In Preaching Articles: "Free From Sin"

2 Rules For Transparency In The Pulpit

By Brady Boyd on Feb 21, 2025

Pastors should be honest, but honesty must be wise. True vulnerability builds hope, not confusion, and protects both the flock and loved ones from harm.

Scripture: John 1:1-14

Tags: Preaching, Honesty, Authenticity, Struggles, Transparency, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Making The Move To Noteless Preaching

By Peter Mead on Jul 7, 2021

Preachers can move from full manuscripts to notes or even no notes by simplifying structure, relying more on the text, and practicing intentional oral delivery.

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11

Tags: Preaching, Pastoral Ministry, preaching

John Piper: Bible-Oriented Preaching Or Entertainment?

By John Piper on Aug 24, 2024

True preaching is bound to Scripture, not personality. A Bible-tethered preacher speaks with God’s authority, while entertainment preaching drifts from the Word.

Scripture: John 17:20, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:12, Isaiah 66:2

Tags: Scripture, Entertainment, john calvin, John Calvin

The Power Of Weak Preaching

By SermonCentral .com on Jun 19, 2020

God channels His power through weak preachers, not showmanship. True potency comes from courage, confession, and preaching Christ with humble dependence.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:21, 2 Corinthians 12:9, John 17:17, 2 Timothy 4:2, 1 Corinthians 2:1-5  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, weakness, preaching, Weakness

3 Reasons I Began Using A Sermon Manuscript

By Jeff Medders on Aug 20, 2020

"I used to always enter the pulpit with outline in hand; but no longer. I now preach from a full manuscript — 2,500 words or so."

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15, Mark 6:1-8

Tags: Preaching, manuscript, Outline

Great Preaching Lives In The Tension: Here's How

By Brandon Kelley on Jan 5, 2021

A sermon speaks from the grand narrative of Scripture to the grand narrative of your life. These two stories have identifiable tension points: use them!

Tags: Preaching, preaching

8 Easy Ways To Plan Now For New Vbs Families To Stick

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 8, 2021

In my experience, churches put on a stellar VBS and just hope that the fourth goal of retaining new families from the community will take care of itself.

Tags: Outreach, Unchurched, VBS, families, relational leaders  (view more)  (view less)

Ministering To Millennials By Leveraging The Relational Power Of Healthy Churches

By SermonCentral .com on Feb 8, 2022

We need to lean away from the church-as-business model and into the church-as-relational-community model. Love God and love others.

Tags: Personal Testimony, Healthy Relationship, Intergenerational, millennials

Jerry Rice And The Art Of Preaching Well

By Derwin Gray on Jun 26, 2024

Insights from Jerry Rice’s passion, self-awareness, and heroic mindset show preachers how to cultivate love, authenticity, and Gospel-centered confidence.

Scripture: Ephesians 3:16-19

Tags: Evangelism, Witness, Gospel, Sports, Preaching, Lost, football, Christian Witness, pastoral leadership, gospel ministry, evangelism, gospel, preaching, Pastoral Leadership, Gospel Ministry, Sermon Craft, Ministry Skills  (view more)  (view less)

When Passion In The Pulpit Goes Too Far

By Peter Mead on Apr 28, 2020

Preaching with zeal is good, but unguarded passion can turn aggressive, shouty, distracting, or draining. Learn how to keep intensity from undermining your message.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:16, Proverbs 15:1, 2 Timothy 2:24-25, Colossians 4:6, James 1:19  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Communication, Discernment, Preaching, passion, Passion of Christ, communication, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

5 Thoughts About Excellence In Ministry

By Brandon Cox on Mar 29, 2025

Excellence honors God, but it must never overshadow the mission. These five principles help ministry leaders pursue quality without drifting from gospel priorities.

Scripture: Colossians 3:17, Ecclesiastes 11:4, 1 Corinthians 10:31, Romans 12:11, Matthew 28:19  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, Excellence, Christian Discipleship, preaching

When Preachers Intrude Too Much

By Joe Mckeever on Aug 22, 2024

Personal stories can help a sermon—but too much “me” distracts from Christ. This reflection warns preachers to minimize self and elevate the Savior.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:5, Psalm 141:3, John 3:30, 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, 1 Peter 4:11  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Self examination, Sermon Craft, Self Examination

How Smart Preachers Help Propagate Dumb Ideas

By Larry Osborne on Jun 12, 2021

Smart people can believe some really dumb things. What's worse--I think I've taught some of them from the pulpit.

Tags: Preaching, advice, cliche, platitude, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Promote Jesus: Not Personality, Professionalism, Or Brand

By Joe Hoagland on Jan 18, 2022

The church can learn a lot from worldly business and marketing trends but many times churches and church leaders end up promoting the wrong thing.

Tags: Jesus, focus on GOD, Pastoral Character, church marketing

3 Shifts Growing Churches Make To Welcome The Lost

By Brandon Kelley on Aug 11, 2023

Most churches genuinely want to welcome and reach those who are far from God. Sometimes the reason they don’t is because they get in their own way.

Tags: Genuine Faith, Evangelism The Lost, authentic ministry, relating to the lost