A Sermon's Life Cycle

Most sermons follow a similar pattern.

After 25 years of preaching, Pete Scazzero, pastor of New Life Church in Queens, New York, has noticed a pattern for his sermon preparation process. Scazzero calls it "The Life Cycle of the Sermon," and he claims that his sermons follow this cycle at least 95 percent of the time. This cycle involves five remarkably consistent phases—birth, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. (Sound familiar?) In this candid interview at PreachingToday.com, Scazzero analyzes this pattern and coaches preachers in how to journey through each stage of the cycle.

Fear of Failure

Unwind your fear with a truer perspective on ministry.

In ministry it is all too easy to be plagued by fears of failure or inadequacy. Many of these fears stem from flawed expectations or a narrow perspective. BuildingChurchLeaders.com has a 30-page training resource on the topic featuring articles, devotionals, assessments. The download offers insights and practices to help you gain a more biblical (and more encouraging) outlook.

8 Legal Pitfalls for Pastors

How to avoid the most common threats.

In this digital e-book from ChurchLawAndTax.com, you learn ways to mitigate risks your church faces and prevent future litigation that might hinder its ability to do ministry. Richard Hammar and Frank Sommerville, two experts on church law and tax, highlight eight pitfalls that frequently land pastors or churches in court.

How to Recover From Ministry Failure

Persevering through a failed ministry.

This training pack is created for those of you who've put your heart into a ministry that has failed. To guard against discouragement, they offer this packet of articles to give you perspective and inspire you to persevere.