Jeffrey Arthurs

Sep 12, 2024 | preachingtoday.com | Sean Palmer |Jeffrey Arthurs

“Good heavens, the man only works an hour a week.” Those are the words I can remember from Marge Simpson in an episode of The Simpsons from over 30 years ago. At least, that’s what I think I remember Marge saying. She was talking about her newly arrived preacher as he sermonized about how busy he’d been while adjusting to a new city. From what Marge saw, week-to-week, preachers worked an hour a week. It’s not funny because it’s true. It’s funny because people think it’s true.

Aug 29, 2024 | preachingtoday.com | Scott Gibson |Scott Wenig |Jeffrey Arthurs

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had my share of anxieties over preaching. Whether anxiety’s ugly head was raised during my preparation time or when I stood before my listeners to preach, I confess that I was gripped by anxiety. I’ve seen anxiety exhibited by those whom I know that preach on a regular basis and have seen fretting and fussing sideline preachers. Not only that, but also, I’ve had students in my classes who’ve been tangled up in the tentacles of their own life’s fretfulness.

Apr 24, 2024 | preachingtoday.com | Jeffrey Arthurs |Gregory Hollifield |Steve Mathewson

One of the preachers’ roles is persuader. Under our sovereign God we want to produce change in the listeners—strengthening existing belief, overturning wrong belief, rebuking sinful action, or coaching new habits. “Knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others” (2 Cor. 5:11). One of the best ways to persuade is with story.

Apr 8, 2024 | preachingtoday.com | Matt Woodley |Jeffrey Arthurs

This commentary is based on the sermon entitled “Cover or Be Covered” by Jeffrey Arthurs. Of course the Holy Spirit is at work, but Jeffrey Arthurs also contends that preaching is a human craft that involves human (brain to brain) communication. As Arthurs argues, “Boredom kills preaching.” Preaching doesn’t always have to explain new or novel truths. Most of the time we may be preaching as reminding. We don’t need to entertain our hearers, but our sermons should be memorable.

Mar 28, 2024 | preachingtoday.com | Jeffrey Arthurs |Steve Mathewson |Adam Hamilton |Tim Keller

As the West continues to slide into a post-Christian worldview and lifestyle, preachers will do well to sharpen their skills in persuasion. To do this, we can learn from our Lord and use the greater-to-lesser (and lesser-to-greater) argument. To do this, a speaker begins by stating something that the listeners already believes—a “no-brainer”—and then connects that belief to a second statement that is not so obvious, the point actually in the crosshairs of argumentation.