In Preaching Articles: "Listening Vs Hearing"

What Do People Actually Remember From Your Sermon?

By Safiyah Fosua on Jan 20, 2024

Listeners forget most of what we preach. Discover three qualities that make sermons stick: fresh perspective, human depth, and deep rooting in Scripture.

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37, Luke 15:11-32, John 4:1-26, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Preaching, application, preaching, Application

11 Mistakes That Take Your Preaching Focus Off Jesus

By Jared Moore on May 8, 2023

God-centered preaching helps hearers focus on the glory of God. These common preaching mistakes distract from Scripture and keep listeners from seeing Christ.

Scripture: Luke 24:27, John 5:39, Acts 20:27, 2 Timothy 4:2, Hebrews 4:12  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: mistakes, focus, preaching, God centered, God Centered, Jesus, Preaching  (view more)  (view less)

The Power Of Simple Preaching

By Nicholas Mcdonald on Jun 25, 2021

Clear and simple preaching holds attention and helps people grasp truth. Complexity often loses listeners, but plain speech opens the door to understanding and application.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:9, Nehemiah 8:8, Colossians 4:4, Matthew 13:34, 2 Timothy 2:15  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Homiletics, Engagement, Clarify, simplify

Not Every Exhortation Is Necessary

By Peter Mead on May 9, 2024

It is important to discern when an exhortation needs to be given, and when the listener is already aware of their need for growth and working hard by faith to become more like Christ.

Tags: Teaching, Preaching, exhortation, Preaching Help, effective preaching, Effective Teaching, Know your audience, preaching, teaching  (view more)  (view less)

The Post-Sermon Bible Test

By Peter Mead on Jan 11, 2024

Good preaching doesn’t end when the sermon ends. It equips listeners to return to the text, understand it, desire it, and handle it for themselves in the days ahead.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16

Tags: Discipleship, Preaching, preaching

8 Ways To Hook Your Congregation Into Your Message

By SermonCentral .com on May 12, 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: anxiety, Bird, Preaching, Anxiety, Field, flowers, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Why Every Sermon Needs A Strong Title

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Dec 11, 2021

Some preachers question whether sermon titles are necessary, but a well-chosen title can clarify, guide, and reinforce the main point of a message for both preacher and listener.

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:8, Ecclesiastes 12:9-10, 2 Timothy 4:2, Colossians 4:6

Tags: Choose, title, Pastoral Ministry

Why Too Many Sermon Illustrations Hurt Your Preaching

By Bruce D. Johnson on Oct 14, 2024

Many modern sermons rely too heavily on the preacher’s personal stories. Effective illustrations should clarify truth and help ordinary listeners apply it.

Scripture: Colossians 1:28, Romans 10:14, 1 Corinthians 1:21, 2 Timothy 4:2, James 1:22  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: preaching, Preaching, pastor, Self, Homiletics, Pastor  (view more)  (view less)

Do You Preach Around The Text, Or Do You Preach The Text?

By Dr. Scott M. Gibson on Dec 16, 2024

After listening to sermons all these years, I have concluded preachers either talk before the text or talk around the text but rarely talk about the text.

Scripture: Hosea 4:1-6, Psalm 30:1

Tags: preaching, Preaching

Why Sermon Transitions Matter More Than You Think

By Peter Mead on Dec 2, 2020

Strong sermons require more than good content. Clear transitions help listeners follow the message, maintain momentum, and understand how each point fits together.

Scripture: Proverbs 11:24, Galatians 5:1, Nehemiah 8:8, 2 Timothy 4:2, 1 Timothy 4:13  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Communication, Preaching, transition, effective, conclusion, communication, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Why Exhortation Alone Is Not Enough In Preaching

By Bob Hostetler on Jan 13, 2023

Many sermons tell listeners what they should do but fail to move them toward real change. Effective preaching combines exhortation with identification, inspiration, and practical application.

Scripture: Romans 12:8, James 1:22, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:12, Colossians 1:28  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, identification, inspiration, application, Homiletics, preaching, Application  (view more)  (view less)

Pastor And Prophet

By Lance Witt on May 11, 2024

"When it comes to our preaching, we live in the constant tension between pastor and prophet. On one hand, as pastors we want to encourage and care for the sheep. So, in our preaching we want to be uplifting and hopeful. On the other hand, as prophets we must sometimes say the hard things that the sheep don’t want to hear."

Scripture: Jeremiah 5:30-31, 2 Timothy 4:3-4, Galatians 1:10

Tags: Teaching, Preaching, Pride, People pleasing, pastoral leadership, selfish ambition, Pastoral Ministry, Pulpit Ministry, preaching, teaching  (view more)  (view less)

We Can - And Should! - Preach Like The Apostles

By Dayton Hartman on Jun 21, 2021

As culture becomes increasingly skeptical of Scripture, preaching must not only proclaim the gospel but also defend its truth. Apologetic elements help listeners understand and trust the message of the Bible.

Scripture: Acts 2:22-24, Acts 17:22-31, 1 Corinthians 15:12-20, Acts 18:28, Jude 1:3  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, apostle, Millenial, Biblical Authority, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

You Can Preach About Pentecost Then, But What About Pentecost Now?

By David J. Lose on May 23, 2023

Few holidays present themselves as ripe for nostalgia as Pentecost. Weren't these the glory days of the church--spirit-filled preaching, attentive listening, 3,000 converted in a single day?

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18, John 2:1-12

Tags: Preaching, preaching

The Greatest Gift You Give Your Team- Part 1

By Lance Witt on Jul 11, 2024

This week work at paying attention to your soul. Listen to your emotions. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand what is going on beneath the surface of all your “doing”.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 7:1, John 16:32, John 16:32

Tags: Approval, Growth in Christ, pastoral leadership, God's Approval, Guarding your heart, motives, soul care, personal holiness  (view more)  (view less)