In Preaching Articles: "Up Your Game"

Don't Kill Your Message!

By Carey Nieuwhof on Aug 12, 2025

What’s the difference between a sermon that flops and a sermon that people still buzz about years later?

Tags: Preaching, Lame, communicate, crash, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart

By J.d. Greear on Sep 12, 2025

Surveys show more than 50% of people have prayed a sinner's prayer and think they're going to heaven even though there is no detectable difference in their lifestyles from those outside of the church.

Tags: Preaching, sinners prayer, preaching, Jesus, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Is Your Preaching Missing This Key Component?

By Lance Witt on Jan 7, 2021

As a pastor I am embarrassed to admit this, but prayer has often been a struggle for me. And yet, it is crucial to our success in preaching.

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-4

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When People Criticize Your Preaching

By Lance Witt on Jan 9, 2021

Gifted speakers and novices alike experience this unenjoyable aspect: people's criticism. In today's Pastor to Pastor, Lance Witt discusses a proper response from a biblical perspective.

Scripture: Proverbs 8:33

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Breathing New Life Into Your Preaching

By Lance Witt on Mar 25, 2023

Fresh is always better. Taking a breath of clean, fresh air is way better than inhaling polluted air. Eating fresh bread is way better than choking down a piece of dry, stale bread. And likewise, sermons that are fresh are way better than warmed over messages.

Scripture: Luke 10:31

Tags: Preaching, New life, preaching

Does Your Soul Have A Backbone?

By Lance Witt on Apr 26, 2021

Over the last few years my single most consistent prayer has been for spiritual courage. Being a coward comes quite naturally to me. I don’t like to fight. I don’t like rejection. I am definitely not a fan of pain. All of these are essential qualities of a coward.

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Does Your Soul Have A Backbone?

By Lance Witt on Aug 7, 2023

Over the last few years my single most consistent prayer has been for spiritual courage.

Tags: suffering, Courage, People pleasing, intimacy with Christ

Talk To God About Your Anxieties

By SermonCentral .com on Feb 22, 2022

Anxiety is a species of fear. It’s the paralyzing fear of “what if.” It’s the fear that something we dread might possibly come true

Scripture: Luke 14:33, Romans 8:35-39, John 16:33, Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 1:20, John 3:16, John 11:25-26, Matthew 28:18, John 15:12, Luke 12:22  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: worry, Worry, Prayer, Anxiety

Your Best Response To A Spiritual Attack

By SermonCentral .com on Mar 15, 2022

If you’re in the Kingdom, you’re in a battle.

Scripture: Ephesians 6:12

Tags: Spiritual Warfare, Prayer, pressure, prayer warrior

How To Get Your Prayer To Work

By H.b. Charles, Jr. on Mar 25, 2022

When we work, we work. But when we pray, God works!

Scripture: Matthew 6:10, Psalm 119:105, Mark 11:24, Hebrews 11:6, 1 John 5:14-15, Colossians 3:17, John 14:13, Matthew 6:5-6  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Faith, God's Glory, Jesus Name, confidence in prayer

Moms, Your Secret Sacrifices Matter

By Shanna Mallon on May 6, 2021

Mothers, resist the temptation to believe that if you're sacrificing and serving and no one notices, what you're doing must not matter at all. It matters.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Tags: mother's day, Motherhood, eternal rewards, Serving in Secret

How To Keep Your Brain Sharp

By Charles Stone on Oct 30, 2023

The brain is a masterpiece of God’s creation. It grows rapidly from birth until the mid-twenties. Unfortunately, it’s downhill from there. Even though you can’t avoid getting older, you can take some simple steps to keep your brain sharp.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:19

Tags: leadership, Aging, Health, pastoral leadership, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

God’s Work In Your Depression

By SermonCentral .com on Jul 5, 2022

“Is this depression? I have almost no motivation for anything. I have been praying and I will keep praying for God to be my strength but how do you fight when you don’t feel like fighting?"

Scripture: Isaiah 43:2-3, Psalm 139:11-12

Tags: Fighting for Joy, Help for the Hurting, Emotions, Healing, endurance, Depression, Struggles, soul care  (view more)  (view less)

Do This And Improve Your Preaching This Sunday

By Peter Walters on Sep 8, 2022

We have a new family in our church with no church background at all. When I prepare to preach I think of them and go the extra mile to make my message as understandable and relatable as possible.

Tags: Sermon Delivery, communication, preaching, Preaching, audience, Teaching God's Word, Pastoral Ministry, effective preaching, Sermon Help, Communication  (view more)  (view less)

7 Indicators Your Team Is Dysfunctional

By Ron Edmondson on Oct 11, 2022

In my experience, there are commonalities of dysfunction. If you have been on a dysfunctional team you’ve probably seen one or more of the common traits. See if any of these seem familiar.

Tags: pastoral leadership, Pastoral Ministry, Team Dynamics, Healthy Teams, Leadership, leadership, conflict, Teamwork, Dysfunction  (view more)  (view less)