Two Preachers: Amos and Amaziah

by Mark White The Old Testament prophet Amos was a shepherd turned preacher. The crowd to whom he preached was the upper class of Israel, including the King himself. He was not their choice of a preacher, however. They did not choose him — God chose Amos for them. His oratory was not refined eloquence.…

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Should we just preach the gospel?

Question: Recently one of our members complained to me that one of the men I have been teaching and giving tips on how to present a sermon, often mentions in the Bible classes he teaches and sermons that he preaches, the ungodliness and immorality that a lot of our political leaders are guilty of as well as many…

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The Purpose of Our Calling

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2011Spring3ThePurposeOfOurCalling.mp3 by Taylor Ladd Influence and Evangelism

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Learning to See Souls

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2011Spring2LearningToSeeSouls.mp3 by Taylor Ladd Influence and Evangelism

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God’s Captivated Captives

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2011Spring1GodsCaptivatedCaptives.mp3 by Taylor Ladd Influence and Evangelism

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Influence and Evangelism

by Taylor Ladd April 17-20, 2011 God’s Captivated Captives Learning to See Souls The Purpose of Our Calling Jesus Heals the Man Born Blind Tactics for Defending Our Faith

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Paul’s Tentmaking

by James Shewmaker I have come to the conclusion that a lot of people have a misunderstanding of Paul’s tentmaking. When Paul left Berea due to an “invasion” by Thessalonican enemies, his companions stayed behind. Those brethren who escorted him to Achaia returned home, leaving Paul all alone. At the time that Paul met Aquila…

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How do you prepare for missionary work?

Question: Recently I’ve really been wanting to die to self and my dream desire is to live in a really poor area, hopefully in China — not the U.S. It’s hard to be an evangelizing Christian in the U.S. where it’s so wealthy and most people already know Christ. However, I don’t know how to…

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If I Don’t Preach on Hell

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/IfIDontPreachOnHell1.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I Corinthians 9:16-23   I.         It won’t take you long to find out that the topic of Hell is not popular among the denominations of the world             A.        The Jehovah’s Witnesses declare that it doesn’t exist. Nor do the Episcopals, Methodists, and some Baptists want to discuss the matter.             B.        A survey…

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Why do you feel the need to say that other religions are wrong?

Question: Hi, I’m just wondering why do you feel the need to tell everyone else that their religions are wrong? How are you so sure yours is right? You don’t have any more proof then other religions do. I just think it’s ridiculous that you and other people feel it’s up to them to change…

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Why do some people accept the gospel but others reject it?

Question: My son had a question I am not sure how to answer.  The question is: Why is it that some people respond to the hearing of the gospel by accepting the gospel, and others respond by rejecting it?” It is the same Holy Spirit that will convict of sin, righteousness, and judgment; so why does…

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We Preach Christ Crucified

by Joe R. Price The Apostle Paul II Timothy 4:6-13 “We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness” (I Corinthians 1:23). Let there be no mistake: Preaching “Christ crucified” is gospel preaching. The “word of the cross” is the power of God to save the lost (I Corinthians…

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Is teaching in prisons and rehab centers worth it?

Question: Our church has been working with a prison ministry. It began many years ago by a lady who would travel many miles to the women’s prison. In that time I only know of one woman who came to be baptized, and, if my memory serves me right, when she was released she returned to…

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Jesus Shows Us How to Evangelize

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2010Spring3JesusShowsUsHowToEvangelize.mp3 by Frank Walton Christ, the Only Way

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Go Unto All the World

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/GoUntoAllTheWorld.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

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A Prosperous Journey

by Walton Weaver via Truth Magazine Vol. XLIV: 10 p19 May 18, 2000 Paul had a great desire to go to Rome. He knew however that if such an opportunity presented itself, God would have to open up the way. His prayer that God might do this for him is given to us in Romans 1:10: “Making…

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Preacher Pitfalls: An Article for Young Preachers

by Edward O. Bragwell, Sr. The Reflector – August 2009 via Ed’s Sermons and Things Paul references Isaiah in declaring that the feet of those that preach the gospel are beautiful (Romans 10:15; Isaiah 52:7). I know of no higher calling for a young man to pursue than that of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. While…

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Offering an Invitation

by James Shewmaker We may offer encouragement at any time to respond to the summons of Jesus, but the summons belongs to Him and not us. If a person expresses a desire to respond to the Savior’s summons, I do not wait till the end of services. For example, a family contacted me about 40…

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Does the whole church need to hear the whole sermon?

Question: Is there some biblical passage where it is mentioned that in the primitive church all listened to the preacher and all were present during the whole worship? Answer: “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in…

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An Idea for a Sermon Topic

by Jefferson David Tant Sometimes preachers are hard-pressed to come up with a good sermon topic. In reading some of my father’s old church bulletins from Norman, Oklahoma, (April 1946), he wrote of a famous preacher in London many years ago who announced his sermon for the next Sunday – “A Reaping Hook Well Tempered…

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What questions should brethren ask of a man wanting to preach for them?

Question: We have a couple of other men here who fill in with the preaching service occasionally and have asked me for suggestions that might help them improve.  One of them has expressed an interest in possibly looking for a preaching job.  So, I believe a “preacher training class” would be in order. The question I want…

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Is the point of life seeing the fruit of your labors?

Question: For a while, I was going through King Solomon’s view of realizing how pointless life is. I was struggling with that for a couple of weeks. But I am doing better now. Just really meditated on it and what Solomon said and a realization of life in itself. It is kind of interesting but…

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Ascetic Vows vs. Scriptural Liberties

by Bryan Matthew Dockens Members of religious orders of the Catholic, Anglican, and Eastern Orthodox churches, most prominently priests and nuns, commit themselves to particular ascetic vows. Asceticism, by definition, is extreme self-denial. Self-denial, of course, is enjoined upon all those who would follow Christ (Luke 9:23-24). However, the Lord never placed such restrictions as…

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How could the gospel have been preached to every creature?

Question: My brother and I disagree about Matthew 24:14. I used it in relation to where Paul said the Gospel has been preached in all the world. His response was that was saying Jesus’ death had been proclaimed to all the earth but not preached. I understand his point of view because it says every…

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When Hard Hearts Need Hard Words of Truth

by Terry W. Benton The preacher was all alone in his stand for truth and right because the assembly had become so worldly, and now he was the “troubler in Israel”. He was so discouraged that he decided to quit preaching. He was miserable when preaching the truth because no one wanted or appreciated the…

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That Preacher Offended Me!

by Harry Osborne What would you think of a preacher whose sermons offended people and were taken as insulting by the hearers? What if a preacher caused the audience to be filled with anger because of the hard things that he said? What if he went so far as to mock false beliefs? Regardless of…

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Preaching Like Paul

by Bobby Witherington via Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 3, pp. 80-82, February 6, 1992 There are many books that deal with preaching. Some are excellent. Some are not worth the paper and ink they require. Some are downright dangerous. But there is one book that not only reveals the value of preaching; it also reveals what constitutes…

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Hard Preaching

by Guy F. Hester Recently someone told me that I am a hard preacher. This could be either good or bad, depending on what is meant by hard preaching. In the context of the conversation, I took it as a compliment to my firm stance for my convictions. Many people deplore hard preaching that may…

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Toning It Down

by Robert Turner A “Country Meeting” had gone exceedingly well, and elders from another community asked the preacher to work with them in a meeting the following year. He came at the appointed time and found his reputation had spread, and the building was packed. The elders met him at the car, told him they…

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Alexander Campbell as a Preacher

Theories on Preaching by Carroll Elis via The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 11, September 1952. Preaching is not for a lazy man, a sick man, or a tired man. Preaching the gospel is work. The greatest use which can be made of the human tongue is in the proclamation of the gospel of Christ. Effective preaching…

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Preaching the Grace of God

by Terry W. Benton via Prove It by the Scriptures A brother made the following comment:  “Grace is one subject one hears very little about in conservative Churches of Christ except it be prefaced by a stern warning of what grace is not.” I wonder if that statement has been true of my preaching.  I personally…

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Paul’s Sons

by Earl Robertson via Biblical Insights, Vol. 8, No. 6, June 2008. The relationship of Timothy and Titus to Paul as sons is spiritual, legitimate, and true — “legitimately born, not spurious,” says Thayer, pg. 119. They were true sons. Paul said Timothy was “a true child in the faith,” showing the sphere in which this…

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Preaching Like Jeremiah

by Jerry Fite via Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 3, pp. 70-71, February 6, 1992 Jeremiah began his prophetic work in the thirteenth year of Josiah’s reign. As a youthful Josiah wielded kingly force to tear down idols, young Jeremiah applied moral persuasion to eliminate the idolatrous heart. Despite forty years of exposure to Jeremiah’s preaching, Judah’s…

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Do you think it’s a sin not to go to church?

Question: Hi! I am 15 years old. I want to thank you for saving my soul! I accepted Jesus into my heart about two years ago and have been talking to him as a friend, a brother, a Savior and my Lord ever since. However, I have found myself struggling with lust, greed and other things.…

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