In Preaching Articles: "Resting On Your Laurels"

What Are You Improving At Your Church Right Now?

By Karl Vaters on Oct 26, 2022

"Every church should constantly be improving. And not just in general terms. We should always be working on specific action plans to make our church better tomorrow than it is today."

Tags: leadership, Church Growth, Healthy Church, effective, productivity, pastoral leadership, church leadership, good leadership, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Do You Need Help Reading Your Bible?

By C.j. Mahaney on Jun 7, 2024

"If more people approached the Bible with a deep sense of helplessness, and hope-filled reliance on God’s merciful assistance, there would be far more seeing and savoring and transformation than there is.”

Tags: Bible, BIBLE STUDY, priorities, bible reading, Bible Study, Growth in Christ, Christian growth, Spiritual Discipline, dependence on God, bible study, bible  (view more)  (view less)

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

By John Piper on Nov 30, 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)

How Do You Prepare Your Child For Adulthood?

By Brian Croft on Jan 2, 2023

Many of you knew I was on a trip with my 13 year-old son recently. What was the occasion? My wife and I promised each of our children when they turned 13 years old, they would get to take a special trip with one of us.

Scripture: 1 Timothy 5:8, Ephesians 5:22-23, 1 Peter 3:1-7

Tags: protection, Shepherd, parenting, discipling, Role of Men, Christian fathers, teach children, Godly Fathers  (view more)  (view less)

How To Modernize Your Church Communication With Digital Signage

By Optisigns - on Feb 26, 2024

Bring your communication strategy into new light with modern digital signage.

Tags: Announcements, announcements

The Hardest Part Of Ministry: Saying No

By David L. Hansen on Jun 30, 2025

Saying "no" can help focus your ministry, your leadership and your preaching.

Tags: Ministry, Preaching, hard, Angelic work, say no, ministry, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Remember This Christmas Season, There Is Always, Always Hope!

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 7, 2023

Jesus knows you. He knows your pain and your problems and your potential.

Scripture: Romans 4:18

Tags: Christmas, Advent, Hope, Christmas Advent

John Piper, George Mueller, And The Pleasures Of God

By SermonCentral .com on Aug 9, 2022

God is like a great Niagara Falls—you look at it and think: surely this can’t keep going at this force for year after year after year. It seems like it would have to rest. Or it seems like some place up stream it would run dry. But, no, it just keeps surging and crashing and making honeymooners happy century after century. That’s the way God is about doing us good. He never grows weary of it. It never gets boring to him.

Scripture: Isaiah 65:17-18, Jeremiah 32:39-41, Psalm 119:68, Deuteronomy 30:9, Ephesians 2:7, Philippians 4:19  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Salvation, Unfailing Love, john piper, Endless Grace, Riches of Grace, George Mueller  (view more)  (view less)

No More Email: A Productivity Experiment That’s Paying Off

By Carey Nieuwhof on Nov 17, 2023

How are your email habits affecting your effectiveness?

Tags: stress, Communication, Stress, effective, productivity, email, Pastoral Ministry, avoiding burnout, church leadership, communication  (view more)  (view less)

Inject Grace Into Your Next Sermon—here Are Four Ways

By Dr. Scott M. Gibson on Oct 25, 2019

It's true: We can preach grace to the point of ignoring the truth. But that's not usually our problem.

Scripture: Micah 7:1-15

Tags: Grace, Truth, Preaching, communicate, tone  (view more)  (view less)

Your 7-Step Survival Guide To Preaching Multiple Services

By Lane Sebring on Dec 6, 2019

These practices will help you make sure you preach your best at every service, every Sunday.

Scripture: 2 Samuel 9:1-13

Tags: Preaching, helps

Eight Ideas For Reaping The Fruit Of Your Vacation Bible School

By Hal Seed on Jul 8, 2024

Learn how to move beyond counting VBS attendance to measuring true fruit by building relationships, following up well, and enfolding unchurched families into the life of your church.

Tags: Evangelism, Church, Children, Outreach, family, VBS, evangelism, church  (view more)  (view less)

5 Ways To Make Your Preaching More Practical And Relevant

By Rick Ezell on Jan 31, 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)

Why Some People Aren’t Happy With Your Preaching

By Peter Mead on Feb 28, 2025

Many pastors are blindsided when members quietly express frustration with their preaching. The reasons vary widely, ranging from communication issues to personality friction to the discomfort of genuine conviction. Preachers can respond well, shepherd wisely, and preach faithfully for the glory of Christ.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 4:12, James 3:1, Galatians 1:10, 2 Timothy 4:2, 1 Corinthians 2:1-5  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Communication, Preaching, Criticism, church leadership, criticism, Sermon Preparation, communication, preaching, sermon preparation, Church Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Why Your Sermon Needs More Encouragement And Less Guilt

By Peter Mead on Mar 25, 2020

Preachers often mistake exhortation, guilt, or enthusiasm for encouragement. True encouragement brings hope and strength, shaping hearts far more effectively.

Scripture: Proverbs 29:25, Romans 15:4-5

Tags: Preaching, encouragement, Church Growth, spiritual growth, preaching, Spiritual Growth, Encouragement  (view more)  (view less)