Pastor helps – Page 8 – Dr. Todd Gray

Teach Me to Preach

When I first started preaching, I had no idea what to do. I had listened to sermons but had no concept of how to prepare one. So I prayed fervently and practiced reverse engineering to figure out biblical exegesis, sermonic structure, sermon content, illustrations, applications, introductions and conclusions. I remember hearing one preacher humorously sayContinue reading “Teach Me to Preach”

Part-Time Preacher

I do not pastor a church, but I do preach quite a lot. I preached seven times in a recent nine-day stretch. That is not normal, but it is not uncommon for me to preach most Sundays and often on other occasions during the week. I preach at least as often as I did whenContinue reading “Part-Time Preacher “

A Well-Placed Question

Jesus was known for asking questions. According to Bob Tiede of Biblical Leadership, the four gospels record 339 questions that Jesus asked. Others say the number is a little lower, but all agree that Jesus asked lots of questions. Tiede mentions, “He sometimes answered questions with questions of his own.” Jesus was the master of well-placed questions.Continue reading “A Well-Placed Question”

Bad Eating Habits

I confess — sometimes I eat too much. The Bible calls that gluttony, and gluttony is a sin. It is a sin, like all sins, that believers must take seriously, confess and turn from. Many of us struggle with overeating. I feel like I was born hungry and never really got full. Years ago, IContinue reading “Bad Eating Habits “

Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

Many of us remember the Snickers candy bar commercials featuring well-known celebrities with a sour attitude and a friend saying, “You’re not yourself when you’re hungry.” Of course, as the commercial goes, a Snickers candy bar is the solution. The same could be said about sleep. In ministry leadership, and most other lines of work,Continue reading “Are You Getting Enough Sleep?”

Learning from Revival

I preached at a revival this past week in one of our great KBC churches. This church traditionally holds an annual revival—though it had not done so in recent years—inviting a guest preacher, worship leader and providing a meal for each service. They were such gracious hosts, and we had a wonderful week together. Continue reading “Learning from Revival “

Fruit That Did not Last

I had dinner recently with a couple who were saved and baptized in the last church I pastored. This couple has walked with Jesus for several years now and raised children who are following Christ. They are faithful in their local church and have intentionally ordered their lives as ambassadors for Jesus. I rememberContinue reading “Fruit That Did not Last “

Tips on Evangelistic Preaching

I am not an evangelist, but I am commanded by Scripture to do the work of one. Paul instructed Timothy in 2 Tim. 4:5, “do the work of an evangelist.” Every God-called preacher has an obligation and opportunity to figure out and carry out the work of an evangelist. What do evangelists do? They shareContinue reading “Tips on Evangelistic Preaching”

Preachers Need Preaching

I was invited recently to preach at the Winter Bible Conference hosted by Pastor Jeff Noffsinger and Dripping Spring Baptist Church. It is an annual event that has been going on for many years. I was excited to preach — but more excited to hear a good sermon from someone else. Bro. Jeff bringsContinue reading “Preachers Need Preaching”

Preach to Yourself

Followers of Jesus need preaching. Hearing God’s word preached reminds us of the goodness of our God and His gracious plan for His people. In a typical week, I will listen to the Sunday morning sermon from my home church as well as a couple of other preachers God has used in my life. PreachingContinue reading “Preach to Yourself”