Presentation
Three Elements We Think Every Church Service Needs
From time to time, I get to visit other church services. Sometimes, I’m consulting. Sometimes, I’m preaching. And sometimes, I’m attending. I absolutely LOVE seeing what God is doing in churches all over the country. Here are three things I think EVERY church service should have, to help your congregation connect with what’s happening. A…
Read MoreThree Powerful Ways to Start Your Sermon
Most communicators understand that their message introduction must capture the attention of the congregation, or half of them will be asleep by first point on the outline. However, the best openers not only get attention, they get people thinking differently— opening the path to transformed living. Powerful communicators don’t wait for the conclusion to issue…
Read MoreThe Ten Commandments of Preaching
God gave the original Ten Commandments to Moses and the Nation of Israel from the top of Mount Sinai. These commandments aren’t in the Bible, and they weren’t written in stone. But breaking them could keep you from connecting with your congregation. Here are the Ten Commandments of Preaching. Thou shalt not preach stolen sermons.…
Read MoreThree Powerful Ways to Start Your Sermon
Euripides said a bad beginning makes a bad ending. That’s definitely true in sermons. Like a front porch of a house, your introduction should welcome people to the message. Your first five minutes are really important. They often determine if people will listen to the rest of the minutes. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “I felt that…
Read MoreWhat Preachers Can Learn from the Best Business Communicators
I remember three things about the iPhone launch: 1. I was at home sick with the flu. 2. It was the first time I had ever watched Steve Jobs give a presentation. 3. After he was done, I really wanted an iPhone. I’ll be the first to admit that a sermon is different than a…
Read MoreWhat You Will Never Hear in Seminary About Preaching
I loved seminary. I really did. There is no substitute for on-the-job training and doing ministry in a real church, but there was no better way to learn the Bible. Those Bible classes were great. Though I have a Masters of Divinity, there were a few things I didn’t learn about preaching in seminary. It…
Read More5 Tips on Finding Your Own Voice
One of the Preaching Rocket core values is: Stop Downloading Sermons and Preach You’re Own. The reason we’re passionate about this is because we know that God has given you a unique voice and life experiences to share with others. We want every preacher we work with to find their own voice. Here are five…
Read MoreFive Things Every Sermon Needs
The word “sermon” comes from an old Latin word meaning “discourse.” But a sermon is far more important than a speech. A properly prepared and delivered message is powerful thing – God’s truth delivered through the voice of a herald. In most church services, the sermon is a central element. It’s too important to cut-and-paste.…
Read MoreWhy Stories Work Better than Bullet Points
Before there were books, movies and YouTube videos, there were stories. Passed down from generation to generation, stories told us where we came from and who we are. If you want your congregation to remember the concepts you’re preaching, tell a story. If you want your congregation to apply the Biblical principles you’re teaching, tell…
Read More7 Preaching Stories You Can Use in Your Sermons
Here are seven interesting preaching stories to save in your files, along with a quick thought on how you can use them in your sermons. A Texas police officer writes a ticket, but folded a $100 bill inside the citation. Read the story about #grace. God gives us a great gift, even though we are…
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