Sooner or later, every pastor will be called on to conduct special services. Baptisms, weddings, funerals, infant presentations, and evangelistic services, each in their own way, challenge pastors to find the right words to mark the occasion. Preaching for Special Services will help pastors prepare sermons for these special services. Each chapter explores a different occasion and offers the perspective, encouragement, and practical advice that pastors need as they plan their messages. Through this useful book, pastors will discover how Christ-centered special occasion preaching can make a difference in the lives of their listeners.

These messages offer dynamic preaching approaches for every Christian celebration from Thanksgiving through Pentecost, and for special holidays.

In the homiletics field, a text has been needed that blends hermeneutics, sermon development, and sermon delivery. Engaging Exposition fills that gap with what its experienced authors call a "3-D approach" to preaching. Bill Curtis writes about the Discovery process—how to equip the student to discover the meaning of a biblical text by using sound principles of interpretation, and to move from biblical analysis to biblical interpretation. Danny Akin addresses the Development process—how to equip the student to develop expository sermons based upon results of the interpretive process, and to move from the Main Idea of the Text (MIT) to the completed sermon. Stephen Rummage explains the Delivery process—how to equip students to deliver expository messages using the completed sermon, and to move from an understanding of speech communication principles to persuasive delivery.

A treasure chest of stories, quotes, sermon outlines, dedications and other sermon helps for pastors, this resource is an excellent companion to The Year-Round Church Event Book. An easy-to-use index will aid pastors, lay leaders and Bible study teachers in finding just the right illustration for any occasion -- from baptisms to weddings, from Mother's Day to the National Day of Prayer and from New Year's Day to Christmas. The shorter stories and quotes are suitable for newsletters and church bulletins. A great addition to any leader's resource library or bookshelf.

Advent devotional on 1 Corinthians 13, reflecting on the source of authentic, divine, transforming love. Advent devotional on 1 Corinthians 13, reflecting on the source of authentic, divine, transforming love. Everyone seems to say that Christmas is about love. It’s in the songs we hear as we shop for presents and in the adverts we see on TV. It’s in the cards we send and on the gift tags we write. And Christians can agree. Christmas really is about love, because love came down at Christmas in the person of Jesus Christ. This Advent devotional contains 24 daily readings from 1 Corinthians 13. Sinclair B Ferguson brings the rich theology of the incarnation to life with his trademark warmth and clarity. We'll see what “love” looked like in the life of Christ and be challenged to love like him. Each day's reading finishes with a question for reflection and a prayer. However you're feeling, your heart will be refreshed as you wonder again at the truth that love came down at Christmas.