In Preaching Articles: "Why People Lie"

When The Message Ends, Where Are People Focused?

By Peter Mead on Jul 28, 2025

Where are people looking as they leave? If we're not careful, they will walk out with gaze firmly fixed on self.

Tags: Message, Preaching, Self, focus, listener, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Preacher: Tell Your People What They Are!

By Lane Sebring on May 15, 2025

Great leaders set high expectations and truly believe their church is capable of meeting them.

Scripture: Romans 8:28-31

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Communicating With Confidence When People Distrust Pastors

By Ed Stetzer on Apr 20, 2024

This article is the fifth of six in a series on preaching in light of cultural shifts and biblical illiteracy.

Tags: Teaching, Preaching, pastor, Holiness, sermon prep, Pastor, Sermon Prep, preaching, teaching, holiness, Sermon prep  (view more)  (view less)

Preach The Surprising Connection Between Christmas And Repentance

By David J. Lose on Dec 22, 2025

Instead of demanding repentance, what if you invited people into it?

Scripture: John 3:1-3, Matthew 3:1-2

Tags: Advent, Preaching, repentance, Inviting People, Repentance, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Why "Preach Like The Room Is Full" Is Some Of The Worst Advice

By SermonCentral .com on Sep 16, 2025

"Even if only three people show up to church, preach like the room is full!" That's some of the worst advice I've ever received in ministry.

Tags: Preaching, opportunity, full room, terrible advice, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Why The Cross Is Not Enough

By Ray Hollenbach on Jul 24, 2021

Preaching the cross is powerful and necessary, but there is more for us to say.

Tags: Jesus, Preaching, Cross, Enough, Powerful, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

A Matter Of Integrity: Why Christians Must Stop Taking The Fake News Bait

By Karl Vaters on Apr 4, 2022

Christians should have the reputation for being the most truthful people on earth. But we don’t.

Scripture: Exodus 20:16, Deuteronomy 5:20, Deuteronomy 4:20

Tags: priorities, Dishonesty, Truth and Lies, stand for truth, e  (view more)  (view less)

5 Ways To Grow Your Church's Congregation

By Ricardo Hernandez on Apr 17, 2023

Dwindling church attendance is a concern faced by almost every established or newly-created church and should be strategically addressed. Here are five simple approaches that will make your church more inviting for your existing members and help attract new ones.

Tags: Community, Church, Church Members, members, Connect, Young people, social media, community, church members, connect, young people, church  (view more)  (view less)

Why We Need To Seriously Reconsider The Idea Behind The Altar Call

By Jeff K. Clarke on Sep 15, 2025

We are so desperate to have people make a decision that we rarely, if ever, tell them about the costs associated with making that decision.

Tags: Discipleship, Preaching, converts, altar call, costs, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Why Do I Urge All Pastors To Preach Expository Sermons?

By Brian Croft on Oct 18, 2023

There are all kinds of different sermons a preacher can preach, but the most helpful for a pastor to feed his people with week after week is expository sermons.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Love, Preaching, Expository, the word of god, Feeding The Flock, preaching, expository  (view more)  (view less)

5 Reasons People Check Out Of Your Sermons

By Patrick Holden on Sep 3, 2020

Five common mistakes any speaker can make--or learn how to avoid.

Scripture: Joshua 1:1-8

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Does Your Preaching Prepare People For God's Kingdom?

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Jul 30, 2025

We often fall into the trap of preaching designed to merely provide tools to become more successful in this present world rather than becoming ambassadors of the coming Kingdom.

Tags: Gospel, Preaching, prepare, Confront, God's Kingdom, gospel, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Do You Preach To Real People Or Straw Men?

By Chris Surber on Nov 8, 2024

Preaching in the abstract means missing real lives and real people. Here are four ways to connect to real people.

Tags: Holy Spirit, Preaching, Sensitive, real people, straw men, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

The Pulpit Is Not A Magical Place, Even If Some People Think It Is

By Nathan Aaseng on Mar 11, 2024

"The Word is not magic, but it has power ... great power to bring God's love and grace into the world."

Tags: Grace, Power, Preaching, pulpit, Magic, grace, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

How To Stop People From Playing On Their Phones In Church

By SermonCentral .com on Sep 20, 2025

Cell phones in church don't bother me because I've discovered an ancient secret that keeps people from getting bored in church.

Tags: Discipleship, Preaching, Entertainment, Boredom, better church, preaching  (view more)  (view less)