In Preaching Articles: "Success In Ministry"

The Curse Of Competition

By Lance Witt on Mar 26, 2021

Here is what I know to be true about competitiveness in my own life. It usually has to do with Outward Validation vs. Inward Validation. If I am honest, a spirit of competition and comparison has to do with me and my need to feel significant and successful. My own insecurity drives me to posture and protect. It drives me to compare and compete.

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Senior Pastor: Friend Or Foe

By Josh Griffin on Sep 14, 2024

Veteran youth director Josh Griffin gives seasoned advice to senior pastors on developing their relationship with their youth ministry leader.

Tags: Youth, leadership, staff, Pastors, pastoral care, student, Youth Ministry, church leadership, Leadership, Church Leadership, Senior Pastor, Staff Relationships, Pastoral Care  (view more)  (view less)

Five Strategic Advantages Of Small Churches

By Brandon O'brien on Feb 14, 2024

Small churches hold strategic strengths: authenticity, focus, people-powered ministry, intergenerational relationships, and margin-focused mission.

Tags: Community, Church, Growth, leadership, pastor, Church Growth, Health, authentic, Small Church, community outreach, community, Pastor, Leadership, church, Ministry Church, Authentic, Intergenerational Ministry, Community Outreach  (view more)  (view less)

How To Preach A Sermon Again Without Preaching It The Same

By Joe Mckeever on Jul 17, 2024

Repeated sermons should grow richer with time. With prayerful revision, fresh insight, and renewed engagement, a pastor can preach familiar material with greater depth.

Tags: Preaching, Homiletics, Church Practices, Pastoral Ministry, Biblical Leadership, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

What To Do When Your Preaching Turns Stale

By Peter Mead on Aug 14, 2025

On the dashboard of our ministry life, we need to have a light that flashes when we are preaching flat. What causes it? What should we do?

Tags: Preaching, give thanks, stale, ministry life, spiritual dryness, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Increasing Youth Retention And Involvement In Your Church

By John Gilman Ii on Mar 24, 2021

Families have long been the cornerstone of church congregations. Parents bring their children to church every Sunday. At a certain point, it becomes the children’s choice and responsibility to decide if they want to continue going to church every Sunday or not. That’s why it’s so important to show your children God’s grace and make Him a priority in their life from an early age.

Scripture: Malachi 2:15, Proverbs 22:6

Tags: Youth, Small groups, Equipping Disciples, Youth Ministry, paying attention  (view more)  (view less)

Constant Explanations From God Wouldn’t Allow For Our Faith Or Trust

By Randy Alcorn on Dec 9, 2022

The God of providence weaves millions of details into our lives and into all the lives around us. Maybe He doesn’t have one big reason for bringing a certain person or success or failure or disease or accident into our lives; in fact, He may have hundreds of little reasons. In order to understand God’s explanations, we would have to be God.

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Faith, Trust, Sovereignty, Surrender, sanctification, Will of God, personal holiness, sovereignty of God  (view more)  (view less)

10 Preaching Questions With Ray Ortlund Jr.

By Colin Adams on Feb 22, 2025

Ray Ortlund reflects on preaching’s centrality, the weight of the pulpit, and the spiritual realities that shape a faithful, believable, Christ-exalting ministry.

Scripture: Romans 10:14

Tags: Homiletics

Piper: 8 Guidelines For Tough Leadership Decisions

By John Piper on Mar 28, 2025

Major ministry decisions require prayer, Scripture, deep thinking, and careful writing if leaders are to act wisely and in unity for the sake of the mission.

Scripture: Psalm 1:1-3, Joshua 1:8, James 1:5, Proverbs 16:3, Acts 6:1-6  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Biblical Leadership

10 Sacred Cows That Need To Be Tipped

By Jared Moore on Sep 7, 2024

From entertainment-driven sermons to numbers-obsessed ministry, this article challenges common church practices that subtly undermine biblical faithfulness.

Scripture: John 21:20-22, Matthew 28:18-20, John 4:23-24, 1 Corinthians 1:21, Galatians 1:10  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, Faithfulness, Method, church leadership, preaching, Church Leadership, Preaching Ministry  (view more)  (view less)

What You’ll Never Hear About Preaching In Seminary

By Mark A. Howell on Sep 24, 2024

Ten pastoral reminders on suffering, study, pride, family, and faithfulness to help ministers endure and honor Christ in long-term ministry.

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:13-17, 1 Timothy 4:6-8, Psalm 19:7, Hebrews 4:13, 1 Timothy 3:4-5  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, Spiritual Discipline, preaching

Before You Quit: A Word To Weary Pastors

By Leslie Holmes on Sep 26, 2024

Astounding: 50 percent of pastors serving American congregations are so discouraged in ministry that they would quit if they could afford to do so.

Scripture: Matthew 5:11-12, 1 Kings 18:17, Romans 11:2-5, Psalm 24:3-5, 2 Corinthians 12:9  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Perseverance, Preaching, quit, preaching

Why Pastors Should Prepare Sermons Two Weeks In Advance

By Bob Hostetler on Sep 5, 2025

Preparing sermons weeks in advance can strengthen ministry, increase creativity, and reduce last-minute stress for pastors and church teams.

Scripture: Ruth 1:1-22, 2 Timothy 4:2, Proverbs 21:5, Ecclesiastes 9:10, Colossians 3:23  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, advance, preaching, Preaching Church

How To Land Speaking Engagements

By Ben Arment on Feb 5, 2026

Ben Arment suggests eight practical steps that could expand your ministry beyond the pulpit. Why not give them a try?

Tags: Preaching, preaching

A Life Well Lived

By Lance Witt on Sep 19, 2023

No matter what has happened in the past or what your ministry situation is today, you can have a rich, meaningful life.

Scripture: Matthew 25:21

Tags: vision, gratitude, Legacy, Godly Legacy