It's been a snow filled winter here in New England! As a result, many pastors have had to cancel church - some for a couple weeks in a row. And as every pastor knows, when you cancel church, many people don't make up their giving (i.e. give next week what they would've given this week had church not been canceled). Even when most of the church gives online, you still can expect about half the normal offering when you cancel. Well this is one of many reasons that at New Day we keep two months … [Read more...]
12 Questions for Sermon Run Through
In a previous post I talked about the benefits of a sermon run through (to read that post click here). In this post I want to share with you the twelve questions I ask my staff after sharing my message with them on Thursday (the Thursday before I preach the message). Tell me what you liked about the message? What resonated with you the most? Why should people care about this topic? "Thanks God it's over!" or "Wow, is it over already?" If it was long, where can I cut? Are there pictures with … [Read more...]
The Preacher as Witness
In Acts 1:8 Jesus said “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” From this verse we learn that one of the roles of the preacher is to witness for Jesus (this isn't limited to preachers, but includes preachers). In this post we'll explore what it means to be Christ's witness in preaching. Whereas as the preacher as steward is a domestic illustration, and whereas the … [Read more...]
The Preacher as Witness
In Acts 1:8 Jesus said “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” From this verse we learn that one of the roles of the preacher is to witness for Jesus (this isn't limited to preachers, but includes preachers). In this post we'll explore what it means to be Christ's witness in preaching. Whereas as the preacher as steward is a domestic illustration, and whereas the … [Read more...]
Know Your Numbers
I once read a book called The Walmart Way by Don Soderquist. In this book I learned how Sam Walton lived by this saying: Know your numbers! He would carefully track any key metrics that might help him improve his business. Well Proverbs 27:23 basically says the same thing: Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds." Someone once taught me "You cannot manage what you do not measure." I think that's some good advice and I live by it. In 2012 we water … [Read more...]
How Google Can Help You Preach
When preparing for an upcoming sermon (or sermon series) I tap into the power of Google. For example, this past Sunday I preached a sermon called The Secrets of Attraction (in a series we're doing on the book of Song of Solomon). By creating a news alert for "attraction" Google was emailing me articles on that subject for weeks leading up to last Sunday. One of the articles gave me some great intro material to work with. Referencing the article I said "Here's the world's wisdom on what you ought … [Read more...]
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