In Preaching Articles: "Preaching Challenges"

Getting Out Of The Sermon Prep Rut

By Matt Brough on Nov 16, 2024

One of the challenges for preachers who have been preaching for some time is that it is much easier to coast, to do less preparation and to simply rely on your experience.

Tags: Preaching, problem, sermon prep, Preaching Rut, Sermon Prep, preaching, Sermon prep  (view more)  (view less)

Preacher: Know The "Other Side" Well

By Joe Hoagland on Jul 20, 2023

Pretty much everything you preach on has at least one challenge to it, not even just from culture but also from within Christian theology.

Tags: Communication, Preaching, Culture, Theology, communication, preaching, culture  (view more)  (view less)

How To Preach Without Cabin Pressure

By Ron Forseth on Aug 10, 2023

Preaching is an opportunity to creatively illustrate the urgency of the gospel and to challenge believers to watch for those people God brings into their lives to tell them about Christ—or at least to invite them to church to hear it where they know their pastor will consistently and clearly share the good news.

Tags: priorities, Evangelism Urgency, preaching Christ, Call to salvation

If You Can't Apply What I Preach, I've Failed You

By Glenn Packiam on Aug 22, 2020

I have a hunch that if more of us preachers had to think about our sermons leading into a humble approach to the Lord's Table, we would end not with an empty challenge for people to "do better."

Tags: Preaching

5 Mistakes More Likely To Be Made By Small Churches Than Big Churches

By Karl Vaters on May 26, 2022

Different sizes of churches serve different functions. And they face different challenges.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-12

Tags: strategy, Small Church, Equipping The Body, Traditions of Men

Do We Owe Every Wedding Ceremony A Fresh Sermon?

By Nathan Aaseng on Jun 5, 2023

The challenge is to make the wedding couple feel that the homily is not just a canned one, pulled out of the file and dusted off for the 35th time.

Tags: Wedding, Fresh, Preaching, preaching

The Final Piece Of Sermon Prep: What To Cut, What To Add

By Peter Mead on Feb 23, 2019

Rookie preachers wonder how they will fill the time. Experienced preachers know the real challenge is in what to leave out.

Scripture: Exodus 6:1-9

Tags: Preaching, Balance, information, sermon prep, selective  (view more)  (view less)

Why Successful Churches Aren’t Turning The World Upside-Down – But The Outcasts Might

By SermonCentral .com on Jul 31, 2023

Jesus was the most culture-challenging, paradigm-shifting, tradition-breaking, change agent who ever lived.

Tags: leadership, Small Church, church in society, prophetic voice, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

The Kind Of Old-Time Religion The Church Really Needs

By SermonCentral .com on Mar 12, 2022

I often wonder what the church would look like if it really accepted the challenge to love everybody.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Tags: Love, Outreach, Religion, Generations

3 Ways Great Leaders Handle Tough Circumstances Differently

By Carey Nieuwhof on Dec 8, 2023

If you want to imitate the great leaders when you face challenging situations, do these three things.

Scripture: Deuteronomy 32:11, Psalm 62:5, Philippians 3:12

Tags: leadership, success, Obstacles, opposition, pastoral leadership, church leadership, Tough Circumstances, Mindset, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

The Year I Cancelled Christmas

By Jon Weece on Dec 21, 2022

Some years ago, Christmas fell on a Sunday: I challenged our church family to spend Christmas visiting people they wouldn’t normally visit to give gifts to people they normally wouldn’t give gifts to.

Scripture: Galatians 5:6

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Your Struggling Church Can Turn Around Today – But Greatness Takes Time

By Karl Vaters on Aug 23, 2023

If you’re pastoring a church that has or is turning around, here's some great news - and possibly your greatest challenge.

Scripture: Revelation 21:5

Tags: leadership, renewal, patience, Church Health, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Success Is Never About Defeating The Giants

By Brandon Cox on Nov 27, 2023

Success isn’t about beating giants. It’s about building a life that grows through trials and challenges.

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:34-37

Tags: success, goals, achievement, pastoral leadership, Pastoral Ministry, success in ministry, Facing Giants, church ministry  (view more)  (view less)

4 Ways Pastors Can Refill Their Depleted Souls

By Charles Stone on Apr 21, 2022

Although we intuitively understand how to refuel ourselves, we often don’t do it. He challenged us to ask why we don’t.

Scripture: Mark 1:35-39

Tags: relationships, Rest, soul care, intimacy with Christ

How To Tell If A New Volunteer Is Truly A Leader (Or Simply A Doer)

By Carey Nieuwhof on May 10, 2024

"I recently surveyed 1400 small and mid-sized church pastors to find out what they struggle with most as their church grows. They overwhelmingly identified developing leaders as their top challenge."

Tags: leadership, Church Growth, Volunteer, church ministry, obstacles to growth, Barriers to Growth, Growing a Church, Leaders vs Doers, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)