Several years ago, I served as the Assistant Rector at a large Anglican Church. This meant, of course, that I had the wonderful opportunity of preaching cultural holiday weekends when attendance would be predictably low … i.e. Memorial Day Weekend, Labor Day Weekend, etc. One of the key weekends that I always got to preach…
Pastor, Let the Children Preach: Why You Should Let the Youth Group Invade Your Pulpit
For the last two years, I’ve been teaching Scripture, theology, and ethics at a small Christian high school that shares space with a local church. It took me a year and a half to realize that, on one of my classroom walls, half-hidden behind a filing cabinet and obscured beneath a coat of paint, was…
Should You Preach a Father’s Day Sermon on Father’s Day?
We all know that Mother’s Day has a special place in American culture. I wrote about whether a pastor should preach a “Mother’s Day message,” and it was a popular post. I will address the same subject about Father’s Day…but I do not expect to generate a similar amount of interest! But it is as…
Ten Thoughts for the Mother’s Day Sermon
Motherhood is one of the most fundamental human roles, given by God and knit into our DNA. Hallmark’s calendar doesn’t dictate our preaching, but this particular holiday seems worth some attention. Some Mother’s Day Sermon tips are listed below and can be developed into whole sermons; others are just words of advice. Use this list to…
Learning to Preach from G. Campbell Morgan (Preachers of the Past, pt. 4)
This is part 4 of “Preachers of the Past,” a series where we discuss four distinct preachers from the past, ranging from 347 A.D. to 1945. We’ve included detailed preaching points for study and discussion towards the bottom of this post. Some Background on G. Campbell Morgan (1863-1945) Campbell Morgan was the son of a…
Learning to Preach from Phillips Brooks (Preachers of the Past, pt. 3)
This is part 3 of “Preachers of the Past,” a series where we discuss four distinct preachers from the past, ranging from 347 A.D. to 1945. We’ve included detailed preaching points for study and discussion towards the bottom of this post. Some background on Phillips Brooks (1835-1893) Phillips Brooks was an American Episcopal minister, and…
Learning to Preach from Martin Luther (Preachers of the Past, pt. 2)
Grace alone, faith alone, Scripture alone, Christ alone, this was Luther’s soteriological sermon to the world.
Learning to Preach from John Chrysostom (Preachers of the Past, pt. 1)
This is part 1 of “Preachers of the Past,” a series where we discuss four distinct preachers from the past, ranging from 347 A.D. to 1945. We’ve included detailed preaching points for study and discussion towards the bottom of this post. Some Background on John Chrysostom (A.D. 347–407) John was born in Antioch to a…
Why and How to Preach about St. Patrick this St. Patrick’s Day
The pub nearest me has festooned itself with green, orange, and white bunting. My doctor’s waiting room is plastered with cardboard shamrocks that say LUCKY. McDonald’s has brought back (for a limited time) its Shamrock Shake. Yes, my friends, it’s almost St. Patrick’s Day, and since this year [2024] that falls on a Sunday, we…
The Power of Low-Tech Sermon Visuals: Here’s How to Use Them Effectively
In preaching, don’t underestimate the impact of a humble object lesson or lowly flip-chart.
3 Questions to Ask When Preaching from Pop Culture: Avoid My Mistakes
Pop culture is the known world for most people today. By definition, it is the “popular” and dominant culture, heavily influenced by mass media, in America and in much of the world. At Christianity Today, I worked with a colleague who was extremely bright and working on her doctorate in English. One time, she and…
The Power of the Sermon Checklist: Why You Need One, and How to Make Your Own
In his best-selling book The Checklist Manifesto, surgeon Atul Gawande makes the compelling case that the best way to ensure quality is something simple, old-fashioned, and overlooked: the checklist. In fact, he argues, we need the checklist more than ever, because today, information is so abundant and complex, it overwhelms our ability to process. To ensure…
