Articles on preaching, leadership, and ministry.
Read practical encouragement for preaching, pastoral leadership, communication, and the inner life of the preacher.
This archive includes older writing from previous seasons of Preaching for Change, preserved and reframed as part of the larger sermon-resource library.
Useful for
- Preaching encouragement
- Pastoral leadership
- Church health
- Communication and teaching
- The preacher's inner life
Latest articles
Browse the current article archive. Older posts remain available for historical continuity, and stronger pieces can be refreshed over time.
3 “Voices” of Pastoral Leadership
Effective spiritual communicators will learn that there are three particular voices in which pastors must be willing to speak to influence people.
This is No Time to Preach in Neutral
In Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts, her wonderful book about vulnerability as the key to influential leadership, Brené Brown proclaims a simple and powerful truth, “Clarity is kind.” And on the other side of the same coin, “A lack of...
The Dream of an Uncluttered Church
In light of our rapidly shifting cultural surroundings, it may be more vital than ever before that we focus on the ancient practices and purposes.
5 People You Don’t Have to Try to Please Anymore
Charles Stone pegged pastors and church leaders well with his book People-Pleasing Pastors, which I highly recommend. I have struggled with people-pleasing for most of my life. As a kid, I think I had a positive tendency to want to obey authorities in my life, but as...
Dear Pastor, You Are Never as Alone as You Feel Like You Are
You’re not alone. You never were and you never will be. Jesus stands beside you. Thousands of other shepherds join arms with you.
3 Ministries of Every Church Staff Member
If you care about developing people into more influential leaders and growing the kingdom as much as you care about growing your institutional machinery, you’ll at least open yourself to the possibility of releasing your staff to think more about the lost than your church and also spend time investing in their peers.
5 Thoughts About “Excellence” in Ministry
Never allow a lack of resources to become an excuse that deters you from doing the very best you can with what you have. Commit to excellence.
When You’re Ready to Transition Out of Vocational Pastoral Ministry
In April 2021, my wife and I stepped down as pastors of the church we'd started planting a decade earlier. It was one of the hardest decisions we'd ever made as a couple. But looking back, we can see that it was a necessary ending. And what do I mean by a "necessary...
Preaching as an Invitation, Not Manipulation
When does preaching cross the line from influencing people to manipulating them? That depends on whether we are respecting people’s freedom.
Four Promises Churches and Their Leaders Should Stop Making
It’s tempting to market the church with promises of connection, significance, and security. But we’ve failed far too often to keep these promises, so perhaps humility is in order as we work on changing things for the better.
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