10 Tips for Preaching Students "As a new semester begins at Bible colleges and seminaries, many students look forward to taking their first preaching course. Some have no preaching experience and hold the syllabus tightly

The Difference Between Optimism and Biblical Hope "Without clear definitions, the lines between optimism and biblical hope might appear blurry. If Christians are called to be hopeful people, are we therefore called to be optimistic?"

Courage Is Contagious "Here’s the principle. Seeing courage spreads courage. Seeing boldness awakens boldness. Seeing fearlessness overcomes fear." Uncomfortably Limited "Finitude, of course, touches a dozen different nerves. You may get tired more quickly than

Preach Christ, Embody Christ In this post, Ray Ortland writes, "Setting an example is a powerful and essential part of pastoral leadership. A strong line of reasoning in preaching, even a soundly biblical argument, might

Dear Pastor . . . You’re a Shepherd, Not an Entrepreneur "I wanted to write a few lines to you in an effort to reorient your work. We are pressed on every side—danger from without

Should Our Joy Depend on Our Circumstances? In this post, the author makes this claim that seems contrary to what we've been told, "When I was a young pastor, a church elder detected my discouragement

Why We Need to Hear Sermons in Person In this piece, Joe Carter asks, "Does it matter whether people hear sermons in person at church or in private on a computer screen? Why are sermons

Parents Are Key to Youth Ministry "Parents and youth ministers both know youth ministry can’t merely be about what students want; it must give students what they need. What if, far from ruining youth ministry,

When the Sermon Fizzles Instead of Sizzles Here, Tim Challis notes something that is not abnormal writing, "The sermon fizzles instead of sizzles. The text seems to become opaque rather than clear. The illustrations fall

Preaching that Moves the Heart "If preaching to the heart of the people means the preacher’s own heart must be reached by the text, then part of preparing to preach is taking time to savor