10 Things You Should Know about Charles Spurgeon
Charles Spurgeon was known as the 'Prince of Preachers.' Learn more about the life and ministry of this influential theologian and preacher.
Articles on Preaching / Teaching
157 results found
This Day in History: Jonathan Edwards Preaches “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
When Edwards came to preach in Enfield, God blessed the preaching of his Word in an extraordinary manner.
10 Things You Should Know about R. C. Sproul
R. C. Sproul loved to laugh. He enjoyed people. He truly knew the generosity of God, and that propelled him to serve people.
Why the Call to Preach Is Unique
Expository exultation is a unique kind of communication. It is different, radically different, from anything in the world.
21 Key Christian Figures You Should Know
We stand on the shoulders of the saints who have gone before, exemplifying how to live and love God faithfully.
The New Testament Epistles offer several characteristics of false teachers and those susceptible to their teachings.
10 Things You Should Know about Preaching
What is preaching really all about? How should we approach it, as preachers and ordinary Christians?
3 Distinguishing Characteristics of a True Church
How can we tell if a church is really a church? What characteristics distinguish a true church?
Seminary can by no means teach a minister everything he needs to know, but it puts strong tools in his box to set him up for a lifetime of learning and growing in the Lord.
How do we preachers handle the Bible faithfully and accurately so that Jesus is seen in every passage?
This Day In History: The Death of Charles Spurgeon
It was January 31, 1892, and after twenty-four years of ill health, the ‘Prince of Preachers’ went to be with the Lord, aged just fifty-seven.
10 Key Bible Verses on Teaching the Bible
Scripture has specific instructions for those in the body who are charged with teaching other believers. Read what God has to say to teachers.
Are Pastors Free to Accumulate Wealth?
Few people acknowledge the narratives that drive the assumptions that provide our framework for how we relate to money.
One of Satan’s methods to mislead preachers is the false dichotomy. Here are 5 particularly dangerous ones.
What Kind of Teacher Is Jesus?
The documents describing Jesus’s career—the four Gospels—make clear that he was a teacher.
3 Practical Ways to Remain Faithful in Ministry
Practical things you need to do in your life to remain faithful in ministry are the same means of grace that are available to every believer.
‘The Biggest Story’ Christmas Devotional with Printable Ornaments
Take a journey through the Bible this December with the help of stories from The Biggest Story Bible Storybook, and prepare your family for the birth of Jesus the Savior!
Here are 43 questions and answers for preachers aimed at helping them think carefully about their calling as ministers of the Word.
9 Considerations: What Does Paul Mean by "Able to Teach"?
We must not overlook this qualification when assessing a candidate for pastoral leadership: Can he teach?
5 Lessons I’ve Learned from Martyn Lloyd-Jones’s Preaching
I owe more to the ministry of Martyn Lloyd-Jones than I can put into words.
Pastor: Could Your View of Scripture Be Too Low?
Pastor, your preaching will be a direct reflection of what you believe about the Bible.
10 Reasons Pastors Should Study the Bible in Its Original Languages
Every pastor—as time and opportunities arise—should study the Bible in its original languages. Yes, it's that important.
5 Stumbling Blocks to Pastoral Honesty
Why isn’t humble candor more of a regular part of our ministry leadership culture? Why aren’t we more ready to confess spiritual discouragement or struggle?
3 Reasons to Make Systematic Theology Part of Your Bible Study
What systematic theology offers is a way of surveying the essential content of the entire Bible.
What Is the Great Gain of Godliness? (1 Timothy 6)
Believers should not act as if material possessions are the key to the good life, because they are not. The good life is in godly contentment.
One Argument for the Existence of God: Mathematics
The success of mathematics in describing the universe is a fact that most of us, even scientists like me, take for granted. Yet it is actually extremely surprising.
50 Reasons We’re Thankful for R. C. Sproul
We asked you to share why you were thankful for the life and ministry of R. C. Sproul. Over 17,000 of you answered with thoughtful and poignant reasons.
What Is the Job of the Pastor?
Collin Hansen, Jonathan Leeman
Your ability to do your job as a church member depends on pastors or elders doing their jobs.
10 Disciplines of a Godly Pastor
As we sweat out the disciplines of a godly pastor, remember, with Paul, what energizes us to live them out.
Why Pastors Must Show Their Kids How to Love the Church
Perhaps the most important thing we can do to demonstrate our love for the church is to crucify any trace of careerism.
The Importance of Preaching the Theology of Suffering
Preach to your people a theology of suffering that places all our trials in the hands and will of a loving Father.
Men: Crossway wants to equip you with resources to help you joyfully receive, carefully study, and faithfully share God's Word.
Building a Culture of Spiritually Intentional Relationships
Most Active Does Not Equal Most Fruitful Could it be that the most active members of your congregation are the least fruitful? Consider for a moment: in God’s sight, not all activity carries equal value. …
10 Key Bible Verses on Ministry
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. . . .”
Help for Humanly Impossible Acts
The languishing come to drink at the fountain of God’s life-giving word. That too is worship. It magnifies the necessity and desirableness of God.
An Open Letter to a Children’s Ministry Worker
The children entrusted to your care have ears, and they use them. So teach these little ones the big truths. God willing, it will yield fruit for many years to come.
How to Preach Biblical Narrative
Douglas Sean O'Donnell, Leland Ryken
I love stories. You love stories. Your congregation loves stories. The unbelieving world loves stories. Below are seven suggestions for preaching a sermon on a biblical narrative.
Why a Pastor Needs to Learn His Context
To faithfully pastor those who are culturally different from you, the first thing you should do is learn as much as you can about your context.
This Day in History: The Death of Hudson Taylor
Today marks the 113th anniversary of the death of Hudson Taylor, missionary to China. His legacy of faithfulness lives on.
7 Tips for Planning a Sermon Series
How can pastors approach teaching the whole word of God to the people of God? It can be a daunting task.
Dear Pastor . . . Let Christ Preach
If preaching isn’t simply transferring data or trying to make people feel something through our charisma, what is it?
John Calvin on the Role of the Pastor
Calvin did not imagine that the New Testament gave us a precise liturgy or church order, but he was convinced that it gives us clear guidelines.
Podcast: God’s Sovereignty, Pastoral Burnout, and Racism (John Piper)
John Piper discusses God's sovereignty, pastoral burnout, and the sin of racism.
Who Was Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
Martyn Lloyd-Jones—often known as “the Doctor” from his medical degree—was one of the greatest preachers of the twentieth century.
The Danger of Neglecting Lament in the Local Church
Lament is a rich but untapped reservoir of God’s grace, and there is a danger in neglecting lament in the church.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones: The World's Best Grandfather
Christopher Catherwood reflects on his grandfather, Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
An Open Letter to the Pastor Doubting His Calling
A pastor may hear the still, small, devilish voice of inner doubt: Maybe I’m not really called to pastoral ministry.
The Intersection of the Natural and the Supernatural in Preaching
How do the supernatural and the natural intersect in the act of preaching?
The same grace that saves sinners from the penalty of their sin also instructs them in holiness.
Should I Choose a Church for Its Pastor?
The centrality of the Word coming from the front, from the preacher, the one specially gifted by God and called to that ministry, is the most important thing you can look for in a church.
3 Ways That Scriptural Leadership Differs from Secular Leadership
Preaching is inherently a form of leadership. But in order for our preaching to qualify as scriptural leadership, we must be careful to exercise it according to biblical standards rather than worldly principles.
5 Myths about Pastoral Leadership
We can, with true humility and firm confidence, call our people to repent when they are sinning, assure them of God’s care when they are hurting, promise them eternal riches when they are dying—all on the authority of God’s most precious word.
Douglas Sean O'Donnell, Leland Ryken
Parables feature what the whole of the New Testament covers: gospel need, gospel proclamation, gospel response, and gospel ethics. In your preaching, follow Jesus’s pattern.
An Open Letter to Pastors about the Teens in Their Congregation
The relationships, the preaching, the teaching, and the admonition of a specific church body are as vital to teenagers as they are to every other believer.
A Brief Introduction to the Life and Ministry of Ulrich Zwingli
Although Zwingli's life was cut short, his was a ministry of zeal for the Lord and for his precious Word.
Why You Should Read This Obscure Old Book about Pastoral Ministry
Every pastor faces that tension of cultivating a rich inner-life, focusing on the spiritual aspect of calling, without neglecting the mundane responsibilities of ministry.
How to Move Doctrine from Head to Heart
If you preach to the heart, you enter into the experience of the people of God as they encounter doctrine in their own lives.
10 Things You Should Know about the Genres of the Bible
Douglas Sean O'Donnell, Leland Ryken
Identifying the genre of a text gives us the right terms for interacting with it. Conversely, if we do not interact with a text in terms of its genre traits, we cannot deal adequately with it.
The Single Most Important Task of the Pastor
Preaching is central to the pastor’s ministry because that is primarily our calling.
Why the Local Church Needs Good Biblical Theology
Biblical theology is a vital help for pastors to faithfully declare the glorious truth that Jesus is the main point of the whole Bible.
Why Youth Pastors Must Be Gifted to Teach God's Word
Historically, churches have had a false paradigm for what youth ministry should look like. It's far more than getting kids in the door and keeping them out of trouble.
The Scandal at the Heart of the Christian Faith
If we imagine that Jesus was born in a freshly swept, county fair stable, we miss the whole point. It was wretched—scandalous!
Martin Luther and the Power of Preaching
As the Word is preached, the Christian is torn down by the law and built up in the gospel.
Remembering Christ’s Power in Weakness in the Life of Billy Graham (1918-2018)
Billy Graham died today, after a faithful and Spirit-led life and ministry. We celebrate his legacy, and his weakness through which God to move so powerfully.
You’re Insignificant for God’s Glory
We are weak. We are common, plain, fragile, breakable, dishonorable. But our weakness does not diminish the power of the gospel.
How Charles Spurgeon Learned to Preach through a Broken Heart
When the heart is overwhelmed, it’s one thing to survive adversity; it is something entirely different to continue preaching Sunday after Sunday, month after month.
Dear Pastor . . . Rely on Your Congregation in Ministry
D. A. Carson, John D. Woodbridge
Brother, we need one another in ministry. You should not try to be an evangelical superman and by yourself direct all the principal tasks of the church.
Devon Provencher, Jessica Robyn Provencher
How can we avoid unintentionally communicating to our littles untrue things about God?
An Open Letter to the Preacher Writing a Sermon
Grace is slow sometimes. But grace is also powerful. The Lord will do his work.
How Elders Shepherd by Example
A church should be able to direct a newborn believer to an elder and say: “Do you want to know what a real Christian should be like? Then look at him.”
2 Things Pastors Can Learn from Spurgeon’s Preaching
One of Spurgeon's great strengths is that he would always seek preach Christ to people where they were at and to their needs.
If you fail to understand poetic structures and literary devices, you will understand and preach the Psalms improperly.
3 Crucial Qualities of All Good Sermons
Pastors need all three of these views in order to give an accurate account of what God is doing and will do.
Our work, when earnestly undertaken, lays us open to attacks in the direction of depression.
How to Incorporate Biblical Archaeology into Your Preaching
Is there a connection between archaeology and preaching? Do the two relate? What is there point of intersection?
Coming Soon: ‘The Biggest Story Curriculum’
Releasing in June, The Biggest Story Curriculum will incorporate a host of integrated print and digital components to teach kids key Bible stories from Genesis to Revelation.
Jonathan Edwards gives us longings for God and for holiness that are more satisfying than even our best joys currently are.
What the author of Hebrews is getting at is the perfect marriage between doctrine and practice. If we believe the things that he has declared, that has radical implications for how we live our lives.
Explaining and defining terms in preaching are both important—but that's not all a preacher is to do.
The biblical proverbs as a whole have a Godward goal: the fear of the Lord. As preachers, our job is to focus on that fear.
The Fruits of Suffering in the Life of John Bunyan
In 1655, when the matter of his soul was settled, John Bunyan was asked to exhort the church, and suddenly a great preacher was discovered.
Dear Pastor . . . Your Leadership Is Needed in the Pulpit
Pastor, the work of shepherding God’s people naturally involves and requires good leadership. There’s no more important place for that to happen than in your preaching ministry every week.
How to Avoid Pastoral Arrogance
There are two things that a new pastor experiences that can help knock the smirk off an ego‘s face.
A Missing Ingredient in Today’s Preaching
The literary approach to the Bible, and the importance of genre as a chief ingredient of such an approach, are subjects of neglect. This represents a missed opportunity of massive proportions.
Why Expository Preaching Is Important
When you do expository preaching you get a sermon's symmetry and structure from the biblical text.
Practical Tips for Expository Preachers
Alistair Begg shares five tips that he learned from an older minister when he was a theological student.
John Owen’s Ministry to Young Christians
John Owen specialized in ministry to young people, though that’s not how he tends to be remembered.
What the Church Today Needs to Hear from the Book of Revelation
This message to patiently endure persecution for Christ is a message our church needs today. And if where we are right now means we don’t need it today, maybe we will tomorrow.
Podcast: If You Don’t Catechize Your Kids, the World Will (Kevin DeYoung)
Kevin DeYoung talks about how Christians (parents and non-parents alike) can help children to trust Jesus, embrace the Bible, and love others—even those with whom we disagree.
Spending the Rest of Your Life Teaching Sound Doctrine
If you're going to enter the ministry, whether as a missionary or a pastor, you will spend the rest of your life (if you're faithful) teaching sound doctrine.
An Unnecessary Pastoral Disconnect
Pastoral leadership should be by appointment of Christ and in union with Christ and should prioritize preaching the word of Christ on the mission of Christ.
God’s Primary Provision for Our Spiritual Hunger
How does God intend to satisfy our spiritual hunger? He gives us his word. Matthew 4 says that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Why Death Is the Final Stage of Salvation
Death often brings reality to light. When individuals are thrown onto their last resources, they show where their true hopes lay.
4 Essential Ingredients of Reformed Preaching
Reformed preaching aims to take all of the Bible into account and to apply it.
Why Your Sermons Should Address Believers and Unbelievers
Preachers should aim to capture the attention and inspire the affection of both unbelievers and believers.
Tools for Teaching the Overarching Story of the Bible
Whether we are leading our families, working in the office, or even studying the Bible, one of the great challenges in life is living in the tension between the forest and the trees.
A Pastor’s Guide to Celebrating Christmas as a Church
Christmas sermons and services should evoke the question, “What do these things mean?” to which the pastor then heralds the eternal answers.
What All Healthy Churches Have in Common
The most important things about a Christian church are always the things that make it a Christian church. The things that are unique about your church or mine can never be the most important things about it.
What Makes the Preaching the Word Commentary Series Unique?
The Preaching the Word commentary series is unique because I’ve asked all the contributors to have preached the content of their commentary viva voce, or live.
Dear Pastor . . . Don’t Settle for the Status Quo in Your Preaching
We take up our call to the ministry believing the gospel is the power of God for salvation. Fatigue, fear, and even temptations to doubt the message we are preaching can cut the nerve of our zeal.
The cross is not just about Christ’s priestly work; it also stands at the heart of his prophetic ministry. The cross preaches to us. The cross is Christ’s pulpit.
Podcast: What I Wish I Knew in Seminary after 30 Years in Ministry (Dave Harvey)
What can be learned in seminary and what can only be learned through years of experience in ministry? Hear from Dave Harvey about his own path to the pastorate.
The Real Cost of Building a Healthy Church
A call to ministry is a call to die—to self, to sin, to selfish ambition, to idolizing your own success, and to enhancing your own image.
You need to be willing to stand on the shoulders of those that have come before.
An Open Letter to Pastors on Preaching through the Whole Bible
Expository preaching is preaching that “exposes” the text of Scripture as God delivered it to us. It does not bring its own agenda to the Bible or to the pulpit, but seeks to understand the Bible text in its own terms.
Jonathan Edward’s Response to Spiritual Arrogance
Jonathan Edwards was stirred by his congregation’s spiritual pride, apathy, and confused notions about true religion, alongside misunderstanding about genuine spiritual life.
The Passionate Plea of Preaching
Alistair Begg, Sinclair B. Ferguson
There is a vast difference between simply conveying information to people, which can be cold and ineffectual, and true preaching and witness.
Why Martin Luther's Preaching Was So Offensive
As soon as the Reformation began in 1517, Martin Luther became the most famous man in Europe.
3 Questions Leaders Should Ask Themselves about Equipping the Church for Ministry
Here are three questions for church leaders to ask themselves before trying to help their people love each other better.
As we savor the good news of the sin-bearing servant of the Lord, we learn to enthuse. The gospel of a surprising salvation can only make us laugh, sing, and cheer.
Spurgeon’s Secret to a Fruitful Ministry
Fruitful ministry is less about self and more about Christ.
Developing doctrine in the church is one more in a series of improvisations.
Preach the Bible, Not Your Dog
One of the big dangers that faces pastors today comes from a desire to connect with people.
How Spurgeon Avoided the Calling Calamity
Spurgeon understood the critical importance of helping men evaluate whether they were genuinely called to pastoral ministry.
Lessons on Church Planting from the Prince of Preachers
We can learn many lessons from Spurgeon’s example. Here are three.
How Pastors Can Benefit from Studying Archaeology
When we understand what's going on culturally in the Bible, we're more able to understand the world that much better.
Pastor: Expound, Apply, Repeat
You are hired as a minister in your church to be a preacher—not just to expound the Word, but to apply it.
Podcast: What Pastors Can Learn from Richard Baxter (Tim Cooper)
Tim Cooper discusses the importance of Richard Baxter, a Puritan responsible for many key (if not misunderstood or difficult to read) treatises on church doctrine and the role of ministry.
Pastor, Are You Growing in Submission to Scripture?
God’s leaders are to be people who are growing in submission to Scripture. Their daily lives are to reflect and exemplify the scriptures that they teach.
Podcast: The Blessings and Burdens of Pastoral Ministry (Jeff Robinson)
What are the joys and hardships of doing ministry for the long-haul and what does it look like to be faithful in the midst of pastoral overwhelm and exhaustion?
The Biggest Detriment to Longevity in Ministry
The call to pastoral ministry is unlike anything else you're going to do in life. What's the key to staying the course?
Overflowing with Peace and Thanksgiving
When the buckets we carry are full of Christ, our lives are bathed with the peace of God in thanksgiving.
Pastor: Your Ministry Is a Mercy
Paul’s deeply rooted understanding that his calling was a totally undeserved expression of God’s great mercy to him was itself one of the core convictions that kept him faithful to the end.
How to Use the ESV for Preaching and Teaching
Here, a few members of the ESV Translation Oversight Committee comment on the translation philosophy and why it makes a difference in preaching and teaching.
If the people in our charge are to teach, admonish, and exhort each other daily, no doubt we pastors may do the same for one another
What Questions Should a Pastor Ask Himself after Preaching a Sermon?
You actually can’t tell how effective a sermon was by the response you receive.
Introducing the 'ESV Pastor's Bible'
When life and ministry demand of you, where do you turn?
Podcast: The Unlikely Legacy of Jonathan Edwards (Dane Ortlund)
Dane Ortlund looks back on the life and theology of famed pastor-theologian, Jonathan Edwards, gleaning wisdom that we can learn from him nearly 300 years later.
How Celebrity-Pastor Culture Impacts Pastors
We wrestle with this invitation to do a truly great thing by serving the least, while inside of us and outside of us, we're pressured to make much of ourselves.
The Benefits of Expository Preaching
Why should expository preaching be recovered and faithfully practiced?
How Should a Pastor Handle Ministry Success?
Though the Lord doesn't often do large, famous, and fast things, he sometimes does.
What’s to love about George Whitefield?
The Power of God's Word in India
Sometimes, in God’s plan and providence, this ministry takes us to the farthest corners of the world.
Don’t Just Teach—Teach Your Church to Love God’s Word
There are three things to bear in mind when trying to grow a church in the conviction that the Bible is worth studying over a lifetime.
How to Achieve Pastoral Success
Do the work set before you and trust that God will bear fruit.
Podcast: How to Explain the Hypostatic Union to a Fifth Grader (Stephen Wellum)
Stephen Wellum explains where we see the hypostatic union taught in Scripture and highlights why all Christians would benefit from taking time to think carefully about Jesus being fully God and fully man.
Preaching Can't Love You Back (but People Will)
I love expositional preaching. It re-centered my ideological world, exploded my love for Jesus, and opened my mind to the wonders of the Scriptures. But expositional preaching has never loved me back.
Listening Well to Preaching Is a Spiritual Discipline
We need to listen well—attentively and prayerfully—remembering that as our pastor preaches the word, it is the Lord who is speaking.
Podcast: How to Plan Your Next Sermon Series (Tim Patrick)
How should a pastor plan a sermon series? Tim Patrick highlights his own process for conceptualizing, scheduling, and studying for a new series.
The Recipe for Good Pastoral Theology
Spurgeon was an avid student of Scripture, but is not often thought of as a theologian.
Excellent Revelations through Ordinary Means
As was typical among the Puritans, the Lord’s Supper is seen not simply as a memory aid, but an occasion in which Christ is present among his people through the Holy Spirit.
Video: Nancy Guthrie on Pretending to Teach the Bible
In this video, popular author and Bible study leader Nancy Guthrie explains a valuable tip for those looking to study the Bible well.
How We’re Equipping Leaders with God’s Word around the World
Pastors and church leaders, serving in some of the most challenging places on earth, have been equipped with God’s Word—many for the first time.
What Pastors Should Agonize Over
We learn from the apostle Paul that the pastor's primary calling is the sanctification of his people.
The antidote I need is to remember that each of us has been called with different gifts.
Podcast: Remembering the “Seashells” Sermon 23 Years Later (John Piper)
John Piper shares what he was thinking as he walked onto the stage on May 20th, 2000 to deliver a message to over 30,000 young people and talks about the impact that sermon had on his ministry.
Ask a Pastor's Wife: Sermon Feedback
Gloria Furman responds to Megan who writes, "How can I give my husband good sermon feedback in a constructive way?"
Why I Wrote a New Book about Pastoral Ministry
A new book for pastors grounded on the conviction that all Christian ministry must be gospel-centered.
5 Things Pastors Should Ask Themselves Before Sunday
Pastors must check in with their own hearts and minds before proceeding with leading their flock each and every week.
Joe Thorn on the Practice of Preaching to Ourselves
Crossway asks Joe Thorn various questions related to the practice of preaching to ourselves.
Podcast: The Basics of Good Preaching (Doug O’Donnell)
Doug O’Donnell talks through common questions laypeople and pastors alike have about preaching and what makes for a good sermon.
Podcast: Answering Hard Questions about Predestination and Free Will (Andy Naselli)
Andy Naselli answers a few of the most common questions about the doctrine of predestination, including what the Bible really says about it and what impact this teaching may have on the idea of free will.
Podcast: Does It Matter What I Believe? (Samuel James)
Samuel James walks through a number of common misconceptions and fears that we often have when it comes to thinking about our theology, ultimately making the case that what you believe matters today and for eternity.
Podcast: On Apologetics: The Best of The Crossway Podcast
We are pleased to offer a selection of some of the best moments related to apologetics from the podcast over the past four years.
Podcast: Your Kids Are Already Theologians, So Give Them Good Theology (Kristen Wetherell)
Kristen Wetherell gives practical advice for teaching our children about important doctrines and offers encouragement to parents facing questions about theology that they're not sure how to answer.
Podcast: What’s Up with That Talking Snake? (Mitchell Chase)
Mitchell Chase walks us through the story of the fall from Genesis 3, showing how it connects to the whole of Scripture and highlighting key moments that we need to understand.
Podcast: The State of Women’s Ministry in the US (Courtney Doctor and Joanna Kimbrel)
Courtney Doctor and Joanna Kimbrel delve into the key questions and concerns that arise in women's ministry, touching on practical issues like how to get started and how to encourage discipleship.