In Preaching Articles: "Life Lessons"

10 Things I'd Do Differently In My Pastoral Work

By Bob Hostetler on Dec 4, 2025

Bob Hoestetler's been preaching and pastoring for years. He's learned a few lessons along the way.

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Why I Pace Before I Preach

By Walter Wangerin Jr. on May 1, 2020

Preaching demands the whole person, and fear often accompanies love for God and His people. Pacing, trembling, and praying become part of delivering a faithful message.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:3, Jeremiah 20:9, Exodus 4:10-12, 2 Corinthians 4:7, James 3:1  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Emotions, Preaching, pulpit, preparation, preaching, Pastoral Life, Pulpit  (view more)  (view less)

6 Tools For Overcoming Preacher’s Block (You'll Love #3)

By SermonCentral .com on Sep 10, 2025

I've been preaching for 30 years. At some point I have to run out of things to say, right? Actually, at hundreds of points I have run out of things to say!

Tags: Preaching, Devotional Life, preacher's block, body clock, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

12 Things I’d Tell My 25-Year-Old Self (About Life And Leadership)

By Carey Nieuwhof on Jun 19, 2024

There are so many things I would do the same, but there are more than a few things I’d do differently.

Tags: Leader, Security, passion, godly character, productivity, Godly Leaders, pastoral leadership, church leadership, leader  (view more)  (view less)

Help! Rescue The Sermon From Dead Outlines

By Joe Mckeever on Jan 20, 2023

Let Joe McKeever tell you about the day he took a lesson from Warren Wiersbe.

Scripture: Galatians 6:1

Tags: Preaching, Warren Wiersbe, dead outline, preaching

Can You Preach What You Struggle With?

By Ron Edmondson on Apr 5, 2025

Pastors often preach on areas where they still struggle. Honesty, humility, and commitment to the whole counsel of God make such preaching both faithful and effective.

Scripture: Acts 20:27, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, 1 Timothy 4:16, Hebrews 4:15-16, Romans 7:18-25  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Teaching, Preaching, preaching, teaching, Life Experience, Whole Counsel of God  (view more)  (view less)

Avoiding Sermon Series Mistakes

By SermonCentral .com on Jun 30, 2020

Well-planned sermon series can engage the unchurched, but common mistakes often drain momentum and miss evangelistic opportunities.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:22, Colossians 4:5-6, Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 17:22-23, Romans 10:14  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Truth, Preaching, repentance, eternal life, New Way, Repentance, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

What To Do When Your Preaching Turns Stale

By Peter Mead on Aug 14, 2025

On the dashboard of our ministry life, we need to have a light that flashes when we are preaching flat. What causes it? What should we do?

Tags: Preaching, give thanks, stale, ministry life, spiritual dryness, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Paul's Worst Church: Our Best Model?

By Chuck Warnock on Jul 28, 2020

Chuck Warnock suggests six powerful lessons from we can learn from that much-maligned church: Corinth.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:1-6

Tags: Preaching

Preaching Real Gospel Change In A World Obsessed With Self-Improvement

By Ed Stetzer on Jan 7, 2025

True transformation is not moral effort but new life in Christ. Preachers must translate “change” into gospel terms, clarifying how God recreates, reshapes, and renews His people.

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7

Tags: Church, Growth, Discipleship, Preaching, Change, Transformation, counsel, Christian growth, new life in Christ, Spiritual Transformation, preaching, church, Christian Growth, New Life In Christ  (view more)  (view less)

8 Ways To Bust Leadership Discouragement

By Charles Stone on Sep 28, 2022

"Discouragement is a universal experience for ministry leaders and the word actually self-defines itself…dis-courage meaning no courage. Some of the Bible’s greatest characters faced it: Moses, David, Paul, Mary the mother of Jesus, and the apostles. Nehemiah, the great Old Testament leader faced it when he led the Jews to rebuild the wall. Yet, his response offers us hope when we face it."

Scripture: Psalm 77:11, Nehemiah 4:10-21

Tags: Nehemiah, leadership, Discouragement, thought life, pastoral leadership, Blessings, Burdens, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Narrative Preaching: Do You Make These 10 Mistakes?

By Peter Mead on Jul 3, 2020

Biblical narratives lose their power when preachers flatten them into lessons or principles. Avoid common pitfalls and learn how to preach stories as God intended.

Scripture: Genesis 22:1-14, Judges 6:11-24, Luke 10:25-37, John 2:1-11

Tags: Preaching Ministry

10 Things Every New Believer Should Know

By Brian Mavis on Mar 7, 2025

New believers thrive when they learn God’s love, grace, Scripture, prayer, community, and Christ centered living early. These ten lessons safeguard a healthy start.

Scripture: Matthew 6:33, James 4:10, Romans 5:8, 1 John 4:16, James 1:22  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Discipleship, spiritual formation, Spiritual Formation

57 Leadership Tips For Pastors

By Joe Mckeever on Mar 22, 2025

Joe McKeever distills decades of pastoral wisdom into fifty-seven clear, practical leadership lessons that help pastors lead with integrity, courage, humility, and spiritual focus.

Scripture: Exodus 18:1-12

Tags: Ministry, leadership, Preaching, Delegate, spiritual formation, Leadership, ministry, preaching, Spiritual Formation  (view more)  (view less)

Unashamed Allegiance: My Tribute To R.c. Sproul

By John Piper on Nov 18, 2022

I love R.C. Sproul. I am sure I owe him more than I can even recall. My reverence for the holiness of God and the truth of his word would not be the same without his influence. I will miss him (for a short while).

Tags: treasure, Faithfulness, Tribute, Preacher, Godly example, Christ in Scripture, Teacher, Godly Life, preacher, teacher  (view more)  (view less)