What is the role of the Holy Spirit in preaching?
It is the Spirit that takes the Word of God as the seed, sows it in hearts, and makes them live.
It is the Spirit that takes the Word of God as the seed, sows it in hearts, and makes them live.
It’s best for both the health of a church and its pastor for him to dig in and stay
Following a pastor who has run well is only a problem for those who lack the character or the stamina to do the same.
How should a preacher handle the occasional failure even after extensive study and spiritual preparation?
I am a shepherd who preaches, not a preacher who shepherds. In other words, I am not merely a Bible teacher exegeting the text, but a pastor walking through life with the people I serve and applying the texts I exegete.
Change occurs through people. People follow leaders, and leaders know the value of relationship.
No one denies that a preaching class and some coaching can help anyone become better. What we question is the possibility that someone with no natural giftedness and ability can be taught well enough that he can become really good.
Pastors who try to reap the dividends of authority without making the investment of credibility will quickly find themselves in a leadership deficit.
I have been there, and I know it’s not fun, but in retrospect I think I learned more about honoring Christ with my life during that time than at any other.
How long should a sermon be? As a preaching professor and a pastor, I’ve asked and been asked that question a hundred times. You can preach as long as you hold their attention.
Striking the right tone, like all aspects of preaching, requires persistent vigilance.
The experience gained, the relationships forged, and the doors opened to those who use their seminary years to serve in a church—even if in an unpaid position—will prove a blessing throughout the rest of life.
This morning I will preach my father-in-law’s funeral. For 32 years of our marriage, I dreaded this terrible task because he was not a believer. He wanted no part of Christ or his gospel. We prayed for him, witnessed to him, sent others to talk to him, and five years ago even took him to…
If you want a church to be saturated with truth, then stay there and walk through life with them.
If marriage is a picture of Christ and his love for his church, then much more is at stake than my happiness.