In Preaching Articles: "Love God"

God Wants To Shape Your Wants: An Invitation To The Psalms

By John Piper on Nov 29, 2022

Try to imagine the Bible without the Psalms. What a different book it would be! What a different place the church would be. And what a different person I would be.

Scripture: Psalm 1:3

Tags: Psalms, Emotions, Heart, taste and see, Delight, Personal Growth, Delight in the Lord, sovereignty of God  (view more)  (view less)

The Vigil Of Waiting In Advent

By Steve Smith on Dec 12, 2024

Every 11 months, we get one month of waiting. It’s an interesting rhythm which should affect our cadence of busyness and distraction.

Tags: Advent, God's sovereignty, Waiting on God, advent candle

Check Your Church's Outreach Heartbeat: Recovering A Passion For Outreach

By Kevin Harney on Mar 16, 2025

Every church shows a spiritual heartbeat. From flatline to rapid pulse, God desires a heart renewed by His love so that evangelism flows naturally and organically.

Scripture: Revelation 2:1

Tags: Evangelism, Outreach, Growth, Church Health, Spiritual Renewal, evangelism  (view more)  (view less)

How To Powerfully Preach A Narrative Passage

By Brandon Kelley on Feb 16, 2021

People love stories, and that is what narrative is. When we can powerfully preach a narrative passage, we’ll see people not only respond to the message, but they’ll become more in awe at God’s word!

Tags: Preaching, preach, Narrative Passage, preaching

The Call No One Wants To Get - Part 2

By Lance Witt on Sep 25, 2023

Looking back, I see that obscurity allowed God to redirect my sense of identity and significance.

Tags: obscurity, Relationship to God, intimacy with Christ, Hidden work of God

Is The Body Of Christ In Trouble?

By Barry O. Johnson on Sep 11, 2024

Barry Johnson offers some helpful insights into the state of the Church in America, and offers a loving call for pastors to take bold steps of faith wherever God has planted them.

Tags: Gospel, Truth, Preaching, Body of Christ, gospel, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

7 Things Forgiveness Is Not

By Ron Edmondson on Jun 9, 2022

Understanding forgiveness doesn’t make it easier to forgive, but it does make it more meaningful. I believe understanding the process could make us more likely to offer the forgiveness we are commanded to give.

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness, relationships, Loving Others, Being merciful , grace  (view more)  (view less)

How To Preach Transformative Sermons

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Oct 15, 2020

Sherman Cox reminds us, "We all have heard preachers with all the skills of great orators, but something is missing."

Scripture: John 10:10

Tags: transform, God, Preaching

Turning To Jesus In Exhaustion

By Adam Weber on Apr 27, 2022

I had only recently completed my master’s degree, I didn’t want to start this church in the first place, it was struggling to grow, and here I was moving this stupid sign through three feet of snow. Without thinking, the words came out: God, what am I doing here? I’m tired!

Tags: Exhaustion, rest in god

Thirty Seconds Alone With God: The Effects Of Our Phones On Prayer

By Tony Reinke on Sep 17, 2023

Our Twitter and Facebook habits make praying harder than ever.

Scripture: Colossians 3:2, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Deuteronomy 11:18-19, 1 Corinthians 7:35, Luke 10:38-42, Matthew 13:22-23, 1 Corinthians 16:13, Titus 2:2, 1 Peter 1:13, 1 Peter 4:7, 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 16:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Ephesians 6:18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: focus, distractions, Disciplines Prayer, focus on GOD

What If We Made Disciples And Left Church Growth To God?

By Karl Vaters on Sep 5, 2022

If we prioritized health, not as a means to growth, but as an end in itself, would we be in a greater position to represent Jesus to the world?

Tags: Discipleship, Church Growth, Make Disciples, great commission, pastoral leadership, church ministry, Growth Strategy, Equip the Saints  (view more)  (view less)

Identity Theft

By Lance Witt on Sep 21, 2023

For many years I did ministry as an employee rather than as a son. My value and acceptance were dependent on how well I performed.

Scripture: 1 John 3:1

Tags: children of God, Trust God, Performance, Children of the King, Estrella genio  (view more)  (view less)

A Year-End Prayer For Weary Waiters

By Jon Bloom on Dec 29, 2024

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son” (Galatians 4:4).

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:4, Luke 1:78-79, Galatians 4:4, Revelation 22:20, Psalm 119:105  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Prayer, Second Coming, God's Promises, God's Fullness, End of the Year, eagerly await, Waiting on God, fullness of time  (view more)  (view less)

Not A Fan: The Hard Words Sparked A Church-Wide Revival

By Kyle Idleman on Jan 12, 2025

A preacher’s honest reckoning with crowd-pleasing sermons led to a bold call for true discipleship, sparking repentance, revival, and hundreds of unexpected baptisms.

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Love, Baptism, Jesus, Church, Commitment, Discipleship, Preaching, Disciples, revival, Church Growth, follower, preaching, church, love, Gospel call, Revival, Gospel Call  (view more)  (view less)

Because Of Your Gifts Or In Spite Of Them: God Speaks Through Preaching

By Stephanie J. Spencer on Dec 1, 2019

"God uses broken vessels to shine His light. I believe He can speak through me because of my gifts or in spite of my gifts, depending on the circumstance."

Tags: Inadequacy, broken vessel, preaching, Preaching