Ministry Preaching

Like everyone else, preachers long to be understood. Unfortunately, the rules first learned in seminary, if misapplied, can quickly turn homiletic precision into listener boredom. To capture heart and mind, authors Mark Galli and Craig Larson suggest preachers turn to the lessons of journalism. Within this book, they show how the same keys used to create effective, captivating communication in the media can transform a sermon.

Whether you speak from the pulpit, podium, or the front of a classroom, you don't need much more than blank stares and faraway looks to tell you you’re not connecting. Take heart before your audience takes leave! You can convey your message in the powerful, life-changing way it deserves to be told. An insightful, entertaining parable that's an excellent guide for any speaker, Communicating for a Change takes a simple approach to delivering effectively.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones, commonly referred to as “the Doctor,” had a successful career in medicine before abandoning it all to become a preacher in London. His sermons—displaying the life-changing power of biblical truth—diagnosed the spiritual condition of his congregation and prescribed the gospel remedy. This study of Lloyd-Jones’s life will encourage and exhort listeners to consider the role of the knowledge of God, the power of the Spirit, and the fullness of Christ in their daily lives, allowing them to discover the inseparable union of doctrine and the Christian life.

Jerry Jones lays the theological groundwork for the basis of preaching, presents the case for the priority of preaching, and demonstrates the fundamental necessity of preaching in the church. Drawing from the extensive experience of a lifetime of preaching the gospel, the author distills the key elements of preaching into a book that preachers young and old will have a hard time pausing.

This volume consists of a series of messages delivered by the noted Chinese pastor-teacher Watchman Nee during a training period for workers held in Kuling, Foochow, China, in 1948.

In Effective Biblical Counseling, Gold Medallion Award-winning author Dr. Larry Crabb presents a model of counseling that can be gracefully integrated into the functioning of the local church. He asserts that counseling is simply a relationship between people who care and that its goal is to free people to better worship and serve God.

In The Path to Being a Pastor, Bobby Jamieson explains why it’s better to emphasize “aspiration” over “calling” as men pursue the office of elder and encourages listeners to make sure they are pastorally gifted before considering the role. He shares from his own 11-year experience preparing to be a pastor by walking potential leaders through different stages of ministry training.

The Homiletical Plot, Expanded Edition follows in the same solid tradition of its predecessor. Upon its release, The Homiletical Plot quickly became a pivotal work on the art of preaching. Instead of comments on a biblical passage, Lowry suggested that the sermon follow a narrative form that moves from beginning to end, as with the plot of a story. This expanded edition continues to be an excellent teaching resource and learning tool for all preachers, from introductory students to seasoned clergy.

Have you ever felt in over your head? When Eric Peterson became the pastor of a brand-new church, he quickly and wisely turned to his dad for guidance. Eugene Peterson, author of more than 30 books, including his best-selling memoir The Pastor and his groundbreaking Bible The Message, here reflects on pastoral ministry in all its complexity - from relationships to administration to the sheer audacity of leading God’s people in a particular place. This is Eugene Peterson at his best - lifelong wisdom written with deep love.

Grounded in both solid theology and communication theory, Devote Yourself to the Public Reading of Scripture will teach listeners how to present Scripture in a compelling way. The book's comprehensive approach includes everything from simple delivery skills to the history of public reading, how to build a culture that values public reading, group reading, and how to prepare yourself spiritually, mentally, and emotionally for public reading.

As an individual, you may ask, how can I, an average person, do anything to reach the lost? Or if a pastor, you may be discouraged and feel ineffective with your congregation, much less the world. Or perhaps you don't yet have a heart for the lost. Whatever your excuse, it's time to change. Overcome yourself and learn to make a difference in your church and the world around you. It's time to become an effective soul winner for Christ.

Featuring interviews with preachers such as Tom Foster, Stan Gleason, T. F. Tenney, Claudette Walker, Raymond Woodward, and many more, Life Preaching "presents preaching from the human perspective based on interviews with some of the outstanding preachers of our day. The author skillfully introduces the topic with solid commentary, and then illuminates it with the experiences and accumulated wisdom of those who have lived the preacher’s life.

C.H. Spurgeon, in 1800s England, said "Everywhere there is apathy. Nobody cares whether that which is preached is true or false. A sermon is a sermon whatever the subject; only, the shorter it is the better." Until all that changes, until we return to our calling to go into all the world and preach the Gospel without shame, the Church is in danger of losing its impact on society. And that would be our generation's greatest loss.

300 Biblical Outlines to assist anyone who needs to write a sermon, teach a Sunday School class, lead a devotional or present a Scripture lesson in any format. Simple outlines with little commentary from a minister with over 25 years of sermon writing experience, these outlines are sure to inspire messages true to the Inspired Word of God, cross-denominationally. Includes messages for Christmas, Easter and funerals as well as several tested Bible-based messages to encourage believers in Christ.

Cardinal Ratzinger compellingly shows us the biblical, historical, and theological dimensions of the Eucharist. The cardinal draws far-reaching conclusions, focusing on the importance of one's personal devotion to and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, for the personal reception of communion by the individual christian, as well as for the life of the church. For Ratzinger, any transformation of the world on the social plane grows out of the celebration of the Eucharist. He beautifully illustrates how the omnipotent God comes intimately close to us in the Holy Eucharist, the heart of life.

Kim Clement has had many critics over the years, but the movers and shakers in the world are sitting up and taking notice of this out-of-the-box prophet. In his new book, Kim shares some of the amazing stories of accurate prophecies that God has been giving him. The personal words shared with individuals in his meetings are incredible enough, but the words he has been given on a national and even worldwide scale lift him into a realm not shared by many. His passion expressed here is to make it clear that anyone can hear and be the voice of God in the earth.

Charles Grandison Finney (1792-1875) was a Presbyterian minister and a leader of the Second Great Awakening in the United States. He has been called “The Father of Modern Revivalism”. These powerful lectures deal with religious revival, how to encourage or promote it, and explaining how a revival experience may be maintained in the life of the Christian and in the life of the church. The author considered a religious revival as a new beginning of obedience to God.

"Sixty years ago I found myself distracted," Eugene Peterson writes. "A chasm had developed between the way I was preaching from the pulpit and my deepest convictions on what it meant to be a pastor."

And so began Peterson's journey to live and teach a life of congruence - congruence between preaching and living, between what we do and the way we do it, between what is written in scripture and how we live out that truth.

Nothing captures the biblical foundation for this journey better than Peterson's teachings over his 29 years as a pastor.

As an English-speaking denomination, Baptists originated within 17th-century Puritanism as an offshoot of Congregationalism. English Baptists migrated to the American colonies during the 17th century. During the 18th century, the Great Awakening resulted in the expansion of the denomination, and the conversion of many slaves to Baptist churches. Baptist congregations formed their first national organization the Triennial Convention in the early 1800.

Preaching is hard work. When I first felt called to ministry, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. This little book is the kind of resource I wish I had way back when I felt the call to ministry. There were good books on preaching, but most lacked the practical tips I needed. I knew why I preached and what to preach. What I didn't know was how to preach. I needed short, practical tips to get me started in the right direction.