Sermon Resources on Public Speaking

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Speaking and Listening

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Ecclesiastes 3:1 , 1 Kings 3:16-28 , Proverbs 25:11, James 1:19, Colossians 4:6, Psalm 19:14

In 1963, the politician, ambassador, and one-time presidential candidate Adlai E. Stevenson addressed the students of Princeton University with a touch of humor. “I understand I am here to speak, and ...

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Rather Be in the Casket

Author

Jerry Seinfeld

Keywords

I saw a study that said, the number one fear of the average person is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two! How in the world is that? That means to most people, if you have to go ...

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Author

George W. Bush

Keywords

There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again.

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Narcissism in the Pulpit?

Author

Chuck DeGroat

Keywords

A colleague of mine often says that ministry is a magnet for narcissistic personality—who else would want to speak on behalf of God every week? While the vast majority of people struggle with public s...

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15 Great Quotes from Chuck DeGroat's Book When Narcissism Comes to Church

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Book Reviews

Scripture

Philippians 3:7-11

Chuck DeGroat's When Narcissism Comes to Church is a crucial work for anyone working close to ministers. It sheds light on some of the more pervasive behavior we see in the celebrity pastor or...

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Chalking the Door

Author

The Pastor's Workshop

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 60:1-6, Matthew 2:1-12

In many parts of the world, on Epiphany, you will see a strange formula chalked above the doors of local homes. In 2024, it would read: 20 ✝ C ✝ M ✝  B ✝ 24 The “chalking of the doors” is an ...

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Scarcity vs. Abundance

Author

John C. Maxwell

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 41:14-44, Nehemiah 2:1-8 , 1 Kings 17:8-16, Luke 16:10, Psalm 37:5-6 , Galatians 6:9

Nick believed his purpose was to speak to audiences, to become a motivational speaker, yet he had no experience, no resources, and no invitations. He decided to begin calling schools and offering to s...

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About Anti-Asian Racism in America (And What Your Church Can Do About)

Author

Jin Cho

Keywords

Scripture

Revelation 7:9

The following article was originally written for the author’s denominational newsletter as part of the celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. It is meant to provide some insights into t...

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Where Were the Humanists?

Author

Timothy Keller

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Scripture

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, Isaiah 41:10, Revelation 21:4, John 14:1-3, Romans 8:38-39, Psalm 34:18, 2 Corinthians 5:1

Not long after the December 2012 Newtown shootings, and all the speeches by civic leaders, memorial services, and funerals were over, Samuel G. Freedman wrote a column in The New York Times titled “In...

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The Politics of Ministry Book Review & Quotes

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Philippians 2:21

Picture this: you are just about a year into your first call as a minister. Everything seems to be going swimmingly. You caught up with a seminary friend over the weekend and you slightly brag about h...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Matthew 3:1-12

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 3:1-12

Ancient Lens What can we learn from the historical context? The Waiting Hurts For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is ...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Luke 14:1, 7-14

Author

Andrew Van Kirk

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 14:1, 7-14, Luke 18:14

Guests? Or Hosts? After picking up the first verse of the chapter in order to provide a setting for Jesus’ words, this week’s gospel reading contains two teachings. The first (v. 7-11) is addressed t...

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The Call to Worship — An Introduction

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Step back in time to when you weren’t leading worship, but to a time, whether as an adult or a child, when you arrived a few minutes early to church. Maybe you began to pray for God to help you focus ...

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Slow Down. Be Considerate. Be Aware

Author

Ryan Holiday

Keywords

Scripture

1 Samuel 16:7, Proverbs 4:7, Philippians 2:3-4, Matthew 7:12, James 1:19

In the intro sequence of the beloved children’s show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood , the first interior shot does not show the host. Instead, in the beat before Fred Rogers appears on the screen si...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Isaiah 50:4-9a

Author

Allen Thompson

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Ancient lens What's the historical context? The Servant of the Lord This is the third of Isaiah’s four “Servant Songs,” which display the posture of the true and perfect Servant of the Lord. ...

lectionary

12th Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Andrew Van Kirk

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 14:1, 7-14, Luke 18:14

Guests? Or Hosts? After picking up the first verse of the chapter in order to provide a setting for Jesus’ words, this week’s gospel reading contains two teachings. The first (v. 7-11) is addressed t...

lectionary

25th Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Allen Thompson

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 12:38-44

Ancient Lens What's the historical context? Context in Mark Recall the context. In chapter 11, Jesus entered Jerusalem to much acclaim and briefly entered the temple (vv. 1-11). The next day,...

lectionary

Sixth Sunday in Lent, Liturgy of the Palms

Author

Allen Thompson

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Lent 2024: Do This in Remembrance Remembering the Servant's Ascent AIM commentary Ancient lens What's the historical context? The Servant of the Lord This is the third of Isaiah’s...

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Truth in the Pulpit: Why Intellectual Integrity Matters for Pastors

Author

William Rowley

Keywords

While sexual sin, financial scandals, and toxic work environments hurt pastoral credibility, a more subtle, and probably more common danger is carelessness with the truth. Intellectual integrity matte...

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Justice Requires Action

Author

Michelle Ferrigno Warren

Keywords

Justice

Scripture

Proverbs 1:20-22, John 3:18, Isaiah 5:24

Injustice is not okay. In recent years, people have been waking up, some for the first time to the reality that systems do not work for everyone, that civic engagement is important and that leadershi...

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A Worship Planning Guide for Pastors: Why 'Liturgy' Isn't a Four-Letter Word

Author

Daniel Korneychuk

Keywords

The foundations of my Christian faith were laid in mid-20th century fundamentalist churches. For introducing me to Jesus, I am grateful. However, over the years I have had to cast aside and recover fr...

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Emotions are Divine: Why Pastors Need Biblical Permission to Feel

Author

David Lamb

Keywords

Scripture

John 11:35, Psalm 5:5, Psalm 6:1, Psalm 78:58, Psalm 78:40, Psalm 18:19, Psalm 25:6, Psalm 5:7, Exodus 20:5, Exodus 22:23, Isaiah 15:5, Luke 15:null, Genesis 23:2, Genesis 42:24, 1 Samuel 1:10, 2 Samuel 1:11-12, 2 Kings 8:11-12, 2 Kings 22:18-20, Mark 14:72, John 20:11, Acts 20:37, Revelation 5:4

When the Professor Weeps: A Personal Story About ten years ago, I was teaching a course on the psalms for my seminary students in the midst of a personal health crisis. It wasn’t in my notes, but I ...

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Preaching in Context: Between Two Worlds

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Culture

Different Attitudes on Prayer This past Sunday was the first time I've been in worship at our local church in some time, and it was a wonderful service. The liturgy was inspiring, the praise musi...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide Luke 6:17-26

Author

Jacob Traeger

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 6:17-26, Matthew 5:1-12, Luke 4:33, Luke 16:19-31, Psalm 9:10, Psalm 12:6, Isaiah 41:17, Zephaniah 3:12, Luke 4:18, James 4:8-10, Luke 5:11, 28, Luke 14:25-33, 1 Peter 4:14, Jeremiah 17:5-10, Jeremiah 6:13

The context The beatitudes are one of the most well-known aspects of Jesus teaching. As in the more familiar account in Matthew (5:1-12), Luke presents these words as Jesus’ first public teaching; hi...

lectionary

Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

Author

Jacob Traeger

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 6:17-26, Matthew 5:1-12, Luke 4:33, Luke 16:19-31, Psalm 9:10, Psalm 12:6, Isaiah 41:17, Zephaniah 3:12, Luke 4:18, James 4:8-10, Luke 5:11, 28, Luke 14:25-33, 1 Peter 4:14, Jeremiah 6:13

Preaching Commentary The context The beatitudes are one of the most well-known aspects of Jesus teaching. As in the more familiar account in Matthew (5:1-12), Luke presents these words as Jesus’ fi...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide Mark 1:29-39

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 1:29-39, Mark 1:21-28

The Fast-Paced Gospel “Immediacy” defines the Gospel of Mark’s rendition of Jesus’ ministry. Its fast pace reads like a comic strip of heroic proportions. Before one miraculous event is over another ...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Psalm 51:1-17 (Guide A)

Author

Jin Cho

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 51:1-17, Psalm 51:1-17, Psalm 51:null, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:17, Romans 6:4, 2 Samuel 12:null

Introduction Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent: a time of penitence, fasting, and prayer, in preparation for the great feast of resurrection. The season of Len...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide Ephesians 3:14-21

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 3:14-21, 2 Samuel 11:1-15, Psalm 14:, Ephesians 2:19-22, John 6:1-21, Colossians 1:16, Luke 11:2, Psalm 95:6, Galatians 5:

Questions for Consideration What does a prayer reveal about a person? What do you most often pray for/about and what might that reveal about you? A Beautiful and Compelling Gospel Prayer The...

lectionary

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Scott B. Bullock

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 3:14-21, Colossians 1:16, Luke 11:2, Psalm 95:6, Galatians 5:null, Ephesians 2:19-22

Preaching commentary Questions for Consideration What does a prayer reveal about a person? What do you most often pray for/about and what might that reveal about you? A Beautiful and Compel...

lectionary

Ash Wednesday

Author

Jin Cho

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 51:1-17, Psalm 51:1-17, Psalm 51:null, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:17, Romans 6:4, 2 Samuel 12:null

Lent 2021: A 40-day Heart Restoration The Broken Heart Bonus Content: Video prep session with Jin Cho on Psalm 51 . Password: Bn*=61p! AIM Commentary Introduction Ash Wednesday Ash Wednes...

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