In Preaching Articles: "Living Word"

How To Craft Sermon Openers That Grab Attention

By Tyler Scarlett on Feb 27, 2025

A wandering introduction loses listeners before the sermon even begins. Strong, simple, and compelling first sentences draw people in and prepare them to hear God’s Word.

Scripture: Titus 2:2, Titus 2:1-2, Philippians 4:10-15, Romans 13:11-14

Tags: Pastoral Ministry

Are You Guilty Of Pastoral Plagiarism?

By James Emery White on Oct 10, 2020

Borrowing ideas is common in ministry, but passing off another preacher’s words or stories as your own crosses an ethical line. Here’s where that line stands.

Scripture: Exodus 20:15-16, 2 Timothy 2:15, Acts 17:28, Proverbs 12:22

Tags: Preaching, Plagiarism, Homiletics, preaching

Why No One Cares About Your Mission Statement – And Neither Should You

By SermonCentral .com on Mar 8, 2021

Does your church have a mission statement? Could most of the people in your church repeat it? If the answer is ‘no’, I have one word for you. Relax.

Tags: Preaching, Mission Statement, preaching

Sorry, Pastors – The Growth Of The Church Is Not Up To Us

By Karl Vaters on Jun 5, 2024

"Preaching the Word, training disciples and ministering to the community may or may not increase the number of people who sit in front of me from Sunday to Sunday. But it will produce a healthy church."

Tags: Church Growth, Surrender, Healthy Church, God's Church, God in control, pastoral leadership, call to discipleship, church leadership  (view more)  (view less)

A Weekly Rhythm For Sermon Prep When You’re Bi-Vocational

By Todd Hiestand on May 18, 2020

A bi-vocational pastor can’t spend thirty hours a week on a sermon. Here’s a realistic weekly rhythm that keeps you rooted in Scripture while living normal life.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15, Colossians 3:16, Luke 24:32, James 1:22, Acts 6:4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Bi Vocational Ministry

Mentoring For Pastors: How To Find The Right Mentor At The Right Time

By Hal Seed on Oct 29, 2022

"Do you need a mentor? Only if you want to become more like Christ, live for Jesus more purposefully, and see your church take ground for God’s glory."

Tags: leadership, Grow, Mentor, pastoral leadership, Christian growth, mentoring, call to discipleship, church leadership, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

How To Do Justice And Not Undermine Evangelism

By Don Carson on Feb 17, 2025

D. A. Carson explains how Christians can pursue justice without eclipsing evangelism, keeping the gospel central while demonstrating genuine love through word and deed.

Tags: Evangelism, evangelism, Christian mission, Christian Mission

Preaching: Teaching People The Way They Actually Learn

By Wayne Cordeiro on Mar 15, 2025

Effective teaching isn’t just knowing your message; it’s knowing how people learn. Adjusting to generational learning styles strengthens how truth is received and lived out.

Tags: Discipleship

5 Ways To Get People To Pay Attention To Your Sermons

By Charles Stone on Feb 16, 2022

One of the most disconcerting feelings we pastors experience is when we prepare a sermon and pour our heart into it, yet feel that it didn’t make a difference in people’s lives.

Tags: Communication, Preaching, Relevance, sermons, communication, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Seven Commitments Of Renewal Every Church Leader Should Make For A New Year

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 30, 2022

I see the New Year as a time for recommitment and re-focus. And though it is simply the changing of the page of a calendar, it is still a good time to be reminded about those areas that are most important in our lives.

Tags: Outreach, New Year, simplify, daily prayer

How To Resolve Most Relational Conflict

By Jon Bloom on Nov 5, 2022

"Few things sap more of our joy, are as emotionally demanding and mentally distracting, as relational conflict. And few things wreak as much havoc and destruction on lives as relational conflict. And so much of it is avoidable."

Scripture: Matthew 10:34-36, James 4:1, Matthew 18:21-35, 1 Peter 5:6, Philippians 2:14-15  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Peace, Humility, conflict, resolving conflict, Love Others, Dealing with Conflicts, selfish ambition, Humility and Pride  (view more)  (view less)

Preacher’s Tip: If You Can Keep From Preaching, Do It

By H.b. Charles, Jr. on Nov 6, 2020

Pastor H.B. Charles, Jr. shares a hard word from a father clarified a calling: true pastoral ministry is not a hobby one can drop but a necessity laid upon the soul.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:16, Jeremiah 20:9, 2 Timothy 4:2, Acts 20:24, Galatians 1:15-16  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, advice, insight, Improve, calling, preaching, Calling  (view more)  (view less)

Preachers, Find Your Voice

By SermonCentral .com on Aug 20, 2021

In the days of the church, a major way in which God’s word is revealed to his people is through the regular, ordinary, week-in, week-out ministry of local church pastor-preachers.

Tags: New, Preaching, voice, Pastoral, preach, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Why Preaching Is Impossible (And What You Can Do About It)

By Jacob Myers on Dec 31, 2025

When you make the long, lonely walk to the pulpit to proclaim the Word of God for the people of God, how often do you hear the Mission Impossible soundtrack playing in your mind?

Scripture: Mark 12:38-44, Colossians 4:1-11

Tags: Preaching, preaching

You Are Not The Story!

By H.b. Charles, Jr. on May 3, 2022

People should not leave the sermon having learned more about the preacher than Christ. When we stand to preach the word, we should prayerfully whisper to ourselves, “You are not the story.”

Scripture: Colossians 1:28, John 12:20, 2 Corinthians 4:5, 2 Timothy 4:1-2

Tags: Pride, God's Story, self importance, Bible as a story