more)  (view less)

Great Preacher = Great Leader? Not So Fast

By Adrian Pei on Mar 15, 2023

When a leader admits his or her weaknesses in front of an audience, I think to myself, "That's great ... how will you follow that up?"

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:7-10, Matthew 21:18-22

Tags: Preaching, Maturity, skill, great leader, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Preaching From The Overflow Requires Structure

By Joe Mckeever on May 18, 2021

Preaching from passion and spiritual overflow can energize a sermon, but without structure it often becomes difficult for listeners to follow and impossible for the preacher to reproduce.

Scripture: Psalm 23:5, Luke 6:27-35, 2 Timothy 2:15, 1 Timothy 4:13, Ecclesiastes 12:9-10  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, audience, overflow, problem, Sermon Preparation, preaching, sermon preparation  (view more)  (view less)

Preaching That Transforms Lives—it Can Be Done—8 Ways To Start

By SermonCentral .com on Mar 7, 2023

"It's an issue that leaders and followers alike must wrestle through: How do I live out the spiritual transformation that has occurred in me?"

Scripture: James 1:1-15, Judges 11:1-20

Tags: Preaching, renewal, Transformation, Surrender, diligence, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

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)

11 Steps To Connect Your Volunteers To Your Vision

By John Gilman Ii on Feb 18, 2021

How can a group of people who are committed to seeing something great happen and are willing to put in the time and energy it takes, only to see their vision fail?

Tags:

Has Your Emotional Brain Hijacked Your Leadership?

By Charles Stone on Nov 30, 2023

Great ministry leaders keep their emotions in check. Unfortunately, when we don’t keep them in check, our emotional brain can hijack clear thinking and good leadership.

Scripture: Romans 10:10

Tags: Emotions, leadership, Brain, memory, Decision making, pastoral leadership, Pastoral Ministry, church ministry, Leadership, brain  (view more)  (view less)

Your Great Preaching Is Not Going To Build Your Church!

By Joe Mckeever on Sep 11, 2022

Get out of the office, pastor, and knock on some doors. Later, you can get your people to do it. But first, you do it. Do it by yourself, if you must. Or take someone with you. Do it by appointment or cold-turkey. But do it. That is as profound a way as I know to build a great church.

Tags: Church Growth, Church Attendance, Personal Evangelism, Growth Strategy, Building the Church, Out of the Office, Door to door, church attendance  (view more)  (view less)

How Pastors Should Approach Preaching At Wedding

By SermonCentral .com on May 18, 2025

Wedding sermons do not need to follow a single formula. Faithful pastors can draw from many biblical truths that prepare couples for the realities of married life.

Scripture: Ephesians 5:22-33, Colossians 3:12-14, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Proverbs 3:3-4, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Wedding, Preaching, Offend, preaching, Biblical Counseling  (view more)  (view less)

The Fourth World: How Your Personality Shapes Your Preaching

By Peter Mead on Sep 20, 2020

Your preaching is shaped not only by the text and the congregation, but by your inner world. Personality profoundly influences preparation and delivery.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:2, 1 Timothy 4:16, James 3:1, 2 Corinthians 4:5, 1 Corinthians 2:4-5  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: leadership, Preaching, Leadership, preaching