The Often Overlooked Source for Sermon Inspiration (Or What Hiking in Indiana Taught Me About God's Glory)
Spirituality, Process Lisa Cressman Spirituality, Process Lisa Cressman

The Often Overlooked Source for Sermon Inspiration (Or What Hiking in Indiana Taught Me About God's Glory)

God's glory is revealed in the small as well as the big: in the sparrow and the heavens, the mustard seed and the mountains, the little children and the disciples. And our preaching grows stronger when we learn to attune ourselves to the way God appears in the smallest details of the Bible's stories and text. 

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Overcoming Sermon Procrastination: How to Get to Work When You Don't Know Where to Start
Process, Inspiration & Growth Lisa Cressman Process, Inspiration & Growth Lisa Cressman

Overcoming Sermon Procrastination: How to Get to Work When You Don't Know Where to Start

Sometimes, what looks like procrastination is actually failure to make a decision. After all the decisions we have to make, What am I going to preach? can feel like the Everest of decisions. As a result, we put our sermon prep off. But we can anticipate this difficulty and plan for success. 

How do we overcome the fatigue that causes us to put off our sermon prep? How do we just get started?

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Eight Ways Thinking like a Coach Can Improve Your Sermon
Process Lisa Cressman Process Lisa Cressman

Eight Ways Thinking like a Coach Can Improve Your Sermon

Adults learn differently than children, and that means putting different principles to work. There's even a word for teaching adults: "andragogy" (as opposed to pedagogy).

The coaching relationship may best capture the nuance of these distinctions. You can learn to think like a coach with these take-aways from the article "Transformative Learning: Another Perspective On Adult Learning" by Connie Malamed.

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Three Sermons in Two Days? No Sweat! How to Plan for Your Christmas Weekend Preaching Marathon
Process, Holiday/Special Sermons Lisa Cressman Process, Holiday/Special Sermons Lisa Cressman

Three Sermons in Two Days? No Sweat! How to Plan for Your Christmas Weekend Preaching Marathon

With three sermons to preach in two days, Christmas weekend will demand a lot this year. By starting now, you can ensure you finish without the scramble of last-minute preparations. Check out our guide to find practical ideas to plan and preach creatively for less stress this preaching-intensive season.

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8 Steps to Find Your Sermon When the Good News Frustrates, Disappoints, or Makes You Nervous
Process Lisa Cressman Process Lisa Cressman

8 Steps to Find Your Sermon When the Good News Frustrates, Disappoints, or Makes You Nervous

Why does a Gospel text bother us?

That’s the essential question when confronted with a text we don’t like. The essential answer is this: 

The text bothers us because it conflicts with our understanding of God.

Jesus doesn’t always speak or act consistently with our faith. 

So how do you find the sermon message when dealing with Gospel texts where Jesus frustrates, disappoints, or makes you nervous? This 8-step process examines the backstory of your faith so you can name your theology, identify the apparent inconsistencies in the text, and then bridge the gap between them.

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When to Change Your Sermon in Light of Current Events
Process Guest User Process Guest User

When to Change Your Sermon in Light of Current Events

It is simply a fact of the preaching life that, at times, we will be required to set aside our prepared sermons and speak to the events which surround us, testifying to how we see God in and through them.

How do we decide when to continue with our sermon as prepped versus adjusting our sermon at the last minute?

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The Powerful Prep Tool Every Preacher Has But Rarely Uses (Guest Post)
Process, Inspiration & Growth Guest Author Process, Inspiration & Growth Guest Author

The Powerful Prep Tool Every Preacher Has But Rarely Uses (Guest Post)

We tend to consider the physical aspects of preaching only in the context of delivery:

  • raising or lowering the voice to emphasize phrases
  • using gestures to enhance a point
  • breathing in sync with the flow of sentences

But when is the last time you used your body and voice in sermon prep?

Or before you climbed into the pulpit? 

Have you ever?

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