In Preaching Articles: "Make Disciples"

3 Shifts Growing Churches Make To Welcome The Lost

By Brandon Kelley on Aug 10, 2023

Most churches genuinely want to welcome and reach those who are far from God. Sometimes the reason they don’t is because they get in their own way.

Tags: Genuine Faith, Evangelism The Lost, authentic ministry, relating to the lost

How To Make Christmas Your Best Outreach Of The Year

By Carey Nieuwhof on Dec 18, 2023

You might think it’s an event you do, or perhaps it’s Easter. But whether Christmas has historically been your best opportunity to reach unchurched people or not, I believe it could be.

Tags:

8 Ways To Make Church Change Run Smoother

By Charles Stone on May 29, 2022

In your church you’re probably trying to bring change in some way or are contemplating it.

Tags: Church, Change, Healthy Relationship, Transitions, church  (view more)  (view less)

Has Your Emotional Brain Hijacked Your Leadership?

By Charles Stone on Nov 30, 2023

Great ministry leaders keep their emotions in check. Unfortunately, when we don’t keep them in check, our emotional brain can hijack clear thinking and good leadership.

Scripture: Romans 10:10

Tags: Emotions, leadership, Brain, memory, Decision making, pastoral leadership, Pastoral Ministry, church ministry, Leadership, brain  (view more)  (view less)

4 Thoughts On Finding A Mentor

By Ron Edmondson on Jun 24, 2024

"I have had many mentors who have invested deeply in my life. I am who I am partly because of the intentionality of others pouring into my life. They have made me a better leader, better husband, father, friend, and person."

Scripture: Proverbs 15:22

Tags: Character, Grow, Personal Growth, Mentor, Godly Leaders, mentoring, personal holiness, Disciple  (view more)  (view less)

Prepare Your Heart To Lead Your Home: Advent Advice For Fathers

By Douglas Wilson on Dec 11, 2025

A father who wants to lead and disciple his family needs to remember that the one thing he must cultivate is heart loyalty. He must, of course, connect that loyalty to scriptural and worthy objects, but if he does not have heart loyalty, childrearing will simply be one grief replaced by another.

Scripture: Ephesians 6:4

Tags: Christmas, Advent, parenting, discipling, teach children, Discipline, Attitudes of thanks, child training  (view more)  (view less)

When A Private Apology Is Not Enough

By Joe Mckeever on Jul 14, 2022

"Nothing is so lovely and so welcome and so healing in a church as for a member to go before the congregation and admit to his/her destructive behavior and ask for forgiveness."

Tags: Humility, Reconciliation, repentance, restitution, Confession of Sin, church ministry, Apology, Making things right, Admitting Guilt, Repentance  (view more)  (view less)

5 Ways To Make Your Preaching More Practical And Relevant

By Rick Ezell on Jan 30, 2025

Practical preaching requires more than exegesis of Scripture. These five steps help you exegete your people—making sermons clearer, warmer, and more genuinely relevant.

Scripture: Acts 17:16-34, Romans 10:4

Tags: Preaching, Culture, Self, Relevance, audience, application, preaching, culture  (view more)  (view less)

Does Your Preaching Make A Difference? Eight Transformational Keystones

By SermonCentral .com on Aug 2, 2021

Our preaching should make a difference. But where and how? Here are some critical markers.

Tags: Transformation

5 Scientifically Proven Skills That Make You A Better Leader

By Charles Stone on Mar 9, 2022

Mindfulness is a spiritual discipline akin to biblical meditation. It’s setting aside daily time to be still before God, to be in His presence in the present moment.

Tags: stress, leadership, Stress, Meditation, sound mind, Spiritual Discipline, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Urgent Church: Nine Changes We Must Make Or Die

By SermonCentral .com on May 13, 2022

Many of our congregations must change. They must change or they will die.

Tags: Gospel, Prayer, Change, Dying Church, gospel  (view more)  (view less)

Does Our Culture Make Kids Feel Ashamed Of Their Faith?

By Focus On The Family on Sep 8, 2022

As Christians, we all know how important it is to equip kids with a sense of joy in reading God’s Word and the confidence to freely express their faith in Jesus. But that goal is becoming more difficult in today’s culture.

Tags: Apologetics The Bible, Training children, Children's Faith

11 Ways To Make Christmas Your Best Outreach Of The Year

By Carey Nieuwhof on Dec 14, 2025

You may think it’s far too early to start thinking about Christmas, but think again. Whenever I’ve shared these ideas about Christmas, people say “Hey, I wish you’d talked about this earlier.” So we are.

Tags: Christmas, Outreach, Holidays, leadership, invite, pastoral leadership, Christmas Evangelism, church ministry, church leadership, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

8 Ideas To Make Your Christmas Eve Service Memorable

By Josh Reich on Dec 19, 2024

Christmas Eve is coming, and millions of people will walk into a church to experience something. But what will they get when they walk into your church or mine?

Tags: Christmas, Advent, Christmas Eve, invite, Simplicity, Gospel centered, church leadership, Christmas Service  (view more)  (view less)

One Question You Must Never Ask In Ministry

By Joe Mckeever on Sep 6, 2023

Disciples of Jesus Christ must never try to calculate the cost/benefit of some act of ministry.

Scripture: Colossians 3:23-24, Luke 18:8, Ecclesiastes 11:6

Tags: Faithfulness, Leadership General, questions, measuring success