Peter Scazzero

Obviously, no Christian preacher would actually try to preach without Jesus. But it is possible to preach about Jesus without a deep connection to Jesus. Believe me, I've done it. That's the point in this life-changing article from Peter Scazzero. As Scazzero writes, "It is possible to preach by relying only on our gifts, talents, and experience. We can boldly preach truths we don't live … I doubt my sermons are as clever in my early years. But I do know that they are more powerful and transformative in people's lives." Scazzero's able mentoring in this article will inspire you to new depths in your preaching.

Jim Shaddix

"People were living in excess while neglecting God's presence." That's Jim Shaddix's summary of the context for the tiny, under-preached book of Haggai. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? That's why we're featuring a four-week series on how to preach those small but potent "minor" prophets with a major (and incredibly contemporary) message. Check out his expository message on Haggai 1—"Pursuing God's Presence."

Also, check out these new resources:

• Featured Illustration: Surprising Factors That Predict Divorce
• Featured Video: The Facebook Trap: Facebook has a way of distracting us, making us envious, inauthentic, and consuming time that could be better spent connecting with people in the real world. This poignant video introduces the pitfalls of social media to your audience.
• Featured Sermon: "Pursuing God's Presence" by Jim Shaddix
• Featured Skills Article: "The Danger of Preaching without Jesus" by Peter Scazzero

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.