Matthew 4:23 reports: “And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.” In almost identical language, Matthew 9:35 reports: “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.” Matthew records various episodes of Jesus teaching, preaching, and healing between these two progress reports. Jesus had compassion for hurting, harassed, and helpless people. Verses 37-38 record his response: “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out...

High-profile churches garner much attention. That can be a good thing. Model congregations should be spotlighted to challenge and encourage others. But it is not a good thing to highlight unhealthy churches. Some prominent preachers and churches should be ignored at best and censured at worst. Instead, they are endorsed, promoted, and celebrated as they defy God’s word in Christ’s name. We live in a reality TV culture where people are famous for being famous. The same is true of some churches. What is a church worth talking about? 2 Corinthians 8:1 answers: “We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia.” Then, Paul testifies to the generosity of the Macedonian churches. Generosity...

Welcome to The On Preaching Podcast, the podcast dedicated to helping you preach faithfully, clearly, and better. In this episode, H.B. interviews a new friend, Grant R. Castleberry. Grant Castleberry became the senior pastor of Capital Community Church in August 2019. As senior pastor of Capital, Grant is responsible for preaching the Word of God, shepherding, caring for, discipling, and equipping the saints for the work of ministry, and working with the elders to cast the overall vision for Capital. Grant completed his undergraduate work at Texas A&M University while also serving in the student body elected positions of junior...

Welcome to The On Preaching Podcast, the podcast dedicated to helping you preach faithfully, clearly, and better.  In this episode, H.B. gives several tips for stating the points, headings, or movements of the main body of your sermon. Effective sermons have clear structure. The structure of the sermon does not have to be explicit. But a good sermon outline benefits both the preacher and the hearer.  How should you state your sermon outline?  Use simple statements. Use clear statements.  Use biblical statements.  Use provable statements.  Use complete statements.  Use distinct statements.  Use parallel statements.  Use present-tense statements.  Use action statements. ...

John 19:28 reports two details about Jesus' dying moments. The verse tells us what Jesus knew: “Jesus, knowing that all was now finished.” Many die with so much they don’t know.  You may not know why you were born.  You may not know the reason for your death.   You may not know what happens when you die.  Not so with Jesus! Jesus was a man on a mission. He was born to die. His death was the completion of a redemptive plan, not the conclusion of a human life. As Jesus drew his final breaths, he knew his mission had been accomplished. John 19:28 also tells us what Jesus said: “After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said...

 It was the Passover, the annual celebration of Israel’s exodus from Egypt. It was the Last Supper Jesus would have with his disciples before his death on the cross. During dinner, Jesus announced, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The sorrowful disciples asked, “Is it I, Lord.” In Matthew 26:23-24, Jesus answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”  Jesus demonstrates...

I love the church! This is not the party line I am paid to repeat because I’m a pastor. With deep conviction and unwavering confidence, I believe the church is the hope of the world! And I am not merely talking about the idealized universal church, made up of all true believers in all places at all times. I am talking about the local church, warts and all.  The church matters to me. And the church should matter to you! Why does the church matter?  Jesus builds the church. The first statement about the church in the Bible is from the...

Welcome to The On Preaching Podcast, the podcast dedicated to helping you preach faithfully, clearly, and better.  In this episode, H.B. discusses impactful sermons he has personally heard over the years. The sermons affirm the power of hearing the word of God preached. They remind us that the Holy Spirit is at work through our preaching. They also show us that the Lord uses people with different backgrounds to preach effectively.  Sermons discussed in this episode... "Will Your House Stand?" by H.B. Charles Sr. "Will You Give Jesus Your Lunch? by Richard D. Sanders  "What Can that Boy Tell Me?"...

Will it last? That is the most crucial question of any building project. While there are other factors to consider, nothing matters more than whether that building will stand the test of time. The same principle applies to the church. The size of a church may impress people.  The gifts of a church may attract people.  The work of a church may benefit people.  That will not matter in the end. What is done for Christ and the church only has legitimate value if it has lasting value.  You may build great cathedrals large or small, You may build skyscrapers grand and tall, You may conquer all the failures of your past, But only what you do for Christ will last. Will it last? That...

Welcome to The On Preaching Podcast, the podcast, dedicated to helping you preach faithfully, clearly, and better? In this episode, H.B. discusses how to ask the right questions to properly interpret your sermon text. Proper interpretation is the foundation of biblical preaching. It should be preceded by careful observations of the sermon text. As you seek to understand the meaning of the text, it is important to ask the right questions. You must ask the right questions to get the right answers. What are the key questions for proper interpretation? What is the book about?  What is the literary genre? ...

Welcome to The On Preaching Podcast, the podcast dedicated to helping you preach faithfully, clearly, and better. In this episode, H.B. talks about practical ways to learn to preach or to preach better. Because we are called to preach the holy word of the living God, we should strive to give it our best. The good news is that you can learn to preach, following practical rules with divine help. And you can learn to preach better. How can I learn to preach better?  By studying the Bible. Through prayer to God.  By listening to good preaching.  By preaching.  By...

Is it right for Christians to sue one another? We live in a litigious society. If we suffer an actual or perceived wrong, we may not take matters into our own hands, but we will take you to court. Whether the opposing party is a fellow Christian is irrelevant. We feel we should not allow someone to take advantage of us if we can do something about it. To ask if it is right is a strange question to us. But just because a thing is legal does not mean it is moral. And it does not mean it is the Christian thing to do.  1 Corinthians 6 addresses the ethical dilemma of Christians suing one another. The disputes were civil, not criminal. No...