In Preaching Articles: "Local Church Leadership"

How To Recruit And Keep The Best Volunteers

By Josh Reich on Jan 25, 2022

The idea of recruiting volunteers is overwhelming and difficult at times. There never seems to be enough people, and the ones who are serving are often tired and feel like they are the only ones serving.

Tags: Communication, Lay Leadership, ministry vision, Recruiting, communication  (view more)  (view less)

Words Create Worlds… Part 2

By Lance Witt on Aug 17, 2023

It’s not just what you say, but how you say it.

Scripture: Proverbs 15:1, Philippians 4:5, Proverbs 12:18, Proverbs 27:5-6, Proverbs 10:17, Proverbs 10:19, Proverbs 17:28, Proverbs 15:28, Proverbs 19:4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: words, Influence, Words do hurt, pastoral leadership

Preaching To The Unchurched: 5 Essentials

By Rick Warren on May 3, 2024

In terms of seeing radical life changes in individuals, nothing can take the place of Spirit-anointed preaching. The message is still the most important element of a worship service for the unchurched.

Tags: evangelism, preaching, Evangelism, Outreach, Preaching, pastoral leadership  (view more)  (view less)

What To Do When Someone Close To You Is Hurting

By Josh Reich on Jun 19, 2022

Let’s face it, when someone hurts us, we can brush it off and often move on. We can be tough, ignore it, deal with it or get even (although that rarely helps), but something changes when it is our spouse, kids, a close friend or a family member who is hurt. We feel powerless in that moment.

Tags: pastoral leadership, bearing burdens, shepherding, counseling, Shepherding  (view more)  (view less)

Reading Your Bible Relationally

By Lance Witt on Jun 17, 2022

Growing in knowledge is important, but knowledge without relationship is dangerous. That was one of the big issues Jesus had with the Pharisees. They had biblical knowledge but their heart was far from God.

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12

Tags: Scripture, Personal Growth, Quiet time, pastoral leadership

10 Suggestions For The Shepherd Of A Stagnant Flock

By Joe Mckeever on Jun 2, 2020

Non-growing churches are not healthy, at least in some significant ways. Joe McKeever gives his input to help revive a church that seems to have "plateaued."

Tags: Preaching, Sheep, Apathy, lead, Church Purpose of, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Why Doesn't Every Congregation Respond The Same Way?

By Peter Mead on Jun 26, 2025

Peter Mead reveals eight powerful insights into how to gauge a congregation's responsiveness.

Tags: church culture, preaching, guest, Unique, Preaching, Congregational  (view more)  (view less)

Who Says Bigger Is Better? 3 Reasons I'm Convinced God Works Through Small Churches

By Chris Surber on Oct 14, 2021

"Bigger churches can do things smaller cannot do. And little churches do things much larger churches can never do."

Scripture: Acts 11:15-18, Genesis 22:1-15

Tags: family, Preaching, friendship, connection, Small Church, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

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

Promote Jesus: Not Personality, Professionalism, Or Brand

By Joe Hoagland on Jan 17, 2022

The church can learn a lot from worldly business and marketing trends but many times churches and church leaders end up promoting the wrong thing.

Tags: Jesus, focus on GOD, Pastoral Character, church marketing

A Word To The Small Town Pastor

By Ron Edmondson on Mar 7, 2022

Sometimes people don’t know how well they are doing.

Tags: Perspective, Pastors, Small Church, Pastoral Ministry, perspective  (view more)  (view less)

Live And Die By The Numbers

By Lance Witt on Apr 10, 2023

But numbers become a problem in the heart of a pastor when they move from being a point of celebration to becoming the driver of our motivation.

Scripture: Acts 2:47

Tags: motivation, Church Growth, success in ministry, intimacy with Christ

When The Pastor Has An Affair

By SermonCentral .com on Apr 15, 2022

Let me to share some of the best responses I have heard from churches that have gone through this tragic time.

Tags: Affair, Church Health, Pastoral Character, sexual immorality

Confronting Idols, Making Disciples

By SermonCentral .com on Jul 21, 2023

Chris Wright suggests that the way we do church may actually prop up idolatry in the church. Are there any idols in your church?

Scripture: Matthew 8:1-10

Tags: Idol, Discipleship, Disciples, Confront, chris wright  (view more)  (view less)

4 Attributes Of Powerful Preaching

By Kevin Deyoung on Jan 28, 2025

Kevin DeYoung presents four qualities of what he calls "truly good preaching–-the kind that resonates with people and the kind God tends to employ."

Scripture: Matthew 7:28-29

Tags: Preaching, Authenticity, Clarity, Veracity, Authority, Leadership General, preaching  (view more)  (view less)