Author: Administrador

In a recent article for his Ministry Toolbox newsletter, Rick Warren points out a number of benefits that churches receive from “big day” attendance emphases. Among these: “Big Days focus people’s prayers — A big day gives your people something specific to pray about. As a result, you have added prayer power in place for the … Continue reading “Big Days Have Big Value”

How Would This Innovator Be Received Today?By the middle of 1852, a young minister serving in the quaint and pastoral village of Waterbeach, located just a few miles from Cambridge, England, was becoming a minor local celebrity—a prologue to a much bigger story to come. There was a chapel in another hamlet not far away, … Continue reading “Young Mr. Spurgeon”

It’s that time of year when all those professional baseball players put away their recliners and munchies, step away from the big-screen TV, and start stretching and warming up for the new season. Yes, spring training time has arrived. Since 1870—when the Cincinnati Red Stockings and the Chicago White Stockings sponsored baseball camps in the … Continue reading “Back Page Pulpit: Back on the Field”

Since 2006, Mac Brunson has served as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, coming to that congregation from the pastorate of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. Preaching Editor Michael Duduit recently visited with Brunson in his book-lined study. Preaching: You are pastor of a remarkable church in the downtown area of Jacksonville. … Continue reading “Expositor of the Word: An Interview with Mac Brunson”

Persuasion is a matter closely linked to intimacy. Remember the old communication formula for persuasive speech comes in zones, chalked off in feet and inches: • 12 to 25 feet is the public distance. This is the distance at which we make speeches, direct traffic, teach and share information.• 4 to 12 feet is the personal distance. … Continue reading “Preaching Points: Getting Intimate on the Jumbotron”

In a recent article for ChurchLeaders.com, Charlotte pastor Steven Furtick argues that most churches “say they want to reach people, but in reality they’re more focused on preservation than expansion, on keeping people rather than reaching them. They let saved people dictate style, saved people dictate focus, saved people dictate vision. “The result is a … Continue reading “Keepers of the Aquarium”

Great books often begin with great opening lines. Who doesn’t remember the beginning of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”? What about the curiously blunt start to Moby Dick, “Call me Ishmael”? Authors know that if you waste a person’s time at … Continue reading “Start with a Bang! Crafting a Memorable Sermon Opener”

Jesus used the word life (Gk. psuche) in at least two ways. One was to refer to the human soul. This has caused some people mistakenly to conclude Jesus’ use of psuche warns only about the loss of salvation. A second look at the Lord’s use of psuche, however, forces us to realize that sometimes … Continue reading “Preacher to Preacher: Selling the Ultimate Intangible”

Gardner C. Taylor is one of the towering figures of the 20th century pulpit, so it is no surprise that a book of essays on preaching that honor Taylor has been named our 2010 Preaching Book of the Year. Our Sufficiency Is of God: Essays on Preaching in Honor of Gardner C. Taylor (Mercer University … Continue reading “Collection Honoring Gardner C. Taylor Named Preaching Book of the Year”

Capernaum. Bethlehem. Jerusalem. We know the names of these towns and cities and so many more because of the role they played in the biblical story. As Christians, we are particularly drawn to the places where Jesus and His disciples lived and ministered two millennia ago. We look at the maps and study the background … Continue reading “Preaching in Living Color: How a Trip to Israel Will Add to Your Preaching”