In Preaching Articles: "Sermon Introduction"

Are You A Preacher Or A Motivational Speaker?

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Jan 7, 2023

Many sermons sound inspiring yet leave out the cross and the coming kingdom. When preaching mimics self-help, it loses the gospel’s power and eternal focus.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, Luke 9:23, Galatians 6:14, Matthew 6:19-21

Tags: Pastoral Ministry

Why Some Preachers Get Better And Others Don't

By Hershael York on May 25, 2021

"I've seen guys whose initial sermon was depressingly awful turn it around so radically I almost couldn't recognize them as the same preacher."

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:2

Tags: Preaching, Price, better, Improve

When Passion Fades: 5 Reasons Preaching Becomes Lifeless

By Peter Mead on Aug 10, 2024

Passionless preaching drains a congregation. These five causes, from frozen delivery to cold hearts, reveal why sermons fall flat and how pastors can revive authentic zeal.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:6, Romans 12:11, Psalm 34:8, Colossians 3:23, Revelation 2:4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, Spiritual Renewal, preaching

Keep The Momentum In Your Preaching

By Peter Mead on Feb 24, 2025

Does your sermon keep building momentum as you progress or does it stall out in the middle or end? Peter Mead offers encouragement for preachers to avoid the common pitfalls to message momentum.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:13

Tags: Communication, Preaching, momentum, Communication Speech, communication, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

You Are Not The Story!

By H.b. Charles, Jr. on May 3, 2022

People should not leave the sermon having learned more about the preacher than Christ. When we stand to preach the word, we should prayerfully whisper to ourselves, “You are not the story.”

Scripture: Colossians 1:28, John 12:20, 2 Corinthians 4:5, 2 Timothy 4:1-2

Tags: Pride, God's Story, self importance, Bible as a story

5 Mistakes Most Preachers Make

By Carey Nieuwhof on Aug 2, 2022

"So maybe you’re a preacher, or you listen to preachers (or stopped listening to preachers). Almost everyone has a perspective on what makes or doesn’t make for a great sermon."

Tags: Teaching, Preaching, Simplicity, effective, pastoral leadership, Pastoral Ministry, preaching Christ, Effective Teaching, preaching, teaching  (view more)  (view less)

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

Pastors, We Don’t Expect A Ted Talk—we Need A God-And-You Talk

By SermonCentral .com on Sep 28, 2021

When we come to your church, we don't expect a $7,500 sermon. Given current offering stats, most people aren't even expecting a $75 one.

Scripture: John 3:1-25, Matthew 6:25-34

Tags: Preaching, Heartfelt, Expectation, TED talk, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

How To Plan An Effective Easter Service

By Josh Reich on Mar 24, 2023

The goal of every sermon is to get to the resurrection. Each and every week we do the same thing: “We are broken and can’t fix ourselves. Our only hope is found in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.”

Tags: Easter Sunday, Easter Story

4 Angles To Preach From Every Time

By Brandon Kelley on Dec 14, 2021

It is not enough to simply preach what the passage of Scripture says within your next sermon. It’s a good start, but don’t stop there. You’ll stop short of something truly beautiful, truly remarkable.

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Tags: redemption, God the Father, preaching the Word, eternal perspective, preaching Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Preaching God’s Word Is Timeless (Find The Timeless Truth)

By Joe Hoagland on Jul 25, 2022

The Bible is wholly relevant to the modern person’s life sometimes it just takes some work for us to figure that out. The idea of making a “timeless truth” central to your sermon is important in communicating God’s Word in a postmodern age.

Tags: Scripture, Communication, Teaching, Preaching, Preaching Help, Teaching God's Word, Pastoral Ministry, effective preaching, communication, preaching, teaching  (view more)  (view less)

Pastors Never Know Who’s In The Audience

By Joe Mckeever on Jul 18, 2022

When a pastor stands to preach, he never knows who is listening to him. And if his sermon is recorded or broadcast, he has no clue who will be hearing his words. He will do well to make sure he knows what he’s talking about.

Tags: Communication, Teaching, Preaching, preaching tips, pastoral leadership, Teaching God's Word, Pastoral Ministry, Preaching Blunders, communication, preaching, teaching  (view more)  (view less)

Breathing New Life Into Your Preaching

By Lance Witt on Mar 25, 2023

Fresh is always better. Taking a breath of clean, fresh air is way better than inhaling polluted air. Eating fresh bread is way better than choking down a piece of dry, stale bread. And likewise, sermons that are fresh are way better than warmed over messages.

Scripture: Luke 10:31

Tags: Preaching, New life, preaching

5 Leaders Examine Plagiarism In Preaching

By Tim Keller on Jul 18, 2024

Pastors face real pressure, but passing off another’s sermon as your own is still theft. New Testament scholar D. A. Carson, senior pastor Sandy Willson, author and senior pastor Tim Keller, senior parachurch executive Matt Perman, and church research consultant Glenn Lucke speak to the issue of Plagiarism.

Tags: Communication, Preaching, Pastors, Plagiarism, DUTY CALLS, Biblical Leadership, communication, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Pastors, Articulate Your Vision (Again)

By SermonCentral .com on May 21, 2020

In this two-minute video John Piper reminds us that vision often leaks and it's our role to articulate it in fresh new ways.

Tags: vision, leadership, Leadership General, Leadership