Beyond the what and how of preaching is the all-important why of preaching. Mike Fabarez contends persuasively that unless a sermon makes a difference in the lives of its hearers, the preacher and the congregation have missed the point. No matter how much information is communicated, unless application is central throughout the message, the sermon has failed to be biblical. In fifteen brief chapters, the author demonstrates how the goal of changing lives can permeate the planning, preparation, presentation, and pastoral follow-through of every sermon. And in the process, the preacher's life will be changed, too. Here is a book that is accessible, brief, highly practical, and ultimately life-changing. It includes: -a Prayer Guide for Preaching -a Sample Message Prep Prayer Team Schedule -a Preaching Evaluation form

30 strategies for powerful communication.

Pastor and preaching coach, Dr. Yancey Arrington offers a new paradigm for message preparation - one that focuses on seeing sermons emotionally, where preachers will be trained on discovering a message's emotional center, charting sermon bandwidth, and leveraging one's God-given personality in the preaching event. This innovative approach to preaching can produce more effective seasons in the pulpit where congregants are carried `down the mountain' of messages in such a way they can't wait to do it again!

When You Talk, Are People Changed? Whether you speak from the pulpit, podium, or the front of a classroom, you don’t need much more than blank stares and faraway looks to tell you you’re not connecting. Take heart before your audience takes leave! You can convey your message in the powerful, life-changing way it deserves to be told. An insightful, entertaining parable that’s an excellent guide for any speaker, Communicating for a Change takes a simple approach to delivering effectively. Join Pastor Ray as he discovers that the secrets to successful speaking are parallel to the lessons a trucker learns on the road. By knowing your destination before you leave (identifying the one basic premise of your message), using your blinkers (making transitions obvious), and implementing five other practical points, you’ll drive your message home every time! “Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away…” “Once upon a time…” “In the beginning…” Great stories capture and hold an audience’s attention from start to finish. Why should it be any different when you stand up to speak? In Communicating for a Change, Andy Stanley and Lane Jones offer a unique strategy for communicators seeking to deliver captivating and practical messages. In this highly creative presentation, the authors unpack seven concepts that will empower you to engage and impact your audience in a way that leaves them wanting more. “Whether you are a senior pastor with weekly teaching responsibilities or a student pastor who has bern charged with engaging the hearts and minds of high school students, this book is a must-read.” -Bill Hybels, Senior pastor, Willow Creak Community Church “A very practical resource for every biblical communicator who wants to go from good to great.” -Ed Young, Senior pastor, Fellowship Church, Grapevine, Texas “To communicate effectively, you have to connect. Andy has been connecting with people for years, and now he’s sharing his insights with the rest of us.” -Jeff Foxworthy, Comedian Story Behind the Book Andy Stanley and Lane Jones are on staff at one of America ’s largest churches, North Point Community. Leaders of thousands of people, they regularly speak in front of large groups. They also listen to numerous speakers and know the disastrous effects of a poorly delivered message. This book is the result of their efforts to make public speaking—one of the most common fear-inducing activities known to mankind—simple, easy, and even enjoyable, so that God’s messages will readily produce the life-changing results they should.

This comprehensive and engaging manual aids preachers in keeping the transformative meaning and impact of the biblical text intact through all hermeneutical and homiletical processes. While this approach applies to all sermon structures, the book focuses on the less familiar one-point expository message rather than the more common three-point sermon, or verse-by-verse approach. Drawing upon the strengths of their backgrounds as homiletic and biblical studies professors, the authors help the reader identify which biblical texts fit the one-point expository sermon structure, explain how to develop the sermons, and provide sermon samples that illustrate the approach. The authors explore the features of each major literary genre and how it helps to shape the sermon. With their shared expertise in biblical studies and homiletics, they offer a book brimming with insights and usefulness.

Instead of being a dour task on the checklist, what if the process of homily prep renewed you? Instead of feeling insecure about your message, what if your skills made you confident to preach a consistently clear message of Good News, authentic to you, relevant to your listeners, holding their attention and inviting transformation? Backstory Preaching: Integrating Life, Spirituality, and Craft shows you how. By integrating your life and spirituality with the practical skills necessary for effective preaching, you can move beyond the boredom, stress, or insecurity of preaching so it is no longer you who preach but Christ who preaches in you. By connecting with God in the midst of your sermon prep, the Gospel will be spread deeper and further. God’s joy—and yours—will be made complete.

Provides pastors with a step-by-step process for creating a preaching plan that nurtures growing disciples.