This past week I saw again the utterly surprising power of preaching. Two friends from my former church on Long Island told me almost exactly the same thing: God had used my nine-year preaching ministry at that church to deepen their faith in Christ. They even emphasized the same theme from my preaching ministry—bring your brokenness to Christ so he can heal you and use you to change others. Friends who know my life story are aware that that ministry season was marked by profound personal repentance, sorrow, and loss. On many Sundays I would enter the pulpit utterly drained and empty but trusting God to use me in my pain and weariness. And apparently he did use my preaching in ways that I could never imagine or engineer. Friends, this is the message we try to convey week after week: Your preaching matters to God and to your people. Your seemingly frail or imperfect messages may be having an impact way beyond your human effort and wisdom. So trust him to bring the fruit from your preaching ministry.

It's always a privilege to share a sermon by our featured preacher, Dr. Bryan Chapell. In this week's featured sermon—"Perfectly Provided for," Dr. Chapell walks us through Jesus' first recorded miracle—changing water into wine at a wedding in Cana. In this text, Chapell explains, Jesus more or less plunks his business card down and says, "Hi, my name is Jesus, and I'm in the grace business. I'm in the eternal joy business. I am providing for people what they cannot provide for themselves."

Also, check out these new resources:

• Featured Skills Article: "Stop Starting with the Text" by Rod Casey
• Featured Illustration: 'Resident Disrupters' Invent Doritos Locos Tacos
• Featured Video: Hands: The struggle of living one life fully devoted. Featuring music by Jars of Clay.
• Featured Sermon: "Perfectly Provided For" by Bryan Chapell

In Christ,

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

P.S. For women with the spiritual gift of leadership, don’t miss the new Gifted for Leadership from Leadership Journal: http://giftedforleadership.com

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