In Preaching Articles: "People Pleasing"

Does Your Soul Have A Backbone?

By Lance Witt on Aug 7, 2023

Over the last few years my single most consistent prayer has been for spiritual courage.

Tags: suffering, Courage, People pleasing, intimacy with Christ

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)

One Hard Truth Of Leadership

By Ron Edmondson on Sep 3, 2022

There is one truth about leadership every leader must understand, but is difficult to receive by some leaders. The probability is good you won’t like this truth either.

Tags: leadership, church conflict, fear of man, People pleasing, pastoral leadership, Pastoral Ministry, church ministry, good leadership, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Can We Please Stop Preaching About All The Good People In The Bible?

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 30, 2019

The way we have traditionally approached character-based sermons has a tremendous flaw.

Tags: Preaching, preaching

You Can't Please Everyone With Your Preaching

By Peter Mead on Feb 28, 2025

The challenge with criticism is to sort it through and preach for our audience of One, yet with a loving sensitivity to the many who sit and listen.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16

Tags: Communication, Preaching, Criticism, criticism, communication, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Should We Try To Please Our Listeners? How Much?

By Peter Mead on Sep 18, 2025

If listeners aren't satisfied, it could be a good sign, or it could be a bad sign. In the same way, happy listeners may mean something is wrong.

Tags: Preaching, Criticism, please, listener, Feedback, criticism, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Five Ways To Turn Off Younger Listeners

By Adam Ramsey on Nov 7, 2024

If you're still in your first 5 years as a preacher, don’t give up! God has this wonderful way of drawing straight lines with crooked sticks.

Tags: Preaching, God's Love, Laughter, Young people, good advice, young people, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

When People Compare Pastors

By Charles Stone on Mar 27, 2021

Many pastors secretly struggle with measuring up to very successful pastors and churches. It’s tough, but it comes with ministry. People compare pastors. In this post I suggest a few ways to deal with this “measure up mentality.” I begin with one pastor’s experience.

Scripture: Psalm 62:5

Tags: Discouragement, Approval, Comparison, High expectations

You Exegete Your Text, But Do You Exegete Your People?

By Leslie Holmes on Sep 3, 2025

"Bob Easley may not have gone beyond sixth grade, but he taught this quasi-educated preacher that there's a lot more to be learned about preaching than I ever got inside a book."

Scripture: Job 1:1-10

Tags: people, Preaching, Text, exegete, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

How To Help People Trust The Bible

By SermonCentral .com on Nov 18, 2023

William Lane Craig has a practical suggestion when it comes to talking about the reliability of the scriptures.

Tags: Bible, Trust, Preaching, reliability, william lane craig, preaching, bible  (view more)  (view less)

When People Criticize Your Preaching

By Lance Witt on Jan 9, 2021

Gifted speakers and novices alike experience this unenjoyable aspect: people's criticism. In today's Pastor to Pastor, Lance Witt discusses a proper response from a biblical perspective.

Scripture: Proverbs 8:33

Tags:

Doctrine Is Not Enough: Does Your Preaching Connect With People?

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Feb 21, 2023

Doctrinal sermons are fine, but do they connect to human experience?

Tags: people, Preaching, Doctrine, connection, homiletical, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Reluctant Leadership Is Better Than Nothing

By Joe Mckeever on Jan 18, 2021

You ask the question and–this is critical–you remain standing. You are not just expressing a point of view, you are asking for answers. And you are doing so in such a sweet manner, no one can accuse you of trying to stir up anything.

Scripture: Romans 9:1-20

Tags: responsibility, Preaching, hurting people, servant leadership

It's A Wonderful Time To Be A Christian

By Garrett Kell on Apr 20, 2022

Christians are uniquely equipped to thrive in tumultuous times, not because we are great, but because our God is.

Scripture: Ephesians 2:14, 1 Peter 2:12, Matthew 7:12, 1 Peter 3:15, 2 Corinthians 5:16-20, Ephesians 4:1-3, John 17:20-21, John 15:20, Luke 12:40, Mark 14:38, Romans 13:11, Matthew 24:14, Psalm 73:2-25  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Reconciliation, authentic Christian, Purified, unreached peoples

When The Message Ends, Where Are People Focused?

By Peter Mead on Jul 28, 2025

Where are people looking as they leave? If we're not careful, they will walk out with gaze firmly fixed on self.

Tags: Message, Preaching, Self, focus, listener, preaching  (view more)  (view less)