In Preaching Articles: "Vital Reasons"

3 Vital Reasons Why Preaching Is Something More Than Public Speaking

By SermonCentral .com on Nov 8, 2021

When I enter the pulpit to preach on Sundays, something is different.

Tags: Preaching, Urgent, vital reasons, public speaking, timeless message, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

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

By Joe Mckeever on Sep 10, 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

Why Small Churches Don’t Grow

By Joe Mckeever on Sep 20, 2024

Small church growth stalls for reasons deeper than numbers. These ten barriers reveal why congregations stay stuck and how leaders can pursue renewed health and mission.

Scripture: John 13:35, Psalm 85:6, Luke 11:1-2

Tags: Church, Outreach, pastor, Church Growth, Health, Fail, Church Health, Small Church, Church Practices, pastoral leadership, spiritual vitality, Pastor, church, Pastoral Leadership, Small Church Growth, Congregational Renewal, Spiritual Vitality  (view more)  (view less)

Should Pastors Perform Weddings For Unbelievers?

By John Piper on Jul 29, 2024

John Piper shares his input on "if" and "when" it's appropriate for pastors to marry unbelievers.

Scripture: Isaiah 43:1, Isaiah 43:1

Tags: Children, Preaching, Pastors, Reason, Weddings, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

7 Vital Ingredients In Any Preaching Calendar

By SermonCentral .com on Apr 17, 2020

Investing a few more hours three months in advance, or a few weeks in advance will increase the quality of your preaching moment.

Tags: Preaching, preaching

11 Times When Preaching Hurts More Than It Helps

By Joseph Mattera on Feb 7, 2024

Preaching is vital to God's purposes--that's why we must get it right.

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-15

Tags: Hurt, Preaching, Purpose, help, Vital, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

8 Vital Statistics You Should Track Every Week

By SermonCentral .com on Oct 16, 2025

Thom Rainer: "We can never know where the missing sheep are if we are not keeping track of them."

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Do You Include These 3 Vital Elements When You Preach A Funeral?

By SermonCentral .com on Nov 18, 2019

Practical advice: "Don't preach them into heaven. Don't preach them into hell. Just preach the gospel for the people who are there."

Tags: advice, Respond, elements, preaching, Preaching, Funeral  (view more)  (view less)

11 Vital Preaching And Pastoring Lessons I Learned From My Mentor

By Chris Hefner on Aug 19, 2025

Sometimes leadership lessons are caught as much as they are taught.

Tags: Preaching, pastor, consistent, Mentor, advance, Pastor, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

One Simple, Vital Question You Should Ask Immediately After Preaching

By Joe Hoagland on Dec 25, 2024

Ask this--before the allure of a relaxing Sunday afternoon or the pressures of starting the week on Monday morning win out.

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Reasonable Compensation For Pastors And Ministers

By Thomas J. Winters on Jan 9, 2025

Pastoral compensation must be fair, transparent, and compliant with IRS standards. This guide explains how churches determine reasonable pay and avoid excess benefit violations.

Tags: Money, Leader, Budget, pastor, finances, practice, Speculation, Church Practices, Leadership General, Church Governance, Pastor, leader, Pastoral Compensation, IRS Compliance, Nonprofit Accountability, Minister Pay  (view more)  (view less)

Four Reasons To Slow Down

By SermonCentral .com on Apr 5, 2022

We cannot love what we do not linger over.

Scripture: Romans 8:29, Colossians 1:10, 2 Peter 3:9, Galatians 5:22

Tags: Transformation, Rest, soul care, Change is a Process, Looking back to go f  (view more)  (view less)

One Vital Preaching Skill That Just Can't Be Faked: Do You Have It?

By SermonCentral .com on Aug 14, 2025

Brandon Cox challenges us to ask ourselves the tough questions about a core value.

Tags: Preaching, prepare, listener, orator, preaching skill, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

4 Reasons Not To Give An Altar Call

By Dr. Larry Moyer on Aug 11, 2024

Altar calls can help seekers respond to Christ, but they can also distort the gospel when misused. Here are four situations in which giving an altar call becomes unwise.

Scripture: John 6:47, Luke 23:43, John 12:42, Romans 10:9-10, 1 Corinthians 4:2  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Invitation, altar call, gospel clarity, Gospel Clarity, Altar Call  (view more)  (view less)

Six Reasons The Church Still Matters

By Ray Hollenbach on Oct 8, 2024

Despite the failures of many congregations, Scripture presents the church as God’s design for spiritual growth, community, authority, and witness in the world.

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47, Hebrews 10:24-25, Hebrews 13:17, Colossians 3:12-14

Tags: Discipleship