In Preaching Articles: "Good Work"

Grappling With The Fears Of Technological Change

By Tim Challies on Apr 15, 2023

Technologies are good in that they allow us to carry out our God-given mandate (Gen. 4). But every technology also brings risk; it brings change. Innovations subtly shift our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

Tags: Fear, Communication, Technology, Cultural Change, communication  (view more)  (view less)

4 Angles To Preach From Every Time

By Brandon Kelley on Dec 13, 2021

It is not enough to simply preach what the passage of Scripture says within your next sermon. It’s a good start, but don’t stop there. You’ll stop short of something truly beautiful, truly remarkable.

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Tags: redemption, God the Father, preaching the Word, eternal perspective, preaching Christ  (view more)  (view less)

The Best Way To Promote Church Growth? Support Small Churches

By SermonCentral .com on Jan 26, 2021

I want as many people as possible, all over the world, to know Jesus. The good news of the gospel can’t be confined within the walls of my church, the distinctives of my denomination, the borders of my country, or the customs of my culture.

Tags: Support, Preaching, Church Growth, Small Church

Five Steps To Respond To A Hurtful And Hateful Email

By SermonCentral .com on Jul 6, 2022

“You have no business being the pastor of our church. All you are interested in is getting your own way and changing all the good things we have going. People are saying you should be fired. I agree with them.”

Scripture: Proverbs 15:1

Tags: church ministry, Difficult People, Facing Controversy, criticism, Leadership, Perseverance, leadership, conflict, Criticism, loving people, pastoral leadership  (view more)  (view less)

How To Preach Without Cabin Pressure

By Ron Forseth on Aug 9, 2023

Preaching is an opportunity to creatively illustrate the urgency of the gospel and to challenge believers to watch for those people God brings into their lives to tell them about Christ—or at least to invite them to church to hear it where they know their pastor will consistently and clearly share the good news.

Tags: priorities, Evangelism Urgency, preaching Christ, Call to salvation

5 Ways To Talk About Money

By Kent Woodyard on Dec 8, 2021

After spending the past three years working for an online and mobile giving provider, I am obviously a believer in the power of technology to increase giving to the Church. Through that time, however, I have also been confronted with the limitations of technology. Important? Certainly. Enough? Definitely not!

Tags: Money, Teaching, Generosity, Giving General, teaching  (view more)  (view less)

Death To Dancing Bears

By Lance Witt on May 30, 2022

“Sometimes as a worship pastor,” he said, “I feel like a dancing bear. It’s my job to get up and perform for the crowd, and as long as the performance is good, everyone is happy. Except me. Something is missing and I don’t know what to do.”

Tags: Ministry, burnout, pastoral leadership, Lost Focus, People Over Programs, ministry  (view more)  (view less)

How Much Is Enough? The Only Safe Rule For Giving

By Kent Woodyard on Jan 4, 2024

Working in business development for a church giving platform, I am asked often if there is a Biblical precedent for churches using digital technology to accept tithes and offerings. Any scriptural evidence that text-2-give is acceptable to the Lord? I’ll save you a concordance search: there isn’t.

Scripture: Mark 12:41-44, 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

Tags: Money, Giving

The Benefit Of A Church Crisis

By Josh Reich on Feb 15, 2021

Nobody likes a crisis. No one likes bad news or being disappointed or being uncomfortable. We like when things work, when things are easy, when things go our way. Yet if you are a leader, at some point you will walk through a crisis with your church.

Scripture: Acts 12:1-10

Tags: Preaching, crisis

Eight Indicators That Pastors Are Expected To Do Most Of The Ministry

By SermonCentral .com on Apr 20, 2021

Contrary to most of the indicators today, the Bible says the laity (saints) are to do the work of ministry. Most of the ministry should not be in the hands of pastors, but in the hands of the church members. Unfortunately, we often reverse the biblical truth. We expect ministry to be done by the pastors and staff. Here are eight indicators of that reality.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-12

Tags: High expectations, Laity, Church Health, attacking the pastor

3 Things To Do When You’re Stuck In A Sermon Prep And Writing Rut

By Brandon Kelley on Oct 30, 2022

"Sermon prep and sermon writing can be hard. Often times, it can even be painful. Anything seems better to be doing when we get stuck in a sermon prep and writing rut. But we all know that the work is worth it. The pain is worth it. The plodding is worth it."

Tags: teaching, Sermon prep, Teaching God's Word, Pastoral Ministry, sermon prep, tools, Preaching Rut, Sermon Prep, Teaching, Pray, writing  (view more)  (view less)

A Simple Exercise That Will Infuse Life Into Your Staff

By Charles Stone on Jul 24, 2023

Recently our church staff held our annual in-house evaluation retreat when we reviewed the prior year’s goals and plans. God had given us a good year and we wanted not only to discuss how we could improve, but rejoice in His blessings.

Scripture: Psalm 9:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Thankfulness, gratitude, Leadership General, church leadership

Your Thoughts Will Betray You

By Christina Fox on Jun 13, 2022

A certain amount of self-evaluation can be good. We should have insight into ourselves, our motives, our choices, and our actions. But sometimes we can go too far. When self-evaluation ends with ourselves instead of pointing us beyond ourselves, there’s a problem.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13:5, 1 Corinthians 11:28, Philippians 2:3-8, John 17:17, Romans 8:32, Psalm 139:23, 1 John 2:1, Isaiah 43:1  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Rely on Grace, Remember the Gospel

7 Actions Which Limit Leadership Success

By Ron Edmondson on Apr 6, 2021

My heart is for leaders. I have been in leadership roles for over three decades now. I’ve led large and small teams. Through my ministry I’ve worked with hundreds of leaders. A mentor of mine always reminds me the success of whatever is being led always reflects back to leadership.

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 5:10

Tags: leadership, success, Influence, trusting, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Teammates: On Your Heart Or On Your Nerves?

By Lance Witt on Mar 22, 2021

There have been lots of days when I wanted to hide out in my office and not have to deal with anybody. There have been plenty of times when the people I work with weren’t on my heart, but they sure were on my nerves. I suspect you know exactly what I’m talking about.

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