In Preaching Articles: "Confrontation"

Why Kingdom Preaching Confronts The Status Quo

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Sep 1, 2021

Jesus preached the Kingdom of God, a message that brought hope to the broken and confrontation to the powerful. Faithful preaching still does both.

Scripture: Mark 1:14-15, Matthew 25:40, Luke 4:18-19, James 1:27, Micah 6:8  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Good News, Kingdom of God, bad news, kingdom of God, preaching, Kingdom Of God, Preaching, Justice  (view more)  (view less)

Say Hard Things

By Marshall Segal on Apr 13, 2021

When was the last time someone told you you were wrong? If you can’t remember, you may have reason to be concerned. Sometimes the most loving thing someone can do for us is point out an error or inconsistency in the way we think or live.

Scripture: Matthew 6:16, Romans 12:3, Galatians 5:22-23, Galatians 1:6-10, 2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 Corinthians 13:7, Galatians 2:11-14, Acts 10:28, Acts 15:11, 2 Chronicles 7:14-19, Matthew 6:18, 1 Peter 1:10  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Love, Humility, Confrontation, Grace and Truth

Courageous Conversations - Part 1

By Lance Witt on Sep 3, 2023

When it comes to correction, rebuke, or confrontation, to say it’s uncomfortable is a massive understatement. The truth is, pastors avoid it at all costs. That has certainly been true of me.

Tags: Communication, Courage, Confrontation, pastoral leadership, communication  (view more)  (view less)

Willing To Be Misunderstood

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Oct 21, 2024

Willimon’s The Intrusive Word challenges preachers to prioritize gospel faithfulness over cultural relevance, confronting the seeker-sensitive assumption that comfort leads to transformation.

Scripture: Philippians 4:1-13, Jude 1:3, 2 Timothy 4:3, 1 Corinthians 1:23, Isaiah 55:11  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: preaching, Gospel, Preaching, Relevance, Confront, will willimon, gospel  (view more)  (view less)

Preach The Kingdom, Not The American Dream

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Oct 24, 2024

Too much preaching today helps people succeed in this world rather than live as ambassadors of the next. The gospel is radically different, and faithful preaching should be too.

Scripture: Galatians 1:4, Matthew 19:24, Galatians 5:11, Acts 17:6, Matthew 5:3  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: preaching, Gospel, Preaching, Poverty, Debate, Confront, gospel  (view more)  (view less)

Preach The Kingdom, Not The American Dream

By Sherman Haywood Cox on Jul 29, 2025

Too much preaching helps people succeed in this present world rather than calling them to live as ambassadors of God’s coming Kingdom. The gospel is far more confrontational than that.

Scripture: Galatians 1:4, Matthew 19:24, Galatians 5:11, Acts 17:6, 2 Corinthians 5:20  (view more)  (view less)

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

Lay Aside The Weight Of Discouragement

By SermonCentral .com on Apr 25, 2022

Discouragement is not as powerful as it feels. We can defeat it if we confront it.

Scripture: Romans 1:5, 1 Peter 4:11, Psalm 42:5, Numbers 13:27-28, Numbers 13:31, 1 Samuel 17:49, Acts 4:31, 1 Timothy 6:12, Hebrews 12:12-14  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: encouragement, Discouragement, Depression, Empowerment, strengthening faith  (view more)  (view less)

From Information To Invitation

By David Fitch on Oct 28, 2021

True preaching does more than inform minds; it confronts lives. It collapses distance and summons hearers into surrender.

Scripture: Revelation 20:15, Nehemiah 8:8, Acts 2:36-37, Romans 10:9, James 1:22  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, Affirmation, Proclamation, Feedback, compliment, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

How To Preach A Funeral For God's Glory

By Harry Reeder on Jun 20, 2025

Funerals confront people with eternity. Pastors must preach Christ clearly, offering true comfort to believers’ families and calling unbelievers to salvation.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:15, John 11:25-26, 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, 2 Corinthians 5:8

Tags: Funeral, privilege, preach, preaching, Hope, Preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Get To The Point: Preaching Truth In An Age Of Tolerance

By Michael Catt on Sep 8, 2024

In a culture that prizes vagueness, faithful preaching must speak clearly. Biblical preaching challenges, confronts, and comforts with truth rooted in God’s Word.

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:7, Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 4:2, Acts 20:27, James 3:1  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: church leadership, preaching, culture, Church Leadership, Truth, Preaching, Culture  (view more)  (view less)

Why Faithful Preaching Must Both Challenge And Comfort

By Sherman Haywood Cox on May 10, 2023

Biblical preaching must both confront sin and comfort the hurting. Faithful ministers speak prophetically while also applying the healing hope of the gospel.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15-19, Psalm 30:5, Isaiah 61:1-3, 2 Timothy 4:2, Hebrews 4:12  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, priest, Leadership, preaching, Prophet, leadership  (view more)  (view less)

How To Preach A Stressful Sermon

By David J. Lose on Jun 28, 2021

Some passages of the Gospels unsettle us because they confront our assumptions about peace and discipleship. Faithful preaching must wrestle honestly with these difficult words.

Scripture: Luke 18:31-34, Proverbs 17:1-5, Luke 12:49-53, Luke 9:23

Tags: Preaching, Stress, Kingdom of God, kingdom of God, preaching, Kingdom Of God, stress  (view more)  (view less)

Cut Off Your Hand, Tear Out Your Eye

By Ray Ortlund on Aug 2, 2022

Hard words are not harmful words—when they come from Jesus. The real Jesus loves us enough to accept us freely and confront us honestly.

Scripture: Colossians 2:23, Philippians 3:14, Hebrews 13:21, Matthew 5:6, Titus 2:11-12, Hebrews 12:4, 1 Corinthians 9:27, Matthew 5:29-30  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Righteousness, Theology, soul care, Hard Teaching

The Antidote To Anemic Worship

By Albert Mohler on Nov 27, 2022

The anemia of evangelical worship—all the music and energy aside—is directly attributable to the absence of genuine expository preaching. Such preaching would confront the congregation with nothing less than the living and active Word of God.

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:8

Tags: Music, Preaching, Expository, Worship God, Church worship, Acceptable Worship, corporate worship, church leadership, preaching, expository  (view more)  (view less)

5 Ways To Talk About Money

By Kent Woodyard on Dec 8, 2021

After spending the past three years working for an online and mobile giving provider, I am obviously a believer in the power of technology to increase giving to the Church. Through that time, however, I have also been confronted with the limitations of technology. Important? Certainly. Enough? Definitely not!

Tags: Money, Teaching, Generosity, Giving General, teaching  (view more)  (view less)