In Preaching Articles: "Gifts General"

What Are You Improving At Your Church Right Now?

By Karl Vaters on Oct 26, 2022

"Every church should constantly be improving. And not just in general terms. We should always be working on specific action plans to make our church better tomorrow than it is today."

Tags: pastoral leadership, church leadership, good leadership, Leadership, leadership, Church Growth, Healthy Church, effective, productivity  (view more)  (view less)

Why I Said Yes To Pastoral Ministry

By Chuck Warnock on Dec 16, 2022

Pastoral calling can fade under pressure, success, or discouragement. This reflection uncovers why ministers lose sight of their call and how to remember it again.

Tags: Church, Call, pastor, Pastors, Small Church, Church General, Pastoral Calling, Clergy Encouragement, Leadership General, Pastoral Ministry, Spiritual Renewal, Pastor, church, Ministry Burnout  (view more)  (view less)

5 Right And Wrong Ways To Deal With Criticism

By Ron Edmondson on Mar 21, 2025

Ron Edmondson offers insight about the good and bad ways we respond to ministry criticism.

Tags: leadership, Preaching, Criticism, Confidence, evaluation, Leadership General, criticism, Leadership, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Stop The Revolution. Join The Plodders.

By Kevin Deyoung on Jan 24, 2022

It’s sexy among young people—my generation—to talk about ditching institutional religion and starting a revolution of real Christ-followers living in real community without the confines of church.

Scripture: Ephesians 6:21, Romans 16:8

Tags: Church, Commitment, endurance, Faithfulness, church  (view more)  (view less)

Fortress For Truth: Martin Luther

By Steven Lawson on Oct 24, 2022

"Luther came to realize that salvation was a gift for the guilty, not a reward for the righteous. Man is not saved by his good works but by trusting the finished work of Christ. Thus, justification by faith alone became the central tenet of the Reformation."

Tags: justification, Reformation, bible truth, Bible Truth, defending the gospel, martin luther, Teaching God's Word, defend the faith, faithful preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Why I Love To Preach

By Joseph M. Stowell on Nov 25, 2021

Preaching is a strange mix of joy, agony, insecurity, and calling; this article explores why pastors keep returning to the pulpit and how God uses their weakness.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:9, 2 Timothy 4:1-2, Hebrews 4:12

Tags: Church, Preaching, pastor, Palm Sunday, Homiletics, Disciplines General, Pastor, preaching, church  (view more)  (view less)

Leadership And Church Size Dynamics

By Tim Keller on Jan 3, 2025

Tim Keller explores one of the most talked-about church issues: the relationship of size to church health and culture.

Scripture: Hebrews 11:9-11, Jeremiah 23:16, Colossians 2:8, Colossians 2:22, Matthew 22:29, 1 Corinthians 3:5-7, Malachi 2:1-17, Isaiah 33:6  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Church, Growth, leadership, pastor, Church Growth, size, Leadership General, Pastor, Leadership, church  (view more)  (view less)

Honor Your Grandchildren’s Father And Mother

By Nancy Wilson on Jul 6, 2024

As grandmothers, we are to do more than simply cheer for our children and grandchildren and buy them Christmas jammies (though we should certainly do those things and more). Our foremost duty is to fear the Lord and obey him every day of our life.

Scripture: Psalm 103:7, 2 Timothy 1:5

Tags: Family Relationships, future generations, Faithful Prayer, family, parenting, Grandparents, GRANDCHILDREN, Prayer for Others  (view more)  (view less)

The 5 Most Dangerous Assumptions In Preaching

By Dr. Larry Moyer on Feb 16, 2024

False assumptions in preaching hinder communication and weaken impact. Clear thinking, clarity, and humility protect the preacher and strengthen the message.

Scripture: John 15:5

Tags: Church, Communication, Humility, Preaching, pastor, care, assumptions, Communication General, Pastor, communication, preaching, church  (view more)  (view less)

6 Surprising Leadership Principles From The Bible

By Tom Harper on Jan 21, 2025

A journey through every book of Scripture uncovered six counterintuitive leadership principles that reshape how we handle critics, conflict, love, power, and plans.

Scripture: Judges 8:3, Proverbs 29:22, Hosea 3:1-5

Tags: John, Wisdom, leadership, pastor, anger, Pastors, lead, Leadership General, Pastoral Ministry, Pastor, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

9 Points For Preaching On The Problem Of Evil

By Norman Geisler on Jan 22, 2025

Evil raises hard questions about God, suffering, and justice. This article equips preachers to answer honestly, show why evil presupposes God, and preach real hope.

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15, 1 Timothy 3:6, Colossians 4:6

Tags: Difficulties, problem of evil, Sin General, Trials, Apologetics, Evil, Satan, Hope, suffering, tragedy, Christian  (view more)  (view less)

8 Ways To Make Your Church More Accessible

By Rod Arnold on Mar 14, 2025

Here are some smart, practical things you can do to connect with more people in your community and give them a chance to get to know your church.

Tags: Love, Forgiveness, Church, Compassion, Preaching, Together, Church General, Evangelism How To, preaching, church, love  (view more)  (view less)

3 Ways To Defeat Leadership Discouragement

By Charles Stone on Dec 11, 2023

Discouragement comes with the territory for ministry leaders. Unmet goals, putting out fires, staff issues, displeasing people, and general tiredness all contribute to discouragement. When it weighs us down, how can we dig out? The life of the prophet Elijah gives us hope.

Tags: Pastoral Ministry, Elijah's Depression, Fighting for Joy, Leadership, Perseverance, leadership, Discouragement, Depression, Elijah's faith  (view more)  (view less)

Should I Use Bible Software In My Sermon Prep?

By Jonathan J. Watson on Jul 4, 2023

Is software (and technology in general) a help or a hindrance? Considering I’m typing this on a laptop, and many of you will read it on your smartphones, it’s obvious that technology is an integral part of our lives. But should we use it when preparing sermons? And does it have any additional impact on my life?

Tags: Technology, sermon prep, bible software, Sermon Prep, Sermon prep  (view more)  (view less)

Will The Real Jesus Stand Up? Part 1

By Lance Witt on Dec 28, 2023

"It may be that the great sin of the church in our generation is the trivializing of God. The Jesus Christ, in whom the fullness of deity dwells, is not to be boxed in, airbrushed, made over, tamed, explained or explained away. I am deeply convinced that the way you live will be a direct consequence of how you see God."

Scripture: Hebrews 12:28-29, Colossians 1:15-17, Jeremiah 23:23

Tags: Identity of Christ, False View of God, God of the Bible, Jesus is Lord, Deity of Christ, christian testimony, authority of Christ  (view more)  (view less)