David Prince

Do the fathers in your church stink? If not, they should. That's because, according to David Prince's sermon—"The Glory of Fathers Who Stink"—"God has called fathers to shepherd or pastor their families. It's not a choice." Prince reminds us that in biblical times, "Shepherds bore, as their mark, the scars of defending the flock. Shepherds were warriors for the flock. They spent time with the flock, and they smelled like the flock. Their staffs were stained with blood, and their skin was rugged like leather." So he argues, "We need fathers who stink because they are in the trenches with the flock God gave them, and nobody's flock smells all that great." Stinky fathers—what a great image to use in your Father's Day sermon

Lee Eclov

I took Speech Class in Eighth Grade. How about you? Our featured contributor Lee Eclov points to a simple truth: a sermon is always a persuasive speech. Of course whenever we preach the Word of God we have a secret weapon on our side—the Holy Spirit. But it's still our job to craft our sermon so that it persuades and changes minds and hearts. So Eclov challenges us to ask: Is my sermon informational or is it persuasive? "A sermon is more than teaching," he says, "It is persuading!" Check it out. Eclov sure persuaded me!

Also, check out these new resources:

• Featured Illustration: Black Actor Achieves Breakthrough Role on 'Mr. Rogers'
• Featured Video: A Father's Day Thank You - Use this animated Father's Day mini-movie to remind dads just how important they are and to offer encouragement and inspiration.
• Featured Sermon: "The Glory of Fathers Who Stink" by David Prince
• Featured Skills Article: "Persuasion in Preaching" by Lee Eclov

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

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