In Preaching Articles: "Ministry Work"

The Call No One Wants To Get - Part 1

By Lance Witt on Sep 25, 2023

One of the spiritual questions every ministry leader must answer is, “Am I willing to serve in obscurity?”

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-40

Tags: Faith, obscurity, Cost of Discipleship, success in ministry

Lessons From The Broken Road

By Jon Cyrus on Aug 12, 2022

The voice was calm but the words came like an avalanche, throwing me into a state of shock and despair. My oldest daughter was dead.

Tags: Service, Love, Addiction, Grief, MINISTRY OF PRESENCE  (view more)  (view less)

When Church Members Insist On Their Rights.

By Joe Mckeever on Jun 24, 2022

“Consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself lest you also grow weary and lose heart,” (Hebrews 12:3).

Scripture: Matthew 27:27-44, Matthew 26:53, Hebrews 12:3, 1 Corinthians 6:7, Psalm 103:14  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Humility, conflict, Pastoral Ministry, Example of Christ

A Risk Worth Taking

By Leigh Ann Carey Looyenga on Apr 10, 2024

Are you tired? Worn down by the pace of life and ministry? Do you feel like the abundant life may not be for ministry leaders?

Scripture: Genesis 2:1-2, Deuteronomy 5:6

Tags: Sunday, Sabbath, relationships, Rest, intimacy with Christ  (view more)  (view less)

15 Good-Sense Preaching Tips

By Gracia Grindal on Jan 19, 2024

Practical advice on what works--and what doesn't--in your sermon.

Scripture: John 5:1-5

Tags: Preaching, preaching

The One Time Jesus Prayed For You (Part 1)

By Lance Witt on Apr 3, 2024

Unity is not passive, it is active. And if we are going to experience it, we have to work for it.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:3, John 17:21-23

Tags: Prejudice, selfish ambition

Only In A Small Church: Sometimes You Gotta Kill Cockroaches

By Karl Vaters on May 19, 2022

Principles that make sense in a big church don't always work in a smaller one.

Tags: leadership, Perspective, Church family, Small Church, perspective, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

4 Weapons Of Mass Distraction In A Leader’s Life

By Charles Stone on Nov 13, 2023

Ask yourself which of these four weapons of mass distraction divert you the most from leading at your best.

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8

Tags: leadership, focus, distractions, pastoral leadership, Pastoral Ministry, church ministry, Effective Leadership, Leading Others Well, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

4 Spiritual Disciplines Pastors Often Neglect

By Charles Stone on Nov 16, 2023

What spiritual disciplines might you be neglecting?

Tags: leadership, Submission, confession, Solitude, Christian Disciplines, pastoral leadership, Spiritual Discipline, Pastoral Ministry, church ministry, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Handling A Hurricane… Part 1

By Lance Witt on Nov 10, 2023

It is going to happen. Take it to the bank. You can count on it. Someone on your team or in your organization will have a disastrous moral failure. So how do your prepare?

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 5:12

Tags: leadership, conflict management, Pastoral Ministry, disasters, church ministry, Leadership Failure, Moral failure, Church Crisis, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

The Word Nobody Likes… Part 2

By Lance Witt on Dec 5, 2023

One of the reasons the word accountability gets a bad rap is because of the way some people have carried out accountability. Holding people accountable is not using your position as a club to embarrass, humiliate, mistreat, belittle or shame people. Our accountability of people should make those on our team better not bitter.

Scripture: Daniel 6:1

Tags: Humility, leadership, relationships, Accountability, Performance, Feedback, Pastoral Ministry, church ministry, Empowering Others, Effective Leadership, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Pastor And Prophet

By Lance Witt on May 11, 2024

"When it comes to our preaching, we live in the constant tension between pastor and prophet. On one hand, as pastors we want to encourage and care for the sheep. So, in our preaching we want to be uplifting and hopeful. On the other hand, as prophets we must sometimes say the hard things that the sheep don’t want to hear."

Scripture: Jeremiah 5:30-31, 2 Timothy 4:3-4, Galatians 1:10

Tags: Teaching, Preaching, Pride, People pleasing, pastoral leadership, selfish ambition, Pastoral Ministry, Pulpit Ministry, preaching, teaching  (view more)  (view less)

How To Do Justice And Not Undermine Evangelism

By Don Carson on Feb 17, 2025

How do Christians work for justice in the world and not undermine the centrality of evangelism? Don Carson responds.

Tags: Evangelism, Preaching, Evangelism How To, evangelism, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

If You're Preaching A Thanksgiving Service, Try These Two Tips

By David J. Lose on Nov 24, 2023

This is the way thanksgiving always works--in giving thanks for a gift given, we are blessed again.

Scripture: John 4:12-15, Isaiah 26:1-4

Tags: Thanksgiving, Luke, Preaching, gratitude, preach, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Crafting A Strong Sermon: 10 Checkpoints

By Outreach Inc. on Aug 30, 2024

It's not "10 easy steps" to preaching, but practical help to make sure your work is sound and true.

Scripture: Proverbs 21:31

Tags: Preaching, preaching