In Preaching Articles: "Success In Ministry"

Passion, Prayer, And Planning Ministry: Building The Nehemiah Way

By Todd Brown on Mar 10, 2022

Working with hundreds of churches over the last 35 years, I have observed three common elements of successful building programs and all three are characteristics displayed by quality leaders.

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 12:13

Tags: Nehemiah, Prayer, strategy, Church Building

Fruit Over Size: What Jesus Really Measures In Ministry

By Mike Breen on May 13, 2021

Church success is often measured by size, but Jesus measured fruitfulness. Discover why disciple-making and spiritual reproduction matter more than growth metrics.

Scripture: John 15:8, Matthew 28:19, Luke 10:1, Acts 2:42, 2 Timothy 2:2  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Tree, Fruit, Reformation, lead, Movement  (view more)  (view less)

Why Didn't The Disciples Ask Jesus How To Measure Success?

By SermonCentral .com on Feb 26, 2024

Imagine this scenario. Jesus is meeting with the disciples. He’s been training them for three years. He’s died, risen again and walked with them in resurrection power for almost 40 days. As the day of his ascension draws near, he gathers them together to reiterate The Great Commission.

Scripture: Luke 14:23, Luke 15:7

Tags: Disciples, success, Church Growth, Measure success

Death By Ministry

By Eugene Cho on Jan 22, 2025

Pastoral ministry is rewarding yet deeply taxing. These insights and statistics reveal its strain, spiritual battles, and the urgent need to care for our pastors well.

Tags: Ministry, leadership, pastor, Servanthood, Church Body of Christ, Pastor, Leadership, ministry challenges, ministry, pastor encouragement, Pastoral Health, Ministry Challenges, Pastor Encouragement, Clergy Wellness  (view more)  (view less)

Why Successful Churches Aren’t Turning The World Upside-Down – But The Outcasts Might

By SermonCentral .com on Jul 30, 2023

Jesus was the most culture-challenging, paradigm-shifting, tradition-breaking, change agent who ever lived.

Tags: leadership, Small Church, church in society, prophetic voice, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Becoming An Approachable Leader In Ministry

By Ken Sande on Mar 5, 2025

Approachability is essential for effective pastoral leadership. This guide shows how leaders earn trust, cultivate humility, and gain a “relational passport” with their people.

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-11, Philippians 2:3-4, Matthew 18:12-14, 1 Corinthians 1:4-9, Mark 10:42-45  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Church, Peace, leadership, pastor, conflict, relationships, counsel, Communication General, Leadership General, Pastor, Leadership, church, Relational Wisdom  (view more)  (view less)

The Secret Ingredient For Effective Ministry

By Ray Hollenbach on Jun 16, 2025

What if there were a way to open the floodgates of heaven for other people? What if YOU could have this secret?

Scripture: John 5:9-16

Tags: Ministry, Humble, Humility, effective, humble heart, ministry  (view more)  (view less)

The Hardest Part Of Ministry: Saying No

By David L. Hansen on Jun 29, 2025

Saying "no" can help focus your ministry, your leadership and your preaching.

Tags: Ministry, Preaching, hard, Angelic work, say no, ministry, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Rethinking "Next Steps” In Discipleship

By SermonCentral .com on Dec 29, 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)

How To Get Out Of A Ministry Funk

By Tim Stevens on Apr 8, 2020

Churches and leaders go through seasons of malaise where momentum fades and clarity disappears. This article explores why funks happen and offers practical steps that helped one ministry find its way out.

Scripture: Galatians 6:9

Tags: Church Practices

5 Thoughts About Excellence In Ministry

By Brandon Cox on Mar 28, 2025

Excellence honors God, but it must never overshadow the mission. These five principles help ministry leaders pursue quality without drifting from gospel priorities.

Scripture: Colossians 3:17, Ecclesiastes 11:4, 1 Corinthians 10:31, Romans 12:11, Matthew 28:19  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, Excellence, Christian Discipleship, preaching

10 Leadership Traps To Avoid In Ministry

By Ron Edmondson on Apr 7, 2025

Leadership can either multiply people or suffocate them. These ten destructive leadership traits erode trust, stifle growth, and damage organizations from the inside out.

Scripture: Luke 16:10, Proverbs 29:25, Colossians 3:23, 2 Timothy 1:7, 1 Peter 5:2-3  (view more)  (view less)

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Three Pillars Of A Strong, Dynamic Ministry

By SermonCentral .com on Feb 9, 2023

Brandon Cox: "When it comes to leading a strong ministry and building a healthy church, it takes more than solid theology or smart strategy."

Tags: Ministry, strategy, strength, Power of God, Pillar, ministry  (view more)  (view less)

5 Ways To Minimize Ministry Silos

By Charles Stone on Jul 25, 2022

Silos occur in organizations and churches when leaders act like their ministry or team is the only one that matters. A silo attitude results in that leader or team only supporting, giving, or attending functions that pertain to them. It can kill a ministry and result in many problems. In this post, I suggest ways to minimize ministry silos.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:10, Ephesians 4:3, Romans 15:5, Psalm 133:1

Tags: Trust, leadership, unity, Ownership, Volunteer, Harmony, Consider Others, Step Up, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

One Pastor's Top Three Sacred Cows In Desperate Need Of Tipping

By Jared Moore on Jun 17, 2025

Do you agree with this very opinionated list? Which cows would YOU like to tip?

Scripture: Matthew 12:22-37

Tags: Preaching, success, Entertain, Tip, Sacred Cows, preaching  (view more)  (view less)