In Preaching Articles: "Stories"

Was Jesus Numerically Challenged?

By Ray Hollenbach on Jun 29, 2020

Do numbers alone tell the story of success? What kind of numbers caught Jesus' attention?

Tags: Growth, Preaching, number, Growth in Christ

Work Smarter, Not Harder

By Lance Witt on Jan 10, 2022

There is a story in the Bible about a very gifted and competent leader who wasn’t working smart.

Scripture: Exodus 18:1-27

Tags: priorities, advice, Leadership Listening, walking wisely

When Illustrations Become Sermon-Killers (And What To Do About Them)

By Joe Mckeever on Jun 22, 2019

The smart preacher never tells a story that clobbers his sermon and destroys the point he is trying to make.

Tags: Preaching, preaching

10 Easter Sermon Ideas

By Shawn Clark on Mar 31, 2020

Making the Easter story sound fresh and new might be a burden for some pastors. Here's some help.

Tags: Idea, Easter, Preaching, Easter Resurrection, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

God Plans For The Unexpected And Inconvenient

By SermonCentral .com on Jun 2, 2022

What’s odd is that a story about a socially humiliating situation and a reluctant, irritated benefactor is supposed to encourage us to pray.

Scripture: Luke 11:2-4, Luke 11:5-8, John 15:5, Luke 11:9-13

Tags: Sacrifice, Lord's Prayer, Unexpected, inadequate

Ten (Christmas) Sermon-Starters From The Life Of Mary

By Ray Hollenbach on Dec 10, 2020

When you cover the familiar territory of the Christmas Story year after year, sometimes you have to try another angle.

Tags: Christmas, Jesus, Power, Preaching, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

The Chase Scene Of The Cross

By SermonCentral .com on Feb 15, 2024

Great preaching follows a line to its climax. Hal Seed points to the glory of the cross and resurrection as the climax of God's story with humanity.

Tags: Easter, Preaching, Cross, Hal Seed, preaching, Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

What A Rabbi Taught Me About Keeping Christ In Christmas

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 12, 2024

When people come to your church this Christmas season, they want to hear the story of Jesus. Give them what they came for.

Tags: Christmas, Culture, set apart, incarnation of Jesus, culture  (view more)  (view less)

Do You Believe In Miracles? Part 2

By Lance Witt on Jun 13, 2024

"The story of 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team’s pursuit of the gold medal was one of the greatest Cinderella stories in all of sports history. But it was far more than just a great sporting event. It is also a great case study in what makes a great team. And the principles apply to church teams as well."

Tags: Sacrifice, family, Perseverance, leadership, Teamwork, hard work, Resilience, Healthy Teams, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Feed The Flock, Lead The Flock

By Ben Mandrell on Sep 12, 2018

One of God's favorite metaphors in the Bible is that of a shepherd. All throughout the grand story of Scripture, the importance of leading the flock comes shining through.

Tags: Shepherd, Preaching, flock, feed, lead  (view more)  (view less)

Urban Preaching Myths In The Pulpit

By Trevin Wax on Feb 6, 2025

Trevin Wax uncovers seven often used urban preaching myths and encourages pastors to verify sources, illustrations, and stories before preaching.

Scripture: Mark 10:25

Tags: Preaching, false teaching, urban legend, preaching

Preacher’s Tip: If You Can Keep From Preaching, Do It

By H.b. Charles, Jr. on Nov 6, 2020

Pastor H.B. Charles, Jr. shares a personal story about a powerful preaching insight he received from his father.

Tags: Preaching, advice, insight, Improve

5 Excellent Reasons To Develop A Preaching Calendar And 3 Ways To Start

By H.b. Charles, Jr. on Nov 11, 2021

The fact that God knows our story--individually and corporately, from beginning to end--means we need not specialize in "Saturday night specials."

Scripture: Psalm 100:1-5

Tags: preaching, Preaching, Prayer, corporate worship, preaching calendar, talk to team  (view more)  (view less)

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

You Need To Know This Before You Preach

By SermonCentral .com on Feb 24, 2023

Here's a five-minute recap of the week's biggest news stories. Make sure you're in-the-know before you step into the pulpit this Sunday.

Scripture: James 5:10-20

Tags: current events, world news, preaching, Preaching, News, Politics  (view more)  (view less)