In Preaching Articles: "Words Do Hurt"

Why My Sermon Notes Don't Rhyme, And What I Do Instead

By SermonCentral .com on Mar 9, 2023

For generations, rhymes and alliterations were expected from public speakers. It made them seem credible, authoritative and prepared. Not any more.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-5

Tags: Preaching, phony, sermon notes, rhyme, insincere, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

The 5 Biggest Mistakes Pastors Make On Sundays (And What To Do About Them)

By Charles Stone on Jun 18, 2024

For pastors, Sunday can be the most draining day of the week. Intense people interaction, teaching or preaching, seeing our critics, trying to remember names, and attempting to put our own problems aside to listen to other peoples' problems add up to a stress-filled day. The very day we want to be at our best requires more from us than any other day. As a result, we can easily make one or more of the 5 biggest mistakes pastors make on Sundays. Evaluate this list to find out how many you make.

Tags: Preaching, pastoral leadership, Pastoral Ministry, Sunday Morning, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

The Hottest Thing At Church Today

By Tim Challies on Jul 19, 2022

According to a new study by Gallup, the hottest thing at church today is not the worship and not the pastor. So what is it?

Scripture: Romans 10:17

Tags: Teaching, Preaching, Church Growth, Expository, Biblical truth, Teaching God's Word, BIBLICAL TEACHING, preaching, teaching, expository  (view more)  (view less)

The 10 Commandments Of An Effective Sermon Introduction

By Brandon Kelley on Aug 26, 2022

If you haven’t grasped this yet, your sermon introduction is vitally important. But what does it look like to knock the introduction out of the park? What are some things to avoid? What are some things to ensure are a part of it? Let’s dive into the 10 commandments of an effective sermon introduction!

Tags: Teaching God's Word, Attention Grabber, Effective Teaching, Sermon Introduction, preaching, teaching, Teaching, Preaching, Introduction, illustration  (view more)  (view less)

The Most Important Ingredient For Rebuke

By Marshall Segal on Nov 1, 2022

"The recipe for good rebuke involves far more than one ingredient, but one ingredient may be the most important."

Tags: Repentance, brotherly love, patience, Christian Love, Biblical truth, pastoral leadership, rebuking sin, repentance, Word of God  (view more)  (view less)

"All Things Work Together For Good” — 3 Things You Never Noticed About Romans 8:28

By Lori Hatcher on Jun 14, 2024

"Here are three things about this popular verse you may never have noticed."

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: guard the truth, faith and obedience, Scripture, redemption, teach, Sound Teaching, all things work for good, Meditate on the Word  (view more)  (view less)

Brokenness In A Pastor’s Life

By Charles Stone on Jun 29, 2023

As I enter the sixth decade of my life and reflect over the brokenness I’ve faced as a pastor, I’m beginning to see its great value. It still hurts and I’d prefer not to face it. Yet, I’m experiencing the fruit of brokenness: inner peace, joy, and a purpose that supersedes ‘ministry success.’

Scripture: John 12:24

Tags: Healing, Rejection, brokenness, success in ministry

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

By SermonCentral .com on Aug 15, 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)

16 Things You Can Do Right Now To Get Unstuck In Your Sermon Prep

By Lane Sebring on Jan 17, 2020

Sometimes the sermon comes together like a beautifully crafted work of art. But other times I struggle to make progress in my study.

Tags: Preaching, preaching

Do You Blame Others For Your Ministry Failures? 12 Ways To Escape This Foolish Trap

By SermonCentral .com on Jan 24, 2020

I don’t blame anyone but myself for my failures in ministry -- Why are people so surprised by that?

Tags: Preaching, preaching

A Pastor's Dilemma: What To Do When You Can't See The Vision For Your Church

By Karl Vaters on May 13, 2022

Not every pastor is called to cast a grand, singular vision for their congregation.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-12

Tags: vision, pastoral leadership, Great Commandment, Vision Casting

Bad Preaching, Defined

By SermonCentral .com on Aug 5, 2023

Bad preaching includes underestimating the intelligence of your listeners and the power of the Word.

Scripture: Luke 10:26-28

Tags: Preaching, bad, gary charles, preaching

Are You Preaching With A Plastic Voice?

By Dr. David Teague on Jul 17, 2020

Society is filled with plastic voices. Preaching requires someone to embody the Word of God.

Tags: Preaching, Incarnation, voice, preaching

Fortress For Truth: Martin Luther

By Steven Lawson on Oct 24, 2022

"Luther came to realize that salvation was a gift for the guilty, not a reward for the righteous. Man is not saved by his good works but by trusting the finished work of Christ. Thus, justification by faith alone became the central tenet of the Reformation."

Tags: justification, Reformation, bible truth, Bible Truth, defending the gospel, martin luther, Teaching God's Word, defend the faith, faithful preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Weaving Gospel Fluency Into Every Sunday Message

By Jeff Vanderstelt on Nov 21, 2022

If we are going to grow people up into Christlikeness in every way, we need to learn how to speak the truths of Jesus Christ into everything.

Scripture: Luke 24:44-45

Tags: preaching Christ, guard the truth, Gospel centered, Teach His Word, church leadership, teaching, Teaching, pastoral leadership, defending the gospel  (view more)  (view less)