November 5, 2025
When a Plan Comes Together
A sermon should be long enough to adequately exegete and apply the main point of the passage, but short enough to leave mature Christians willing to listen a few minutes longer.
Articles for tag: Homiletics
THROWBACK THURSDAY: Thistle’s ‘Seven Multisyllabic Mistakes in Preaching’ (1990)
In this "Epistle from Thistle," the columnist and correspondent describes (in his own unique way) "seven multisyllabic mistakes, or 'speaking faults,' preachers or, I suppose, any public speaker can make." . . .
5 Preaching Tips from C.S. Lewis
In a letter to a seventh-grade girl from 1959, C.S. Lewis shared eight pieces of writing advice, the first five of which I believe to be quite relevant for preachers.
5 Sources for Illustrations to Enhance Your Sermons
By Chris Philbeck In the 1990s, while serving a church in Oklahoma, I took all my elders to the Leadership Conference at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. During the opening session, our church was awarded a yearlong subscription to SECC’s weekly tape ministry for being the church that came the farthest with their entire board of elders. So, over the next year, I had the opportunity to listen to weekend messages delivered by Bob Russell and Dave Stone. I still remember many of those messages, including one from Dave about the urgency of reaching lost people. To illustrate the
December 5, 2022
The Preaching Elder
e2:effective elders has created a four-part resource designed to empower elders to preach. "The Preaching Elder: Refilling the Preaching Pipeline" was created especially with elders in mind—to offer training through a book and other resources to help with a need that has developed because of a diminishing preaching pipeline.
What They Didn’t Teach Me in Bible College
I am thankful for my time in Bible college. I enrolled at Ozark Christian College in the fall of 1976 and while there I developed lifelong friendships, a greater understanding of the Scriptures, and a deep love for preaching. Don DeWelt was my homiletics professor, and every class was memorable. That course provided me with a better understanding of how to preach, and it awakened my love for preaching. But it wasn’t just my homiletics class, it was also the opportunity to hear great preachers in chapel services and at special events. I learned about preaching with passion by listening
October 11, 2015
Integrity in Preaching
By Daniel Overdorf Stories abound of preachers and plagiarism. Some are funny: “When Chuck Swindoll starts preaching better sermons, so will I!” Or, “If I use one source, it”s plagiarism; if I use two sources, it”s research.” Other stories, though, are heartbreaking. Churches have fired ministers for preaching sermons downloaded from the Internet. Other preachers have kept their jobs but split their churches””half their members not wanting to serve with a leader they feel has broken a bond of trust. Plagiarism is using someone else”s material without giving credit. And it tempts even the most faithful of us. The temptation
May 24, 2014
A Statesman, a Theologian, and a Preacher
By LeRoy Lawson A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America Stacy Schiff New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2005Â Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology Eugene Peterson Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2005 One Year to Better Preaching: 52 Exercises to Hone Your Skills Daniel Overdorf Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2013 Sometimes it pays to look pathetic””or eager””or greedy. I don”t know exactly what my friend saw in my face, but before I left his house that evening he gave me two books. The first was a bit of nonsense featuring
Women Preaching
By Brian Mavis Colleges are training them. Churches are using them. And Christ is being exalted. Here”s what we learned when we talked to women who preach and the professors who have taught them. Jodi Hickerson”s journey of becoming a preaching/teaching pastor began at 19 when she joined the teaching team for the high school ministry at Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky. A few years later she was part of the programming team at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, and then at 26 became one of the teaching pastors at Heartland Community Church, Rockford, Illinois. Today she is
June 6, 2010
What Is a Sermon? A Survey of Scripture . . .
Mark Scott explores what a sermon is, how Scripture describes preaching, and what faithful sermons should accomplish in the hearts and lives of listeners.
June 2, 2010
Interview with Mike Claypool
Mike Claypool discusses preaching, sermon preparation, collaboration, and life change, sharing how Scripture, personal suffering, and pastoral authenticity shape his ministry.
July 22, 2007
What’s Happening with Contemporary Preaching?
Contemporary preaching comes in many forms, but common threads are emerging. Chuck Sackett highlights investment, involvement, invention, and response—then offers wise cautions for staying faithful while adapting methods.
November 30, 2005
STOLEN SERMONS: Readers Offer Insights
In the October 2 issue, Editor Mark A. Taylor asked readers to share their thoughts about original sermons, Sunday-evening worship, and any other topic you wished to expound upon. We have received more than a dozen letters/e-mails related to original sermons and Sunday night sermons, and we are sharing them with you here. (To send us your comments, just click here.) Before we get going, here are some links that might be helpful: “The Problems With Original Preaching” by Mark A. Taylor “Integrity in the Pulpit” by Dean M. Christensen “How to Preach Like an Amateur” by Eddie Lowen Letters
October 2, 2005
Integrity in the Pulpit
Pulpit plagiarism isn’t just “borrowing”—it’s deception. Dean M. Christensen defines sermon plagiarism, explains why it happens, and offers a simple solution: give clear attribution and model integrity in the pulpit.
October 2, 2005
How to Preach Like an Amateur
Eddie Lowen offers two preaching principles: sermons must be biblical (even if not narrowly expository) and must be personal, with integrity in how preachers use and credit sermon material.
June 12, 2005
Five Keys for Effective Teaching and Preaching
Strong communication shapes how people perceive a church. Jim Tune shares five practical keys—preparation, clear structure, respect for time, effective storytelling, and wise use of technology—to help teaching and preaching move from dull to dynamic.
