In Preaching Articles: "Sermon Introduction"

Overcoming Plagiarism In Preaching And Teaching

By Matt Perman on Mar 1, 2024

Matt Perman from Desiring God sets the record straight on what flies and what doesn't in the area of studying other's sermons.

Tags: Teaching, Preaching, Overcome, definition, Plagiarism, preaching, teaching  (view more)  (view less)

Not A Fan: The Hard Words Sparked A Church-Wide Revival

By Kyle Idleman on Jan 13, 2025

A preacher’s honest reckoning with crowd-pleasing sermons led to a bold call for true discipleship, sparking repentance, revival, and hundreds of unexpected baptisms.

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Love, Baptism, Jesus, Church, Commitment, Discipleship, Preaching, Disciples, revival, Church Growth, follower, preaching, church, love, Gospel call, Revival, Gospel Call  (view more)  (view less)

4 Steps From Good To Great Preaching

By Kenton C. Anderson on Feb 18, 2025

Great preaching consistently emerges when sermons are rooted in Scripture, clearly communicated, centered on Christ, and crafted to help hearers truly encounter God.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags:

The Secret To Memorable Preaching

By Larry Osborne on May 10, 2023

Linking small groups to weekend sermons increases attentiveness, note-taking, and application, turning preaching into lasting transformation rather than forgettable moments.

Scripture: Acts 2:42, James 1:22, Deuteronomy 6:6-7, Colossians 3:16, Hebrews 10:24-25  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Discipleship, Preaching, Small groups, Great, preaching, Small Groups  (view more)  (view less)

Seven Secrets Of Poor Preaching

By Ken Collins on Sep 11, 2020

Here are a few tips for making your sermons truly lousy, eminently forgettable, and completely ineffective. Of course, you could choose to do the opposite.

Scripture: Titus 1:14, 1 Timothy 1:4

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Great Preaching Lives In The Tension: Here's How

By Brandon Kelley on Jan 5, 2021

A sermon speaks from the grand narrative of Scripture to the grand narrative of your life. These two stories have identifiable tension points: use them!

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Why Illustrations Matter In Preaching: Learning From Jesus’ Use Of Parables

By Leslie Holmes on Jan 15, 2024

Parables and illustrations bring preaching to life. These seven tests help pastors use stories wisely to clarify truth, reduce resistance, and make sermons memorable.

Scripture: Matthew 13:34, Nehemiah 8:8, 2 Timothy 4:2, Psalm 78:2, Luke 8:10  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Expository Preaching, expository preaching

Improve Your Preaching In 5 Easy Steps Right Now

By Erik Raymond on Aug 18, 2020

Every preacher wants to get better. Erik Raymond offers five things you can do right away to impact your next sermon.

Tags: Preaching

Tony Evans On The Power In Preaching

By Tony Evans on Feb 19, 2024

Dr. Tony Evans of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas gives his thoughts on preaching to men, sermon preparation and staying fresh for the long haul.

Tags: Man, Preaching, Masculinity, manliness, Tony Evans, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

8 Ways To Hook Your Congregation Into Your Message

By SermonCentral .com on May 12, 2020

Your sermon text is central, but it doesn’t always need to come first. Strong hooks help listeners connect their lives to Scripture before exposition begins.

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:8, Luke 24:27, Ecclesiastes 12:10

Tags: Bird, Preaching, Anxiety, Field, flowers, preaching, anxiety  (view more)  (view less)

10 Preaching Mistakes Everyone Can Avoid

By Jared Moore on Jun 9, 2020

If you want people leaving your sermon focused on God, avoid these common preaching mistakes. These ten pitfalls distract hearers from the text and diminish exposition.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15, Nehemiah 8:8, James 1:21-22, 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, Psalm 19:7-10  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, mistakes, preaching, Preaching Mistakes

10 Ways To Authenticate Your Preaching

By Jared Moore on Aug 11, 2020

Your hearers often hear you before they hear the Scriptures. If your people know you, they’ll have a better basis for understanding your sermons.

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:1-7, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Tags: Service, Humility, Preaching, Biblical, Context, authentic  (view more)  (view less)

Do You Preach Around The Text, Or Do You Preach The Text?

By Dr. Scott M. Gibson on Dec 16, 2024

After listening to sermons all these years, I have concluded preachers either talk before the text or talk around the text but rarely talk about the text.

Scripture: Hosea 4:1-6, Psalm 30:1

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Jerry Rice And The Art Of Preaching Well

By Derwin Gray on Jun 26, 2024

Insights from Jerry Rice’s passion, self-awareness, and heroic mindset show preachers how to cultivate love, authenticity, and Gospel-centered confidence.

Scripture: Ephesians 3:16-19

Tags: Evangelism, Witness, Gospel, Sports, Preaching, Lost, football, Christian Witness, pastoral leadership, gospel ministry, evangelism, gospel, preaching, Pastoral Leadership, Gospel Ministry, Sermon Craft, Ministry Skills  (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)