In Preaching Articles: "Alone"

Get Alone With God

By SermonCentral .com on Mar 22, 2022

As Jonathan Edwards expresses, and Scripture exemplifies, one aspect of a Christ-enamored heart is a gnawing ache to get alone with him.

Scripture: Mark 1:35, Matthew 4:1, Psalm 63:5-6, Hebrews 10:25, Luke 4:42, Matthew 14:23  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Solitude, Alone with God, soul care, intimacy with Christ

Why Exhortation Alone Is Not Enough In Preaching

By Bob Hostetler on Jan 13, 2023

Many sermons tell listeners what they should do but fail to move them toward real change. Effective preaching combines exhortation with identification, inspiration, and practical application.

Scripture: Romans 12:8, James 1:22, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:12, Colossians 1:28  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, identification, inspiration, application, Homiletics, preaching, Application  (view more)  (view less)

Why Exhortation Alone Is Not Enough In Preaching

By Bob Hostetler on May 12, 2023

Faithful preaching requires more than telling people what to do. Effective sermons identify with listeners’ needs, inspire the heart, and provide clear application.

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 3:17-22, Romans 12:8, James 1:22, 2 Timothy 4:2

Tags: Preaching, identification, inspiration, application, exhortation, preaching, Application  (view more)  (view less)

Why Information Alone Cannot Make Disciples

By Outreach Inc. on Apr 10, 2025

The modern church excels at teaching information but often fails at formation. Real discipleship requires embodied obedience, risk, and lived imitation, not lectures alone.

Scripture: Luke 6:40, James 1:22, John 1:14, 1 Corinthians 11:1, Matthew 28:19-20  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Discipleship, Following Jesus

Magicians Work Alone, Preachers Work Together

By Sean Hamon on Mar 7, 2023

When we study and prepare in isolation, we limit what we can learn.

Scripture: Romans 8:28-31, James 4:1-15

Tags:

You're Not Moses: Why Preach Alone?

By Lane Sebring on May 18, 2026

Preachers do weird things. One weird thing we do is prepare our sermons alone. Every. Single. Week.

Tags: Preaching, blind spots, sermon prepping, collaboration, lack depth, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Why You Shouldn’t Prepare Sermons Alone

By Brian Croft on Sep 8, 2020

Inviting trusted church members into sermon preparation strengthens clarity, application, humility, and pastoral effectiveness.

Scripture: Proverbs 11:14, Proverbs 20:18, Proverbs 27:6, Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 2 Timothy 2:15  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, Accountability, preaching

Why Exhortation Alone Doesn’t Change Lives In Preaching

By Bob Hostetler on Jul 22, 2021

Many sermons emphasize exhortation, but lasting transformation requires more. Effective preaching connects with listeners, inspires the heart, and provides practical application.

Scripture: Romans 12:8, James 1:22, 2 Timothy 4:2, Hebrews 10:24, Colossians 3:16  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, identification, inspiration, application, exhortation, preaching, Application  (view more)  (view less)

Thirty Seconds Alone With God: The Effects Of Our Phones On Prayer

By Tony Reinke on Sep 18, 2023

Our Twitter and Facebook habits make praying harder than ever.

Scripture: Colossians 3:2, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Deuteronomy 11:18-19, 1 Corinthians 7:35, Luke 10:38-42, Matthew 13:22-23, 1 Corinthians 16:13, Titus 2:2, 1 Peter 1:13, 1 Peter 4:7, 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 16:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Ephesians 6:18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: focus, distractions, Disciplines Prayer, focus on GOD

You Don't Feel Like Preaching? You're Not Alone

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Nov 13, 2021

"Just like Habakkuk wrote on and just like Andre sang on, I would encourage you to PREACH ON."

Tags: pain, Habakkuk, Preaching, Feelings, ignore, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Let's Stop Saying "Yeah, But . . ." To God's Grace

By SermonCentral .com on Mar 11, 2026

"Sit on your ‘but’ and let grace stand alone," says Karl Vaters.

Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-21

Tags: Preaching, preaching

How Preachers Silence Themselves

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Aug 8, 2020

H. Beecher Hicks warns that preachers are often silenced not by persecution alone, but by fear, compromise, money, and moral failure.

Scripture: Jeremiah 20:9, Acts 4:19-20, Galatians 1:10, 2 Timothy 4:1-5, Ezekiel 33:7-9  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Homiletics

Ed Stetzer: no Word, No Kingdom

By Ed Stetzer on Jul 15, 2021

Jesus’ parable of the sower reveals that the kingdom of God begins not with strategy but with seed. The Word alone produces lasting fruit.

Scripture: Matthew 13:3-8, Matthew 13:19, 1 Peter 1:23, James 1:21, 1 Peter 2:2  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, the word, seed, Parables of Jesus, preaching, Parables Of Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

Why The Cross Is Not Enough

By Ray Hollenbach on Jul 24, 2021

Christian faith cannot stop at the cross alone. The full pattern of Christ’s work includes incarnation, sacrifice, and resurrection power.

Scripture: John 1:14, John 10:18, 1 Corinthians 1:18, Philippians 2:5-8, Romans 6:4  (view more)  (view less)

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

Stop Moralizing: Preach The "Why” Of The Gospel

By Peter Mead on Jul 8, 2025

Instruction alone cannot transform hearts. Faithful preaching avoids moralism by grounding every command in the gospel and answering the deeper “why.”

Scripture: Romans 1:17, John 15:5, Ephesians 2:8-10, Colossians 2:6-7, Titus 2:11-12  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Christian growth, Christian Growth