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

What Is a Church? "So, a church is a gathering. A church is not just people—it’s people who assemble regularly. A church is never less than that. But a church is also more than this.

Calvin as an Experiential Preacher "Calvin viewed preaching as God’s normal means of salvation and benediction. He said that the Holy Spirit is the “internal minister” who uses the “external minister” in preaching the Word.