Preaching For Life Change

One of the crucial keys to effective preaching is seeing lives changed. One of the major things I’ve learned throughout my 16 years of preaching is that it’s very helpful to know your audience. Here are some things to keep in mind about your audience:

1. Know their struggles

2. Know their fears

3. Know their culture

4. Know their pain

5. Know their demographics

Weekend Update

1. I spoke SEVEN times this weekend. I feel better than I thought I would.

2. I spoke Friday night to some of the leaders of PC. It was a great night of vision casting.

3. On Saturday night, I spoke twice for my friend Craig Groeschel. For all of you who are not in the ministry world, Craig is the Senior Pastor of www.lifechurch.tv.

4. Of course, I spoke at four of our five Sunday experiences.

5. What God is doing at LifeChurch.tv is unbelievable! It was so weird knowing that I was speaking to more people through video than I was live.

6. I wrapped up our series Room Mates, Bad Dates and Great Mates. It was a very helpful series.

7. It never gets old watching people give their hearts to Christ. I am humbled and blown away that every week people accept Christ as their Savior at PC! God is so amazing!

8. I'm beginning a new series this Sunday called Just Ask. The title of Sunday's message is Lord, Bless Me! This is going to be a timely series with all that's going on in our society and economy. Invite your friends and family to come connect with God.

9. My Oklahoma Sooners look like the real deal. We are number one in the nation!

Random Thoughts

1. I had a very busy week, and the weekend is even busier.

2. I rarely work on Fridays, but this afternoon, I have to study two different weekend messages and get prepared for a vision talk I'm giving to some of the leaders of our church tonight.

3. I am speaking for a friend of mine on Saturday night. I will be speaking at PC on Sunday.

4. I took my wife on a date last night. Always enjoy our time together away from the kids.

5. My Community Group that I'm attending has been really good. We are holding each other accountable and praying for each other in areas that we are struggling in. I love hanging with these guys.

6. My wife had strep throat this week. She is feeling better. I hate to see my wife not feeling good.

7. I went to a pastors’ meeting on Tuesday and there was some great stuff said. Two things stuck out. Reach the unchurched and stay pure. I walked away very encouraged.

8. I'm closing out our series Room Mates, Bad Dates & Great Mates on Sunday. Going to be fun!

9. Church family, I want to encourage you to host a Community Group for four weeks beginning the first Sunday of October. I will do all of the work for you on a DVD. All you have to do is push play and let me ask the questions that are based on the Sunday sermon. You can do this! This is your chance to get to know some of your church family and grow spiritually. Get connected! Email erin@peopleschurch.tv right now and let her know that you will host a Community Group for four weeks! GO FOR IT! QUIT hesitating! Quit making excuses! DO IT NOW!

10. Five of my fantasy football teams are 3-0. One of my football teams is 0-3. I need a turn around in that league. It's coming this week.

Why Do pt. 2

6. People trust God with their eternity but not with their life?

7. People attend church with people who look just like them?

8. People talk negatively about other churches that are different from theirs?

9. People have the tendency to look inward instead of outward?

10. People make church all about them?

Why Do

1. People stand up the entire time at a Dallas Cowboys game?

2. People say one thing and do another?

3. People come to church 10 to 30 minutes late to a 1 hour service?

4. People give less than 10 percent and still call it tithing?

5. People who haven't had a successful track record at any ministry position want to start a church?

Busy Week For Me

This morning, I am attending a pastors meeting with pastors from around the area. I know I will enjoy connecting with other pastors and sharpening one another. This afternoon, I have a meeting with our Executive Team and then a meeting with our Leadership Team.

On Wednesday and Thursday, I will be studying like crazy. I have lots of preparation to do this week. I am speaking to some of our leaders at PC on Friday night. We are going to eat dessert together, fellowship and I will be casting vision. I love these times with our leaders. On Saturday, I'm speaking two times at a friend’s church who lives in the state of Oklahoma. This friend has been very instrumental in my leadership development, and I'm really excited to speak for him. On Sunday, I am speaking at PC four times. On Sunday afternoon, I'm going to PASS out in my recliner and watch football!

Going to be a busy but GREAT week!

Weekend Update

1. It was another beautiful weekend in Oklahoma.

2. Yesterday, there were lots of people baptized in water, and many people gave their hearts to Christ.

3. I talked with a pastor friend of mine last night, and he talked about how on Sunday nights a preacher can feel depressed after speaking a bunch on Sundays. There are some Sunday nights I can relate to my friend. It's the HOLY hang over. All you pastors, say Amen!

4. People laughed their heads off in church yesterday. I mean they laughed and laughed and laughed. I think church can be fun!

5. I told our married couples that they need to have sex regularly. I got some strong amens from some of our men. I didn't make that up, it's in your Bible! If you haven't read it, you ought to check it out. It's a great book!

6. I told our married couples that they need to romance one another. I told them that I'm not talking about having sex but being romantic. I got some strong amens from our women and a lot of laughter.

7. God is doing a great work in marriages.

8. I'm closing out our series Room Mates, Bad Dates & Great Mates on Sunday! It's going to be a fun time in God's presence!

Fun Random Thoughts

1. On Monday, I went with a pastor friend of mine to the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles football game. To say the least, it was a great game. It was action-packed from start to finish. It was my first Dallas Cowboys game, but it won't be my last.

2. This Sunday, I'm teaching a message called How To Have An Affair. Don't you dare miss this message. Invite a friend to church.

3. They have poured almost all of the slab for our new facility. The STEEL starts going up next week! Exciting stuff!

4. If you want God to rock your marriage or future marriage in a good way, don't miss church this Sunday!

5. I did an interview for my friend Craig Groeschel yesterday for a DVD that he is going to be releasing about IT. If you haven't read the book, IT, you need to. It inspired me and our team to new heights. Craig is stinking funny in the book as well. I laughed out loud several times.

6. My fantasy football teams went 5-1 last week. The only problem is I lost in the same league again, so I'm 0-2 in one league and 2-0 in the other 5. I need a turn around.

7. I'm so excited about the future of PC. Our best days are definitely ahead of us! Get ready for a wild ride PC!

8. My Oklahoma Sooners have a bye week this Saturday. Get rested up boys!

9. I'm going to enjoy a great day with my family. Be sure you spend some quality time with your family. PEACE!

Do The Right Thing pt. 3

21. Fast

22. Help the poor

23. Get involved in missions

24. Plant churches

25. Hate sin

26. Repent

27. Surrender to the Holy Spirit

28. Endure trials

29. Respect authority

30. Fight the good fight of faith

Do The Right Thing pt. 2

11. Date your spouse.

12. Spend time with your kids.

13. Make love to your spouse.

14. Live by priorities – don't just talk about them.

15. Preach the Bible not your opinion

16. Work hard

17. Take your day off (but first work hard)

18. Be accountable

19. Take care of your body

20. Be a friend