In Preaching Articles: "Local Church Leadership"

How To Enjoy Christmas As A Pastor

By Lance Witt on Dec 19, 2024

About 3 years ago, it was the very end of December and I was not in a good place. I was frustrated and honestly I was mad at myself. Our schedule had been out of control and I was worn out.

Scripture: Luke 2:17-19, Luke 2:8

Tags: Mary, Christmas, pastoral leadership, Time of Reflection

5 Problems With Top-Down Vision Casting And A New Testament Alternative

By SermonCentral .com on Mar 7, 2022

Acts 2 does not give us a picture of Peter hearing from God in private, then coming to the disciples with the vision.

Scripture: Habakkuk 2:2, Proverbs 29:18, Acts 2:14

Tags: vision, empower, pastoral leadership, dreams and visions

If Jesus Gave A Ted Talk Principle 8—reinforce Life Application (Transfer)

By Charles Stone on Jan 4, 2024

Reinforce Life Application is the final instalment of an 8 part series on how neuroscience can improve your preaching.

Scripture: James 1:22

Tags: Church, Preaching, pastor, preacher, church, Sermon prep, Preacher, sermon prep, Pastor, Sermon Prep, neuroscience, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

You'll Never Bring Lasting Change To Your Church If You Skip These Two Steps

By John Holm on May 15, 2023

Anyone can introduce new ideas. Making them last is something else entirely.

Scripture: Isaiah 50:4-5

Tags:

Don't Just Sit There: 8 Actions To Take When Your Church Is In A Slump

By SermonCentral .com on Aug 26, 2025

How do you define a church slump? More importantly, what do you do when it happens?

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:8-20

Tags: advice, slump, preaching, vision, Preaching, action  (view more)  (view less)

Preaching Without A Net: Delivering Sermons Without Notes

By Bruce Salmon on Mar 3, 2025

A pastor describes how a forgotten outline pushed him onto the “high wire” of preaching without notes and how that risk opened new freedom, focus, and trust in God.

Tags: Church, Preaching, worry, manuscript, Homiletics, Pastoral Ministry, Expository Preaching, Sermon Delivery, Worry, preaching, church, expository preaching  (view more)  (view less)

10 Suggestions For The Shepherd Of A Stagnant Flock

By Joe Mckeever on Jun 3, 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 27, 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 15, 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 21, 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 18, 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 8, 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 11, 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 16, 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

Four Subtle Ways Satan Sneaks Into Your Pulpit

By Dr. Larry Moyer on Jan 27, 2025

Satan rarely storms the pulpit—he slides in subtly. These four tactics expose how he targets pastors and how to resist him with clarity, humility, and vigilance.

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 12:21, 2 Timothy 4:2

Tags: Ministry, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Humility, Preaching, Faithfulness, Duty, pastoral leadership, ministry, preaching, Pastoral Leadership, Pulpit Integrity  (view more)  (view less)