In Preaching Articles: "Story"

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

Joe Mckeever: 3 Vital Reasons To Tell Stories In Your Preaching

By Joe Mckeever on Sep 11, 2025

There are a thousand reasons for dropping the occasional story into your sermon, pastor. Here are the top three.

Scripture: Exodus 17:8-16

Tags: Preaching, storytelling, stories, preaching

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

Why Story Preaching Works

By Peter Mead on Apr 11, 2025

Biblical stories were inspired in both content and form. When preachers honor the narrative shape, tension, and pacing, the Word lands with clarity, power, and conviction.

Scripture: John 12:21-34

Tags:

Tell A Better Easter Story

By SermonCentral .com on Mar 25, 2024

This Easter, let's get out of the way and let the cross tell the story of Easter.

Scripture: 1 Samuel 20:1-20

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Swindoll Says Stories Are Valuable

By Michael Duduit on Aug 15, 2023

Stories transport us into another world. They hold our attention.

Scripture: Matthew 13:34

Tags: Communication, Preaching, Story, storytelling, communication, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

I Write Stories During Sermons

By Carolyn C. Givens on May 12, 2021

Some believers process truth most deeply through narrative. This article explores how imaginative engagement during sermons can be disciplined by Scripture rather than distracted from it.

Scripture: John 1:14, Jeremiah 31:33, 2 Corinthians 5:20, James 1:21, Hebrews 4:12  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Parable, Preaching, Story, Engage, narrative, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Why So Long? A Missions Story

By Evy Yohner on May 21, 2022

These stories are like rare pearls, collecting from a way of “doing” missions no longer done, when intrepid men and women sacrificed everything to obey God’s voice.

Tags: international, god's mission, great commission, lessons from history

You Can Tell The Story, But Preach The Points

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Aug 3, 2020

Stories captivate listeners, but faithful preaching must also guide understanding. These approaches help preachers honor the biblical story while making clear points.

Scripture: Mark 4:33-34, Luke 8:22-25, Daniel 3:16-28, Nehemiah 8:8, Matthew 13:34-35  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Teaching, Preaching, preaching, teaching

Why Powerful Preaching Requires Getting Personal

By SermonCentral .com on Apr 24, 2023

Solid sermon structure matters, but preaching becomes powerful when pastors risk personal vulnerability and let real life carry biblical truth home.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3-7, Psalm 40:1-3, James 5:10-11, Romans 8:18-25, 2 Corinthians 12:9  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, Story, storm, Pastoral Ministry, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Rethinking "Next Steps” In Discipleship

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 30, 2020

Churches often talk about “next steps,” but the phrase can become vague and ineffective. Meaningful discipleship requires clear, practical, and relational pathways for spiritual growth.

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20, Hebrews 10:24-25, James 1:22, Colossians 1:28, 2 Peter 3:18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, Story, success, step, next, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Preach The Way The Bible Preaches--Tell Stories!

By Ray Hollenbach on Nov 12, 2024

Those of us who feed God's flock must become God's storytellers. Here's the journey we must take.

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:5-9, Exodus 17:8-16

Tags: Parable, Preaching, narrative, storytelling, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

7 Fresh Ways To Preach The Christmas Story

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 18, 2023

Hal Seed: "Reading these Christmas stories moves me to worship and bow before him. Then I am ready to consider how to preach it."

Scripture: Isaiah 9:1-7, Philippians 2:6-11, John 1:1-5

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Christmas: Not A Time For Inventing Twists On The Age-Old Story

By Joe Mckeever on Dec 14, 2024

Tell it with gusto and love. Tell the story of the birth of Jesus with all the excitement of someone hearing it for the first time. Tell the story without detouring into theories and guesses and myths and controversies.

Scripture: Luke 2:11

Tags: Christmas, Simplicity, storytelling, Christmas Advent

No Pressure: Great Preaching Must Connect Worlds Separated By Time And Space

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Sep 18, 2021

Helping people understand the Scripture in its native Bible world is not enough. We must help people to experience it.

Scripture: Genesis 15:8-21

Tags: Bible, Preaching, guest preaching, lecture, bible story  (view more)  (view less)