pastors.com / Ministry Toolbox / Issue #327 - Home
|
|
|
|
Flavoring your sermons for impact
by Rick Warren
|
Preaching is more than gathering biblical facts and then spitting them out in front of your congregation each week. As Chuck Swindoll says, "You must work at being interesting. Boredom is a gross violation. Being dull is a grave offense. Irrelevance is a disgrace to the Gospel." You've got to flavor your sermons. Here are three ways I flavor my sermons at Saddleback. [more]
|
|
|
|
How healthy is your vineyard?
by Buddy Owens
It's easy for those of us in ministry to focus so heavily on the spiritual needs of others that we ignore our own. Buddy Owens encourages those in ministry to tend their own vineyards as they care for the vineyards of others.
[more]
|
|
| The Case for the Real Jesus |
 |
| Lee Strobel (Zondervan, 2007) |
|
|
It's no secret that in recent years the identity and message of Jesus has been under attack by the academic community. In his new book, journalist-turned-pastor Lee Strobel has investigated six of the most common claims made recently by doubting academics: that a different Jesus is seen in ancient documents that seems as credible as the four canonical Gospels; that tampering by the church has damaged the Bible's portrayal of Jesus; that new explanations refute Jesus' resurrection; that Christianity copied pagan religions regarding Jesus; that Jesus didn't fulfill messianic prophecies; and that contemporary people should be able to choose what to believe about Jesus. Strobel treats the subject with his usual excellence. The book will help equip you to talk to your congregation about some of these claims.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
"I don’t know exactly how my faith affects the spiritual battle that is waged for the souls of people, but I do know this: When I expect unbelievers to respond to Christ, more do so than when I don’t expect people to be saved." - Rick Warren
|
|
""Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." "
-
Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
|
|
Rick Warren's Ministry Toolbox archives - Get any of the past issues of Toolbox on this archive page. Past issues are catalogued by date and issue number.
How long before a new pastor feels a part of the church? - It's never easy to follow a long-time pastorate in the pulpit. This article shares a few ideas for making the transition effectively.
Small group childcare options - This practical tool can help you determine childcare options in your small groups.
Creative Lord's Supper services - Are you looking for ways spice up your Lord's Supper services? Check out this article.
|
|
S.H.A.P.E. increases ministry quality and quantity at Oregon church
- Manda Gibson
Purpose Driven for the mainline church
- Chris Nelson
Why pastors need to embrace technology
- Manda Gibson
Ignition: when God's man meets God's power
- Kenny Luck
Crossing into Canaanite land
- Brian Harper
Unlikely Servants – Part 2
- Mary Southerland
|
|
|
"If you make money your god, it will plague you like the devil."
- Henry Fielding
"God loves us as we are, not as we should be, for we will never be as we should be."
- David Busby
"Many important customer questions are answered in the first moments of a business interaction. Do staff members care to get to know me? Do they remember me? Will they take care of my needs? Do I matter? Am I invisible?"
- Joseph Michelli, The Starbucks Experience (McGraw-Hill, 2006)
Humor does make romantic relationships more stable. According to a 2007 survey, those couples where both partners said the other had a good sense of humor reported 67 percent less conflict than couples who thought neither had a good sense of humor.
- Source: David Niven, 100 Simple Secrets of Great Relationships
|
|
|
