In Preaching Articles: "Spiritual Vitality"

6 Ways Pastors Can Help People Deal With Doubts

By Ray Hollenbach on Jun 12, 2020

It seems like doubt is a popular subject these days, but doubt comes with a price. Here are six ideas that could help any pastor when asked to speak about the subject of doubt.

Scripture: John 20:24-31, Jeremiah 29:13, Mark 9:24, Acts 9:1-9

Tags: Faith, doubt, Belief, spiritual formation, Spiritual Formation  (view more)  (view less)

How I Learned To Preach–and What I'm Learning Still

By Doug Paul on Jul 15, 2020

Most effective teachers do not start original. They learn through listening, imitation, and practice before discovering a voice that is truly their own.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:1, 2 Timothy 2:2, Proverbs 22:6, Hebrews 13:7

Tags: leadership, Preaching, spiritual formation, Leadership, preaching, Spiritual Formation  (view more)  (view less)

2 Contradictions To Remember Every Time You Preach

By Nathan Aaseng on Dec 5, 2024

Effective preaching requires learning to negotiate the perilous waters between two vital strategies.

Scripture: Exodus 10:15-25

Tags: Preaching, preaching

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

Preaching: More Than Exhortation

By Bob Hostetler on Jul 22, 2021

Even though exhortation is a gift of the Holy Spirit, our preaching needs at least four other vital ingredients.

Tags: Preaching, identification, inspiration, application, exhortation  (view more)  (view less)

57 Leadership Tips For Pastors

By Joe Mckeever on Mar 22, 2025

Joe McKeever distills decades of pastoral wisdom into fifty-seven clear, practical leadership lessons that help pastors lead with integrity, courage, humility, and spiritual focus.

Scripture: Exodus 18:1-12

Tags: Ministry, leadership, Preaching, Delegate, spiritual formation, Leadership, ministry, preaching, Spiritual Formation  (view more)  (view less)

Check The Mirror, Pastor – After Five Years, Your Church Looks Like You

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 27, 2021

Show me a spiritually healthy church and I’ll show you a spiritually healthy pastor. Show me a spiritually unhealthy church and I’ll show you a spiritually unhealthy pastor.

Scripture: Hebrews 13:7

Tags: Humility, pastor, spiritual leadership, Pastoral Character, Pastor  (view more)  (view less)

Do We Have To Be Perfect To Preach?

By Dean Shriver on Feb 10, 2025

True preaching power comes not from technique but from integrity. When our lives align with the truth we proclaim, God uses both our words and our example to change lives.

Scripture: John 1:14

Tags: Preaching, spiritual formation, Pastoral Integrity, Christian Leadership, preaching, Spiritual Formation, Expository Ministry  (view more)  (view less)

Make Your Sermons More Memorable From Neuroscience

By Charles Stone on Jul 29, 2020

Lasting spiritual change requires more than good content. Insights from neuroscience can help preachers embed truth into long-term memory for real life transformation.

Scripture: Romans 12:2, Luke 11:28, James 1:22-25, Deuteronomy 6:6-9, Colossians 3:16  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: leadership, Preaching, Christian Education, spiritual formation, Leadership, neuroscience, preaching, Spiritual Formation, Neuroscience  (view more)  (view less)

We All Need Adversity And Affliction

By SermonCentral .com on Aug 23, 2022

I would not exchange any of my discipline-afflictions for anything. In fact, I have made it a habit to keep asking God to discipline me. This isn’t because I love affliction, but because the hope in God I’ve tasted in the promises of God I’ve trusted in the darkest days are the sweetest things my soul has ever known.

Scripture: Psalm 119:71-72, Hebrews 12:11

Tags: Adversity, sanctification, Hardship of Life, Spiritual Maturity, Christian Maturity, joy in trials, spiritual immaturity, fruit of sorrow  (view more)  (view less)

The Power Of Biblical Thanksgiving In A Thankless Age

By J. John on Nov 19, 2025

True thanksgiving reshapes the Christian life. It redirects our hearts toward God’s grace, transforms our attitudes, and strengthens hope through daily gratitude.

Scripture: Psalm 136:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Philippians 4:6, Colossians 3:15, Matthew 26:26-27  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Prayer, Thanks, Thanksgiving Holiday, Spiritual Disciplines

The Dirty Truth About Honoraria

By John Stackhouse on Nov 1, 2025

Count up all of those hours: Is that what we really think our preachers are worth?

Scripture: Mark 16:1-20, Colossians 2:1-10

Tags: Preaching, honoraria, Worth, spiritual health, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Let’s Keep Reaching Consumers. Aka, Lost Sheep.

By SermonCentral .com on Mar 29, 2021

“The American church is so consumeristic!” It’s a common line uttered by the religiously fed-up, and of course, there’s a lot of truth in it. Some churches in America do tend to cater to the consumeristic mentality of our culture. But I think, on the whole, most churches don’t, and that’s actually part of the problem.

Tags: Missions, lost sheep, Unchurched, Spiritual Maturity

Six Terrible Ways To Recruit Ministry Volunteers In Your Church

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 28, 2021

Sometimes I think church leaders take the most negative approaches in an attempt to encourage more people to get involved in ministry in the church.

Tags: Prayer, Spiritual Gifts, Lay Leadership, Recruiting

Advent: How To Resist The Culture And Clutter Of Christmas

By Steve Smith on Dec 12, 2023

When I practice Advent, I get the opportunity to yet again, start my life over. I am invited to step out and away from my old ways and to begin new ways of living better–living in a different rhythm; living in a deeper–more sacred way.

Tags: Advent, Silence, Christmas Advent, spiritual clutter