Pastor, Church Communications Guy, Church Website Designer & Blogger
Many of the Pharisees were probably great teachers and skilled speakers. I'm sure many were charismatic, skilled communicators. But by the time Jesus arrived on the scene, the Pharisees, on the whole, were killing the culture around them spiritually. Jesus had a lot of work to do just to unwire people from the …
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I feel almost as if I'm being unfaithful to YouVersion because I love the mission and mindset of the guys behind it. It's an incredibly powerful, community-centric Bible tool, but I have to lean toward Bible Gateway being my favorite at the moment. Here's why:
Parallel Columns
I don't know of many Bible …
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There are certain elements that must be included in every single sermon that we ever preach. They are non-negotiable. To put it another way, every sermon you preach has three key components...
The God Component
The "God component" is what sets preaching apart from other kinds of public speaking. We are God's …
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Never waste a good sermon, especially after you've spent so much time preparing it! Thom Rainer recently wrote that more time in sermon preparation usually means a more effectively evangelistic church. If you're one of those who spends 15 hours or more on a message, it must stink to realize that all you can …
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Pastor, no one on the planet bears more responsibility for motivating a group of people than you.
W. A. Criswell, one of my own preaching heroes, defined preaching as "seeking to move a man's will God-ward." He went on to define teaching as "instructing that man in the will and ways of the Lord." I agree …
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Easter Sunday is special. In spite of the competition from little furry bunnies who deliver colored eggs and sugar-induced hyperactive episodes among children, it's still a holiday that is fairly "religious." That is to say, Jesus still gets a fair amount of attention, possibly because it's always on Sunday and …
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When I was in Bible college, I was taught the same basic sermon preparation methods that thousands of other preachers have learned. It's a linear outline that usually begins with a major proposition, continues with several major points, each supported with explanatory illustrations and then a conclusion that …
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In 1975, Bill Hybels assumed the leadership of a fledgling church plant that would grow into the rather influential Willow Creek Community Church. Under Bill's leadership, the church pioneered many concepts in the seeker-sensitive strain of worship and ministry. In 1997, Bill and his wife, Lynne, co-wrote …
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There various viewpoints on the best church planting model. Some launch fast and large to attract the masses. Others launch slowly and intentionally with more of a one-on-one disciple-making mentality. There are probably cautions with any approach to planting, and one of the cautions I would raise is simply …
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I've never really considered this before, but Gary Molander makes a pretty deep point about where our audience is when we go into the holiday season. As we design communication pieces, craft messages, and plan services, it's a good idea to think about the perspective from which our audience is listening - not …
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I'm madly in love with Angie Cox and my two kids. And I'm loved and forgiven by an infinitely gracious God! I'm a Pastor, Church Planter, Editor, and Community Facilitator.
