Category – Preaching

The last question I ask myself when I’m evaluating a sermon, including my own, is, Did I apply the text? This is an important question, though perhaps it’s often debated because people disagree on what constitutes application. In the minds of some preachers, application is a well-intended but nevertheless sinful…
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When I evaluate a sermon or my own preaching the second key question I ask is whether I adequately explained the biblical text. This is a distinct issue from the first question, namely, Did I exegete the biblical text? Exegesis is foundational to a solid sermon—it ensures that you accurately…
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There are a myriad of books on preaching on the market at present and each of them presents useful information, tips, and methods for preaching a good sermon. But when I’m evaluating a sermon or preparing my own messages, there are four simple questions that I ask myself: (1) Did…
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I regularly get asked about recommended resources for sermon preparation. There is quite obviously an ocean of books out there, so I can’t possibly know which books are the absolute best. I can, however, say which books I’ve personally found extremely useful. In my own studies I have found D.…
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When you study for the ministry you will take a number of preaching classes as a part of the Master of Divinity curriculum. One of the inevitabilities is that students end up reflecting the preaching style and conviction of their professor. Someone once commented to me that they could tell…
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When Spanish explorer Hernan Cortez reached the new world in 1519 he gave orders to his men to burn their ships. Why would he do such a thing? Legend has it that he gave the order to burn his ships to motivate his men. There would be no turning back—they…
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It has happened to me, and I’ve heard of it happening to other churches, namely, what do you do if at the last minute you can’t preach? In my case, I came down with a really bad cold to the point where I lost my voice. I called one of…
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One of the biggest surprises in my ministry was the opposition to the gospel that arose within my own church. I always assumed there would be opposition to the gospel from outside the church, from the unbelieving world. But at several points in my pastorate I stressed the importance of…
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When I was regularly preparing my weekly sermons I often wondered whether I would make any type of impact upon my church. After all, a pastor will pour anywhere between 10-20 hours of preparation to preach for 30 minutes, give or take. Naturally, you want to know whether the people…
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"Preaching involves teaching, but it is much more than that. The sacramental aspect of the Word--that is, its role as a means of grace--underlies Reformation teaching. The preaching of the gospel not only calls people to faith in Christ; it is the means by which the Spirit creates faith in…
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