Episodes

  • Four Things We Learned About Preaching: Season Finale

    Four Things We Learned About Preaching: Season Finale
    Nov 22 2021
    In this episode, co-hosts Matt Woodley and Kevin Miller reflect on what they learned about preaching, over the last four seasons of Monday Morning Preacher.  Here are the top lessons they learned in the last four years:  1.     Preaching the Word of God changes lives.  2.     Preaching is something that we never master.  3.     God uses ordinary preachers.  4.     When you do sermon prep and preach – immerse yourself in the Bible scene.  Matt said “God uses ordinary preachers, not just the superstars, not just the people with the big platforms, not just the people with the big venues but God uses ordinary preachers, sometimes in small towns, sometimes in small places.”  Your job as a preacher is to invite people into a whole new world, the life of the Kingdom of God.  Check out what was referenced on the podcast:   Wendell Berry’s poem “Like Snow” on Parabola.org.   “Stick the Landing” on Preachingtoday.com “Called to Faithful, Not Successful Preaching” on Preachingtoday.com   “How to Preach with a Biblical Imagination” on Preachingtoday.com  “Preaching as a Human Exercise Centered in Christ” on Preachingtoday.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    23 mins
  • Preaching With Both of Your Eyes Towards Christ

    Preaching With Both of Your Eyes Towards Christ
    Nov 8 2021
    How can you keep Christ at the center of your preaching? In this episode, Matt Woodley explores that question with Bryan Chapell, the Stated Clerk for the Presbyterian Church in America. In his early years of preaching, Chapel wanted to both teach and reach people. Later, he learned how to restore people, build on his ministry, inspire other preachers, and unite in a common cause.As a young pastor, Chapell’s message in sermons was “straighten up, fly right and do better.” But that message started to crush him, and he was convicted to preach the redemptive grace of Christ to his people. Check out what was referenced on the podcast: Bryan Chapell’s book “Christ-Centered Preaching” 3rd Edition Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    31 mins
  • Christmas Preaching and The Loneliness of The Holy Family

    Christmas Preaching and The Loneliness of The Holy Family
    Oct 26 2021
    How can you bring a fresh angle to your next Christmas sermon? In this episode, Matt Woodley explores that question with Timothy Clarke, senior pastor at First Church of God in Columbus, Ohio. Here are four people from the Biblical narrative, that you can encourage your listeners empathize with: Zachariah and Elizabeth: the loneliness of disappointment, for her barrenness Joseph: the loneliness he felt, trying to decide how to proceed with Mary, given the complex situation before them Mary: the loneliness she felt, in miraculously conceiving the infant Jesus and being ostracized for it “The incarnation says God became a human being!” Clarke said. He indicated that the incarnation alone is reason enough to be excited, and should offer plenty of material for Christmas preaching. Check out the show-notes:  Thy hymn “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” written by Charles Wesley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    25 mins
  • Three Ways to Create Tension in Your Sermon

    Three Ways to Create Tension in Your Sermon
    Oct 11 2021
    Why does tension even matter in a sermon? How do you keep the tension? Co-hosts Matt Woodley and Kevin Miller explore these questions, considering the scriptures. Here are three ways that you can keep tension in your sermon: Highlight the tension that’s already in the Biblical text. Keep the bold Biblical statements bold.  When presenting the Biblical truth, also give credit to what you can in the opposing view.    Miller said, “when we lose tension in our sermon, listeners lose interest.” As a result, your listeners can disengage from the Word of God. We also cannot negate, the boldness found in scripture.  Here’s an example he gave, to illustrate that boldness: “But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (Mt. 6:15).”  Check out the show-notes:  Jill Briscoe’s sermon entitled “Yet I Will Praise Thee” on our website Tim Keller’s book “Preaching: Communicating Faith in An Age of Skepticism”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    23 mins
  • Making the Most of Your Time for Sermon Prep

    Making the Most of Your Time for Sermon Prep
    Sep 28 2021
    How can you find the time you need for sermon prep? After all, time is a precious commodity. In this episode, Kevin Miller explores that question with Trevor McMaken, pastor of City Light Anglican Church in Aurora, Illinois.  He said “a big thing that’s helped me in my preaching ministry is to take study days to plan a message series ahead of time, so that when I get to Monday morning and I’m looking at the message on Sunday – it’s not a completely blank page.”  Here are time saving methods, to help you with sermon prep:  Start a preaching team at your church   Block off your mornings for sermon writing and research Work on your sermon offline (free yourself from digital distractions in the process)  Go for a “big idea” prayer walk  Use time management software (to block distracting social media sites) McMaken also recommends facing your internal struggles head on, without making them your entire focus. Remember, your calling is to be faithful to the Lord, and serve the congregation that He’s entrusted to you.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    24 mins
  • Why the Ministry of Presence Can Help People in Hard Times

    Why the Ministry of Presence Can Help People in Hard Times
    Sep 13 2021
    How can you help people maintain faith when they are suffering? In this episode, Kevin Miller explores that question with Emily H. McGowin, Assistant Professor of Theology at Wheaton College.   She said, “silence in the face of suffering is not an indefensible reaction. We should be humbled into quietness, and not be quick to speak when we encounter suffering.”  When McGowin’s mother-in-law died at 46 years-old, people tried to offer rational responses, which wasn’t helpful. But the people who ministered to her with their physical presence really helped her see the love of Christ, in that difficult time.  “I work very hard to try to convince students that God is good, in His very essence, and that means that God is therefore, already opposed to evil – not orchestrating it for some sort of mysterious end,” she said.   Miller also emphasized the importance of drawing attention to the resurrection, in response to death and suffering.  Check out what was referenced on the podcast:  Lament for a Son by Nicholas Wolterstorff (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI: 1987)  The Doors of the Sea: Where Was God in the Tsunami?  by David Bentley Hart (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI: 2011) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    22 mins
  • Apply Your Sermon with the Help of the Holy Spirit

    Apply Your Sermon with the Help of the Holy Spirit
    Aug 30 2021
    How can you apply your sermon, based on the Biblical text? In this episode, Kevin Miller explores that question with Robert Smith, Jr., Chair of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School where he teaches Christian Preaching.   He said, “without a sermon application, there really is no sermon, because the Bible is not only written to answer the what question – that is information, but the so what question - that is application.”  The Holy Spirit guides the application, and the preacher explains what the text meant when it was written, and what it means for hearers today, according to Smith.  He said the application should be applied based on:  The Biblical text. How the text speaks to the preacher.  What the text is saying to the church.  How the text applies to society at large.  Smith is concerned that whites will make it a privatized matter of spiritual only, and blacks will make it a matter of the social only.  Check out what was referenced on the podcast:   Doctrine That Dances: Bringing Doctrinal Preaching and Teaching to Life (B&H Publishing Group, Nashville: 2008) The Glory of Preaching: Participating in God’s Transformation of the World (Intervarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL: 2009)  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    28 mins
  • Preaching as a Human Exercise Centered in Christ

    Preaching as a Human Exercise Centered in Christ
    Aug 16 2021
    What is preaching? In this episode, Darrell Johnson, author of The Glory of Preaching explores that question with Matt Woodley.  “I think we’re to proclaim the truth of the text, proclaim the Jesus of the text, and teach what the text is all about” Johnson said.   How does the Bible talk about preaching? “There are a number of verbs used for the preaching moment including “proclaim, herald, evangelize, good news, teach, exhort and bear witness,” he said.   He recommends asking yourself these questions, when preparing your sermon:  Do you have the main point of the author?  Are you trusting your personality or the Holy Spirit?  He has been preaching for more than 50 years, and currently serves as a Teaching Fellow at Regent College in Vancouver, Canada.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    32 mins