One of the decisions I made early on in my ministry was that I would do everything possible to cooperate with God to become the best preacher I could be. And I”m still committed to constant improvement. With that in mind, I read a great article recently by Tyler Scarlett, Pastor of Forest (Virginia) Baptist Church, and I want to … Read More
Four Keys to Maximize Your Preaching on Easter
Like I have been telling you the last couple of days, I’m committed to helping you Maximize Easter this year like never before! To help you make this the BEST EASTER EVER for your church, here are four keys to make the maximum possible impact with your preaching this Easter: 1- Begin a new Sermon Series on Easter Sunday, April 24. … Read More
Help for Planning Your Easter Sermon Series (25% Off)
With Easter only about six weeks away, now is the time to plan what you’re going to preach. And since I am committed to helping you experience a powerful Easter at your church, I’m offering seven of my most effective sermon series resources at 25% Off – THIS WEEK ONLY. Sermons available for 25% Off include: From Stress to Rest … Read More
NEW Sermon Series – Teach Your People How to Face Life’s Storms!
One of the most helpful and well-received sermon series we’ve done at The Journey this year was called “Unshakeable Faith.” And now I’m excited to let you know that the full, six-part series (and everything you need to teach it at your church) is available in the Church Leader Insights Store. Here are the details: Teach your people how to … Read More
Top 10 Signs Your Sermon Isn’t Going Well
Can’t we all use a chuckle on Monday morning? Here’s a list I saw recently from the folks at Preaching Magazine (www.Preaching.com): The Top 10 Signs Your Sermon Isn’t Going Well 13. Your associate pastor is warming up in the bullpen. 12. The praise band begins playing you off the stage. 11. The congregation is filling in the blanks of … Read More
What Makes A Great Sermon Great? Abraham Lincoln’s Opinion…
I just finished reading John Maxwell’s new book, Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, and I’ll be talking about it in a future CLI Newsletter (you are getting the newsletter aren’t you? if not, click here). Here’s a powerful story that Maxwell shares in this book: President Abraham Lincoln, an incredible communicator, was known during the Civil War to attend a church … Read More
FDR on Sermon Preparation…
I ran across this story in a book I was reading recently and I think it has great application when it comes to planning and preparing to preach: Franklin Delano Roosevelt was once asked how long it would take to prepare an address on a particular theme. “That depends on how long you want me to speak,’ the President answered. … Read More
Igniting Growth In Your Church – Week 3 of 6
Welcome to week 3 of my 6-week blog series, “Igniting Growth In Your Church.” I trust that this Thursday series is driving you deeper in your study of my new book, Ignite: How To Spark Immediate Growth In Your Church. Last week we dissected the four best times of year to do a big day. Now that you have a big … Read More
Great Lesson – Saturday Quote
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” — Benjamin Franklin: 18th century statesman, scientist, and writer
Profane Preachers
On my recent panel discussion at Fox News I was asked if I thought it was appropriate to use foul language in the church (curse words, profanity, etc.). My answer was ‘No’ and I did my best to explain it, but honestly, Ed Young says it so much better than me in this 3 minute video: Thanks Ed! P.S. Looking … Read More