I’m sure you know it’s easy to become cynical as a pastor.

The longer you work in ministry the more you can lose sight of why you got into this work in the first place.

This is why it’s so important to remind ourselves of what we have to be thankful for!

In this week’s video, I share 4 things I’m thankful for as a pastor. In these I believe you’ll find some things you can be thankful for as well.

It's easy to become cynical as a pastor - the longer you work in ministry the more you can lose sight of why you got into this work in the first place. This is why it's so important to remind ourselves of what we have to be thankful for! Here are 4 things I'm thankful for as a pastor. In these I believe you'll find some things you can be thankful for as well.

Have you ever been criticized as a pastor?

Criticism is going to come at you from all angles when you’re a pastor. It’s not a matter of if, but when. This applies not only to preachers but all leaders.

Anyone who is trying to do anything of significance is going to face criticism.

Sometimes criticism is based in some truth and we can learn from it.

Other times the criticism hurled at us is based in simple misunderstandings.

When it comes to preaching in particular, sometimes people hear what you didn’t say and other times they don’t hear what you did say. In both cases, misunderstandings happen which are usually followed closely by criticism.

So how do you deal with criticism when it comes at you? In this video, we are going to talk about criticism and discover some helpful tools deal with it in a way that doesn’t derail the important work that God has called us to do. Check it out.

Criticism is going to come at you from all angles when you're a pastor. It's not a matter of if, but when. This applies not only to preachers but all leaders as well. Anyone who is trying to do anything of significance is going to face criticism. Sometimes criticism is based in some truth and we can learn from it. Other times it's based in simple misunderstandings. It turns out, sometimes people hear what you didn't say and other times they don't hear what you said. In both cases, misunderstandings happen which are usually followed closely by criticism. So how do you deal with criticism when it comes at you? In this video, we are going to talk about criticism and discover some helpful tools to begin to expect it and deal with it in a way that does not derail the important work that God has called us to do.

How long should I preach?

That is an important question that we must answer intentionally as pastors. How long the sermon is can make a difference in your listener’s ability to listen and apply.

But, is there an ideal length for a sermon or does it depend on context?

What are some best-practices to keep in mind when determining how long to preach?

In this week’s video, we dive into those questions. 

How long should a sermon be? Is there an ideal time-limit or does it depend on context? How does sermon length vary from one denomination to another? What are some best-practices to keep in mind when determining how long to preach? We deal with all those questions and more in this video.

With Killer Sermons Academy open for just a few more days, I wanted to share something with you that’s been on my mind…

The more I work with preachers, the more frustrated I get with the bad information that’s out there about preaching. Here’s the myths many preachers are led to believe:

Myth 1: Spend thousands of dollars to go to seminary and learn how to give a technical, stilted sermon that makes their professor proud but doesn’t connect with real people.

Myth 2: Find their favorite one or two preacher(s) and just try to be like them.

Myth 3: Believe that more experience preaching will eventually lead to excellent preaching.

Myth 4: Settle into their preaching routine without discovering what truly engages people and keeps their attention.

Myth 5: Let every week feel like they’re cramming for a test last minute because they don’t have time to fit it all in.

Myth 6: Preach...

Have you ever wondered why some pastors seem to preach effective, compelling sermons on a consistent basis, and others struggle to get the sermon written and preached?

Is it that these preachers are smarter than the rest?

From what I’ve seen there is no ideal IQ or educational experience that can predict preaching success.

Is it that they have more time than other preachers? Maybe their days are 25 hours long?

Nope. Everyone has the exact same amount of time. 

Or is it that they have a big personality and that’s all it takes?

Personality may get you places, but it won’t get you all the way. To preach compelling, clear, Spirit-led, actionable, killer sermons consistently you’re going to need more than the force of your personality.

What every successful preacher needs is simple:

A calling from God and a desire to reach people.

Preaching, at its root, can be boiled down to those two things.

But I know what you’re...

What is "pep talk" preaching? It's the kind of preaching that might be true, but doesn't really need Jesus. It doesn't "need" the Holy Spirit's work because people can go and "live it out" without Jesus.

We want to avoid this kind of preaching. There is a better way! In this video we explore 3 ways to ensure that Jesus is the center of our preaching and it is empowered by the Holy Spirit.