After preaching for almost 40 years, I still write a manuscript for every sermon. I get the fact that not everyone is sold on writing out a manuscript for their messages. So let me offer seven reasons why manuscripting is worth the time and effort.
Category: preaching
Preachers: Here’s a one-hour change that will improve your sermons (and lower your stress)
A number of years ago, I took a preaching course with Haddon Robinson. One of the most helpful things he taught us was a way to take some pressure off sermon preparation and wind up with a better sermon. The…
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Right-sizing Your Ministry Expectations
What are your expectations in ministry? Would you say they are high or low? Optimistic, realistic, or even pessimistic? How can we right-size our expectations? That's the focus of this post.
Summer Tuesdays with Ezra (Chapter 8)
Ezra 8 Chapter 8 reads like an entry from Ezra’s personal journal; in vivid detail he chronicles the actions he took to gather and lead the company of exiles back to Jerusalem in the seventh year of king Artaxerxes. Ezra…
I’m Dead to Sin? Really?
DId you know that, if you are a Christian, you are dead to sin? That's what Romans 6:2 boldly states: "How can we who died to sin still live in it?" You may be thinking, "I'm dead to sin? Really?…
Praise and Prayer Update (May 23, 2025)
A few weeks back, I asked you to pray with us about some upcoming ministry opportunities Linda and I were anticipating. I (Rick) was scheduled to speak at a men’s conference and also invited to train a group of pastors…
Praise and Prayer Update (May 3, 2025)
As we move into May and June, we are preparing for a number of ministry opportunities. I'd value your prayers for God's power and protection as we present His Word.
Resource Spotlight: Help with Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel
Some of the richest parts of the Old Testament can be some of the most difficult to understand. I'm talking about the prophetic books written by Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. In these powerful books, we get to know God in…
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Tips for Teachers: Learning from Billy Graham
As I type these words, I’m listening to Billy Graham preach. It’s a rebroadcast of one of the messages he preached decades ago. You can tell that from the hairstyles and clothes worn by those in the arena. But while…
A Gift for the Heart of your Pastor
"Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life" (Proverbs 4:23). This verse brings an important reminder to everyone of us: the condition of our hearts will determine the calibre of our lives. If that's…
Rick and Linda Reed 