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5 Ideas for Sunday Night Sermons
Yes, I’m one of “those” preachers. I plan my sermons well in advance. While we must deviate from our plans at times, I have all my 2011 Sunday morning titles and texts planned (and have for about six weeks). I did this for 2010, too, and it was wonderful. I changed the plan a couple of times, but that was okay, because I still knew the direction I wanted to go. But, what about Sunday nights? Those “PM sermons” are often unplanned and can still leave us thinking about what to preach from week to week. I plan a few of them well ahead of time, but I like to…
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On Using Original Languages in Sermons
Confession time: I have never taken a course in Greek or Hebrew. While I have “picked up” quite a bit in my studies over the years, I have never done what so many other preachers have done. Many has studied the Biblical languages (especially Greek) in a systematic way through classes and even work through their own translating of the text when they study for a sermon. I do study in the languages, though. While I am not (yet!) able to “go deeply” into every word and phrase, there are plenty of tools at my disposal that help me get more out the text as a I study for a…
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10 “P’s” of Time Management
Last Friday, Dale Jenkins and I went “guest-less” on iPreach. We decided to have a program on time management. While the program was focused more heavily on ministers, nearly anyone could gain something from the program. If you would like to hear it click here, then listen to program #110. It was suggested in our chatroom that we post some notes from the program, so here is a quick summary of the things we discussed. Before we give the 10 “P’s,” let me share with you some statistics that Dale found to introduce our topic. These stats come from three individuals: James Nored, Eugene Cho, and Darrin Patrick. While these…
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From 1st to 21st
[NOTE: Every post on our blog has a “comments” section. Sometimes 1 or 2 leave a comment. I don’t do this often, but I would really like your thoughts on this post. Check back later to see what others have said. Your comments could lead to a great deal of discussion! Thanks in advance.] Preaching is hard. This post isn’t about all the challenges of preaching, but take some time to think of just a few. A preacher must “come up” with sermons and lessons nearly every week, and must try to do his best to avoid “retreading” the same verses and topics over and over. However, one of the hardest…
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A LOT of Verses
For many years, preachers in churches of Christ were known for using a lot (and I mean, a lot) of verses of Scripture. Whether the sermon was basically textual or topical, many passages were used to show the truth of the matter being presented. Of course, passages can be taken out of context, but, as I read and listen to many of these sermons, I am touched by the faithfulness to the text in using verse after verse. A few weeks ago, we were visiting where my parents worship and the young men led the evening services. One young man presented a good sermon on baptism. His lesson was basic…
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20 Ways You Start to Know that You are a Preacher
In my short time as a preacher, I have been called on to do many things and have faced many ups and downs. When I think about these experiences, they pale in comparison to many who read this and have worked longer and done far more. Please read this list knowing that this is not a “resume” or an “I’m better than other preachers” list. Please read it as (1) a fellow preacher who is beginning to understand, or (2) a preacher trying to let “non-preachers” know a bit of the heart of the men who stand before you and try to present God’s Word as best we can, though we…
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Being Apathetic: It's Pathetic!
I’ll be the first to admit, I have my lazy moments. There are days when I don’t want to do anything but watch a ball game or just relax. This post isn’t about running 100 miles per hour 24 hours each day. Each person needs time to relax his mind and his body. This post is about apathy, the desire to avoid work. I hate it when I waste a good opportunity. There are so many things I want to accomplish in a day, a month, a year, and (of course) in my lifetime that I hate it when I don’t get something done. It’s more than just being “driven,”…
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Guest Post: The Church and the Pulpit
[Today’s guest post comes from Scott McCown. Scott preaches for the church of Christ in Parrish, Alabama, where he has served since 1999. He has been in the ministry for 24 years overall. In addition to preaching, Scott is also an excellent song leader. You may wish to check out his blog, “The Morning Drive,” by clicking here. We appreciate Scott’s time in writing today’s post.] Not long ago on a Religion Q&A site, one person replied to the question: “What do you expect from your minister (preacher)?” with a description of their preacher. This description is a good indication of what the Church expects from the Pulpit. He is…
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Friday Links Roundup: Visiting Edition
One of my goals this week was to visit more of our folks in hospitals and nursing homes. I try to visit as often as possible, but I like to take “chunks” of time to visit several. Yesterday, I took all afternoon and visited many of them. I made another visit on the way to the office this morning. I’m not saying this to brag. I’m saying it because these people need visits! Some are great at sending cards or calling. Those are needed, too. Take a few minutes today (probably no more than 5-10) and make a phone call or send a card. If you have a little more time (say 30-45 minutes), visit…
