In Preaching Articles: showing 1-30 of 49

What Time Is It?

By Ray Hollenbach on Feb 16, 2017

Jesus modeled agreement with the Father by doing God’s will in perilous times.

Scripture: Mark 1:14-15

Tags: Action, Fullness Of Time, Faith With Action, The Kingdom Of God

The Current Of Thanksgiving

By Ray Hollenbach on Nov 24, 2016

A simple prayer is taking root in me, teaching me the deep wisdom of gratitude, and changing my life.

Scripture: Psalms 73:28

Tags: Thanksgiving, Gratitude, Give Thanks, Prayer With Thanks

Growing Grace In God's Garden: The Church

By Ray Hollenbach on Feb 16, 2016

We have created a Christendom where we can choose churches the way most people choose restaurants: according to our individual tastes. How can we grow in grace when we a free to wander from one family to another?

Scripture: Luke 15:1-32, Ephesians 2:5-10

Tags: Preaching

We Remember Dr. King But Have We Missed His Message?

By Ray Hollenbach on Jan 18, 2016

Nearly every schoolchild can tell you Dr. King had a dream but perhaps only one in ten can articulate that dream.

How To Move Away From Watercolor Preaching

By Ray Hollenbach on Jan 4, 2016

Take ten minutes and write down the details from your preaching passage. Then ask yourself, “How can I help my listeners move from watercolor to the sharp clarity of oil?”

One Preacher's Guide To Great Preaching Through The Christmas Season

By Ray Hollenbach on Dec 5, 2015

Some people think the Christmas verses are the stuff of Christmas pageants and cheesy dramas. They are also fuel for great preaching.

Tags: Preaching

Thanksgiving And The Will Of God: A Preacher's Guide

By Ray Hollenbach on Nov 21, 2015

Thanksgiving sermons can sometimes sound like such a scolding, but guilt is a terrible motivation for giving thanks.

Scripture: Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Tags: Thanksgiving, Thanks, Motivation, Guilt

Jesus: Friend To Sinners, No Friend To Sin

By Ray Hollenbach on Nov 3, 2015

Sin is ravaging the church today, but the old ways of talking about sin clearly do not help us. We have to find new ways to talk about it.

Tags: Preaching

Is Your Leadership The Moses Model Or The Jesus Model?

By Ray Hollenbach on Oct 15, 2015

"He was the shepherd, they were the sheep—and sheep do not morph into shepherds."

Scripture: Genesis 3:6-12:2, Hebrews 1:1-5:10, Hebrews 3:1-6

Tags: Preaching

The Shocking Truth About Growing In Jesus

By Ray Hollenbach on Sep 15, 2015

Would you like to be a radical, against-the-gain follower of Jesus? Suggest this radical solution.

Scripture: Acts 11:19-26

Tags: Preaching

Why The Church? Six Bold Preaching Points

By Ray Hollenbach on Aug 22, 2015

The bottom line is this: Church is God’s idea, and we ignore it at our peril.

Scripture: Romans 1:1-12:15, Nehemiah 8:1-15

Tags: Forgiveness, Preaching, Equip, Church's Witness

3 Reasons Why I Give My Listeners Homework (And Why You Should, Too)

By Ray Hollenbach on Aug 11, 2015

When we ask something more of our congregation we will quickly discover whether we are preaching for spiritual entertainment or spiritual formation.

Tags: Discipleship

How To Preach Repentance Like It's Good News

By Ray Hollenbach on Jun 22, 2015

"Repent" is the first word of the good news. Belief comes as we help our listeners rethink a way of life based upon what God has already done.

Scripture: Mark 1:11-16:22

Tags: Good News

3 Obstacles Of Grace That Could Sabotage Your Preaching

By Ray Hollenbach on Jun 8, 2015

Great preaching proclaims the grace of God, and sometimes we need to clear away the obstacles to that grace.

Tags: Preaching

Grace Is A Divine Scandal, And That's How You Should Preach It

By Ray Hollenbach on May 27, 2015

Grace can be abused, grace can be played the fool, grace can be wasted--but grace doesn't care. Grace is the divine scandal.

Scripture: Galatians 2:21

Tags: Preaching

7 Memorial Day Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Preach

By Ray Hollenbach on May 21, 2015

Our nation may be tired of war, but we are not tired of remembering eternal values.

Scripture: Matthew 6:30-33, John 15:9-17

Tags: Preaching, Memorial Day, Kingdom Of God, Troublemaker

God Doesn't Need Cops In The Pulpit--He Needs Preachers

By Ray Hollenbach on Apr 24, 2015

There's a big difference between drawing a crowd and preaching a sermon. The church is desperate for life-giving preachers.

Tags: Preaching

After Easter: 50 Forgotten Days The Church Desperately Needs

By Ray Hollenbach on Apr 6, 2015

The days between Easter and Pentecost are usually an afterthought, yet they're the beginning of a journey into the age to come.

Tags: Easter, Outreach, Pentecost, Preaching

5 Preaching Gems For Maundy Thursday

By Ray Hollenbach on Apr 1, 2015

The Last Supper: More than history, more than a painting, it's the living example of how to go through stressful times.

Tags: Jesus, Easter, Preaching, Easter Maundy Thursday, The Last Supper  (view more)  (view less)

One Dozen Liberating Life Lessons That Give Pastors Rest For Their Souls

By Ray Hollenbach on Feb 20, 2015

We are loaded down with so many "shoulds," we find ourselves paralyzed by the inability to apply what we know.

Tags: Soul, Preaching, Life Lessons, Rest

Do We Preach A Grace That's Too Small?

By Ray Hollenbach on Jan 29, 2015

We've lined up the chairs in neat little rows and called it grace. We never noticed: it has broken free.

Scripture: Numbers 4:1-4

Tags: Grace, Preaching, King, Tyrant, Too Small  (view more)  (view less)

What Your Gospel Message Reveals About Your View Of The Gospel

By Ray Hollenbach on Dec 19, 2014

When we preach we plant seeds, but what will grow from the seeds we plant?

Tags: Ministry, Preaching, Conflict, Redemption, Gospel Message  (view more)  (view less)

4 Fresh Sermon Topics For The Christmas Season

By Ray Hollenbach on Nov 28, 2014

Some people think the Christmas verses are the stuff of Christmas pageants and cheesy dramas. They are also fuel for great preaching.

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-20

Tags: Christmas, Preaching, Dreams, God's Sovereignty, Family Crisis  (view more)  (view less)

3 Important Reasons Why You Should Preach On Thanksgiving A Month Early

By Ray Hollenbach on Oct 23, 2014

Everyone knows they're supposed to be thankful on Thanksgiving Day, but the heart-attitude won't kick in by magic; it has to be cultivated.

Scripture: Mark 6:45-52

Tags: Thanksgiving, Preaching, Thankfulness, Gratitude, Holiday Stress  (view more)  (view less)

Preaching That Makes Disciples: Three Texts You Must Preach

By Ray Hollenbach on Sep 24, 2014

For anyone who longs to preach about something more than a fire-insurance relationship with Jesus, these three passages will help you make disciples.

Scripture: Galatians 3:1-15

Tags: Preaching, Yoke, Make Disciples, Conformed, His Image  (view more)  (view less)

Preach The Way The Bible Preaches--Tell Stories!

By Ray Hollenbach on Jul 15, 2014

Those of us who feed God's flock must become God's storytellers. Here's the journey we must take.

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:5-9, Exodus 17:8-16

Tags: Parable, Preaching, Narrative, Storytelling

50 Forgotten Days The Church Desperately Needs

By Ray Hollenbach on Apr 21, 2014

The days between Easter and Pentecost are usually an afterthought, yet they can become an opportunity to preach the significance of the resurrection.

Tags: Easter, Resurrection, Pentecost, Preaching, Significance  (view more)  (view less)

What Kind Of Christians Will People Be If They Listen To Your Sermons For A Decade?

By Ray Hollenbach on Mar 8, 2014

Beyond the weekly phrase, "Good word, Preacher," the spiritual lives of the people in your church provide excellent feedback regarding the effectiveness of your preaching.

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:3-5:5

Tags: Believer, Preaching, Congregation, Generation, Spiritual Health  (view more)  (view less)

Three Foundational Passages For Growing Disciples Of Jesus

By Ray Hollenbach on Feb 20, 2014

"Try to imagine talking about your subject every single day for two years. If the idea still thrills you, you've found your topic."

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:5-14, 1 Corinthians 13:1-14, 1 Corinthians 13:4-16

Tags: Jesus, Gospel, Growth, Discipleship, Disciples  (view more)  (view less)

Fill Your Christmas Preaching With Nobodies

By Ray Hollenbach on Dec 13, 2013

Jesus was smuggled into Bethlehem through the womb of a teenage girl, who gave birth in a barn. That’s different.

Scripture: John 1:1-24:30

Tags: Mary, Christmas, Preaching, Nobody