Today's leading preachers share their expertise in preparing great sermons On top of all the responsibilities that comprise their vocation, pastors must write sermons that are original, insightful, useful, challenging, and comforting-once a week. This volume in The Preacher's Toolbox series explores the art and craft of sitting down to a blank page and writing a message that nourishes and speaks truth-to the listener. Every chapter, written by an expert in the field, provides insights and techniques that are the result of years of sermon preparation. Articles include: Writing a Good Message in a Bad Week, Scott Wenig Five Hammer Strokes for Creating Expository Sermon Outlines, Jeffrey Arthurs How Prayer Transforms Prep, Michael Lawrence If You Dislike Sermon Prep, Bill Hybels Four Ways to Get Out of a "One Pitch" Preaching Rut, Matt Woodley How to Plan and Package a Year of Sermon Series, David Daniels The Spiritual Importance of Being, an Emotionally Healthy Preacher, Pete Scazzerro A special hands-on section from leading pastors entitled "How I Prepare a Sermon" brings theory into practice and will give you the benefit of decades of experience. Contributors include: Timothy Keller Mark Driscoll Lee Eclov Matt Chandler Justin Buzzard and more Book jacket.

Sanctification | noun | sa(k)-t-f-k-shn : a big word for the little-by-little progress of the everyday Christian life Fighting sin is not easy. No one ever coasted into greater godliness. Christian growth takes effort. But we are not left alone. God loves to work the miracle of sanctification within us as we struggle for daily progress in holiness. With contributions from Kevin DeYoung, John Piper, Ed Welch, Russell Moore, David Mathis, and Jarvis Williams, this invigorating book will help you say no to the deception of sin and yes to true joy in Jesus.

When You Talk, Are People Changed? 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. Join Pastor Ray as he discovers that the secrets to successful speaking are parallel to the lessons a trucker learns on the road. By knowing your destination before you leave (identifying the one basic premise of your message), using your blinkers (making transitions obvious), and implementing five other practical points, you’ll drive your message home every time! “Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away…” “Once upon a time…” “In the beginning…” Great stories capture and hold an audience’s attention from start to finish. Why should it be any different when you stand up to speak? In Communicating for a Change, Andy Stanley and Lane Jones offer a unique strategy for communicators seeking to deliver captivating and practical messages. In this highly creative presentation, the authors unpack seven concepts that will empower you to engage and impact your audience in a way that leaves them wanting more. “Whether you are a senior pastor with weekly teaching responsibilities or a student pastor who has bern charged with engaging the hearts and minds of high school students, this book is a must-read.” -Bill Hybels, Senior pastor, Willow Creak Community Church “A very practical resource for every biblical communicator who wants to go from good to great.” -Ed Young, Senior pastor, Fellowship Church, Grapevine, Texas “To communicate effectively, you have to connect. Andy has been connecting with people for years, and now he’s sharing his insights with the rest of us.” -Jeff Foxworthy, Comedian Story Behind the Book Andy Stanley and Lane Jones are on staff at one of America ’s largest churches, North Point Community. Leaders of thousands of people, they regularly speak in front of large groups. They also listen to numerous speakers and know the disastrous effects of a poorly delivered message. This book is the result of their efforts to make public speaking—one of the most common fear-inducing activities known to mankind—simple, easy, and even enjoyable, so that God’s messages will readily produce the life-changing results they should.

You attend numerous presentations and meetings a year--filled with the typical dense and disorganized PowerPoint decks--and leave most of them thinking, "Well, that's an hour of my life I'll never get back." But out of this sea of mediocrity, a rare few rise up, captivating you and driving you to action. What makes these few so special? Despite what most people think, it's not because they were delivered well. It's because they were crafted in a way that deeply aligned with how your brain wants to consume information. The presentations that failed did so precisely because they violated the largely unknown "natural laws" that govern how people actually learn. In The Compelling Communicator, you will learn a proven process for designing presentations that touch your audience in a highly impactful way, motivating them to take your desired action by: Building around a small number of powerful ideas Keeping content within the audience's "brain bandwidth" Developing logical narrative structure Anchoring communication in the listener's priorities Creating "mind-sticky" storytelling and visuals Crafting handouts that allow your presentation to live on after the handshakes Filled with examples of exceptional--and not so exceptional--presentations, along with clear explanations of why they do and don't work, this comprehensive guidebook provides every tool you need to become a standout presenter whose message is certain to leave a powerful, lasting impression.

"The Bible is what God has made. Sermons are what we make with what God has made." This is the foundation for developing expository messages, according to Ramesh Richard. His method, explained in Preparing Expository Sermons, has been field-tested in training seminars for thousands of preachers around the world. Richard's book is a simple do-it-yourself resource for developing and preaching expository sermons. It guides the reader through a seven-step process, with many practical suggestions and illustrative charts along the way. In addition, there are eleven appendixes that include information on: o how to choose a text o preaching narratives o understanding your audience o forms of sermon introduction A comprehensive sermon evaluation questionnaire is included as well. Preparing Expository Sermons, an updated and expanded version of Scripture Sculpture, is ideal for beginning preachers, lay preachers without formal training, or any pastor who is looking for a refresher course in expository sermon preparation.

A closer look at the Holy Spirit's role in sermon preparation and delivery, Spirit-Led Preaching helps pastors and professors better emphasize the important combination of Word and Spirit when sharing the gospel.

Preaching Magazine's 2015 Book of the Year If you are a pastor, you know the importance of preaching. You have spent time learning and refining the art of preaching because it is vital to the life of God's people—including the preacher. But you probably also find it challenging. On Preaching is a masterful resource that will refresh your soul and revitalize your preaching ministry. Drawing upon Scripture and years of preaching experience, H. B. Charles offers a practical resource for pastors, seminarians, church planters, and Bible teachers that is full of energy and wonderfully enjoyable. He gives tips like, "Avoid indecent exposure—get your wife's permission before using your family in the message" and "Illustrate! A good illustration is like a window on a house. It helps your listeners see in or out." Written in a very clear and concise manner, this resource is formatted into 30 short chapters that can easily be read as a devotional. On Preaching will encourage seasoned preachers to dig deeper into the basics as they pause and reflect on the effectiveness of their ministry. It will also serve as a spring board for those who are just beginning a preaching ministry.

On the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons is a timeless classic that has guided generations of preachers in the art of homiletics. In this original edition, John A. Broadus provides practical rules, suggestions, and insights for effective sermon preparation and delivery. Whether you’re a seasoned minister or a novice preacher, this comprehensive work equips you with the tools needed to communicate God’s Word with clarity and impact.