Aaron Damiani

What lessons did you learn (or will you learn) during your first year of preaching? What lessons will stay with you for a lifetime? In this week's skills article—5 Lifetime Lessons from My First Year of Preaching—Chicago church planter Aaron Damiani reflects on his first year of preaching fulltime. Damiani shares the top five lessons he's learned, lessons that will apply to any preacher, not just new preachers.

Geoff Chang

New contributor Geoff Chang reflects on our obsession with New Year's Day resolutions. Will there ever be a New Year's Day, he asks when we wake up and say, "I finally did it, I'm ready to face God, I lived out all my resolutions from last year, I acted with perfect integrity, and I loved my neighbor as I love myself … here God, here is a year that you will be pleased with?" The answer is no. that's why we need a Priest, someone to help sinful men and women be accepted by a holy God.

Also, check out these new resources:

• Featured Illustration: Summarizing Your Life in Six Words
• Featured Video: The Gift of Christmas: What does this say about the character of God?
• Featured Sermon: "The Priest" by Geoff Chang
• Featured Skills Article: "5 Lifetime Lessons from My First Year of Preaching" by Aaron Damiani

In Christ,

Matt Woodley
Editor, PreachingToday.com
mwoodley@christianitytoday.com

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Matt Woodley is the pastor of compassion ministries at Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, Illinois.