In Preaching Articles: "Soul Assessment"

Soul Cartography: Assessing Your Journey Toward Spiritual Intelligence

By Alan E. Nelson on Mar 3, 2020

Alan Nelson explains the concept of spiritual intelligence and offers pastors and church leaders a chance to assess theirs.

Tags: spiritual, Soul, relationships, Health, counsel, Gifts General  (view more)  (view less)

Is Skipping Church Good For Your Soul?

By Charles Stone on Jun 16, 2023

Pastors must craft compelling, Spirit-led services if we are to entice the unchurched to attend and keep attending. What they experience at church must be worth the price of giving up their relaxing mornings at home.

Tags: Church, Preaching, skipping, preaching, church  (view more)  (view less)

Does Your Soul Have A Backbone?

By Lance Witt on Apr 26, 2021

Over the last few years my single most consistent prayer has been for spiritual courage. Being a coward comes quite naturally to me. I don’t like to fight. I don’t like rejection. I am definitely not a fan of pain. All of these are essential qualities of a coward.

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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

6 Soul Care Essentials For Pastors

By Charles Stone on Jul 6, 2022

In the midst of caring for others, it is easy to neglect our own soul. What are safeguards that keep us from drifting away from God?

Tags: leadership, pastoral leadership, soul care, Scripture Memory, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

The Preacher's Task: Saving Souls Or Making Disciples?

By Nathan Aaseng on Jul 20, 2021

"Don't confuse me with the one who saves souls; I'm just a messenger bearing good news."

Scripture: John 6:26-51

Tags: Soul, Preaching, Disciples, saved, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Soul Care: The Most Valuable Resource For Great Preaching

By Lance Witt on Feb 27, 2020

Preaching is not only about only about communication technique and accurately “dividing the Word”. The best preaching flows from a healthy soul.

Scripture: Romans 12:18

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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

Doing Ministry Without Losing Your Soul Part 1

By Lance Witt on May 13, 2024

"There is nothing worse than trying to inspire people to be passionate about God when you have little or no passion yourself. There is nothing more empty feeling than trying to connect people to God when you feel disconnected from God."

Tags: soul care, avoiding burnout, church ministry, Growing in Faith, Christ's Love for Us, Healthy Ministry, pastoral leadership, Pastoral Ministry  (view more)  (view less)

Doing Ministry Without Losing Your Soul Part 2

By Lance Witt on May 17, 2024

"In ministry, there are certain tensions that we must live with. Sometimes they seem contradictory, but they are tensions that are actually healthy for us."

Scripture: Philippians 3:7-8, Psalm 27:4, 2 Corinthians 3:18

Tags: Pastoral Ministry, church ministry, Healthy Ministry, Tensions in Ministry, Leadership, leadership, Balance, pastoral leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Doing Ministry Without Losing Your Soul Part 3

By Lance Witt on May 22, 2024

When pastoring is your job, it adds complexity to simply loving Jesus. To live and lead from a healthy soul, we must learn the art of separating our own personal pursuit of loving Jesus from our “ministry” of leading in the church.

Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:19-20

Tags: soul care, avoiding burnout, Putting Christ First, Sincerity with God, church leadership, time with God, pastoral leadership, Pastoral Ministry  (view more)  (view less)

One Dozen Liberating Life Lessons That Give Pastors Rest For Their Souls

By Ray Hollenbach on Oct 28, 2019

We are loaded down with so many "shoulds," we find ourselves paralyzed by the inability to apply what we know.

Tags: Rest, Soul, Preaching, life lessons

"I Felt My Soul Rejoice”: The Christ-Centered Happiness Of David Brainer

By Randy Alcorn on Nov 12, 2022

"If a young man without modern medicine and dying of an excruciating disease could make choices that brought him happiness in Christ, surely we can too."

Tags: Joy in Suffering, Delight in the Lord, Joy in Christ, enduring suffering, Missionary, Hope, hope in Christ, eternal perspective  (view more)  (view less)

When Your Pain Makes It Hard To Say "It Is Well With My Soul”

By Randy Alcorn on Mar 29, 2024

The pain was great, but God’s grace rose to the occasion. Despite his heartbreak, Spafford could say without pretense, “It is well with my soul.”

Scripture: Psalm 31:7, John 14:27, Isaiah 66:12-14

Tags: coping with loss, Resting in Christ, Pain, pain, Trusting God, Grief, Loss, God's peace, Glorious Future  (view more)  (view less)

How To Find The Perfect Sermon Illustration Every Time

By Bruce D. Johnson on Dec 19, 2019

The point of an illustration is to provide "a window to the soul." Here is one man's soul-opening method.

Tags: perfect, illustration, Preaching