Tag Archives: Preaching

Apr 19 2016

How to Maximize Your Student’s Memory

memory

I believe our student ministry has experienced a breakthrough in maximizing our students’ ability to remember what we preach and teach.

Let’s be honest. We can spend hours upon hours on studying for sermons and lessons. Then we all have the same haunting questions, “Was it worth it? Will my students remember this stuff? Am I making a difference? Am I wasting my time?”

On one hand, we have to remember that God’s Word is never returned void (Isaiah 55:11). On the other hand, we have to be honest with ourselves by asking, “What are my students actually retaining?”  Continue reading →

Mar 9 2016

Sermon Writing Template

youthpastorpreaching

Every Youth Pastor,

I wanted to pass along to my weekly sermon writing template that I personally created. This helps me not to start from a blank slate, but to think creatively within categories that will ultimately develop a Gospel-centered sermon for my students from God’s Word. I pray this is as helpful for you as it has been for me.

 

Feel free to download it, change it up, and make it your own.

CENTRIC Sermon Preaching Template (pdf)

(You will see some names that I’ve listened to for years. I’ve listened to some for theology and some for communication. If they are in my template, I do not necessarily endorse their theology or ministry.)

May 7 2012

Patrick McGoldrick Speaks to CBSM Tonight: May 9


I recently wrote an article and about my good friend and youth ministry mentor, Patrick McGoldrick who has been diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease):. After he preached one of the most gospel-centered and God-glorifying sermons I’ve ever heard, one of our youth leaders (Dan Munoz) gave me the idea of asking Patrick to come speak for CBSM. Why did I not think of that? I knew it would be a crazy shot in the dark to get Patrick to Alabama with many churches calling him to speak, his important family time, etc. But we offered him the opportunity, and he graciously took us up on it. He said he wants to see CBSM in action, and of course we want to hear his heart as he preaches God’s Word to us.

We are unbelievably honored to have him as our guest preacher in this Wednesday night. We are inviting all our middle school students, high school students, and all their 6th – 12th grade friends to join us in this epic event. This is THE OPPORTUNITY to invite your unbelieving/unchurched friends, or your friends who are having a hard time trusting God as they are going through difficult times. Patrick will be sharing his salvation testimony and encouraging us how we can trust God even when times are really rough.

It is this Wednesday, May 9 @ 6:30pm. Show up early and grab a hotdog for .50 and some other snacks if you need it. Come chill with us early, and worship Jesus with us at 6:30pm. Of course our CBSM band will be rocking out some praise songs as usual!

Apr 23 2012

Patrick McGoldrick: My Friend and Mentor


I just got back from Detroit over the weekend, and had to share my experience. My friend and youth ministry mentor, Patrick McGoldrick, preached at Cornerstone Baptist Church after being diagnosed with the deadly disease: ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). It was the most incredible sermon I’ve ever witnessed in my life. Pastor Bob Johnson of Cornerstone said, “Preaching is always a dying man, to a dying people, about an undying gospel.”

I first experienced Patrick McGoldrick when I was a student at Baptist Bible College in Clarks Summit, PA. He came in to preach chapel for us that week. Our chapels were notoriously, ridiculously boring. There was a buzz when Patrick was there. Everyone else seemed to know to expect something great. I will never forget when he shared his life-changing testimony of Jesus getting a hold of him. I still remember thinking to myself, “If I ever had a chance to work with this man, I would drop everything to make that happen.” My senior year at BBC, I got a call from THE Patrick McGoldrick himself. I had several other options for ministry after college, but I ended up dropping everything else to work with him. Patrick’s testimony not only awakened our chapel sessions for that week, but it drove who he was and all he did. Patrick has never forgotten who he was before Jesus, how he felt before he was forgiven, and how the gospel brought hope into his life. Revelation 12:11, “And they have conquered [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.”

Patrick invited me to come up to Cornerstone Baptist Church to be his youth ministry intern from August 2001 to July 2002. Most youth pastors treat their interns like dogs, gophers, or bellhops. From day one, Patrick gave me responsibility, ministry, and opportunity. Over time, he ended up giving me a huge chunk of ministry to bite-off and chew on…the middle school ministry. These rambunctious rascals quickly became the youth I would have the opportunity to disciple for Jesus. Patrick was unbelievably patient with me as well as faithful, personal, respectful, and prayerful. I can say with full assurance that my ministry today is everything it is because of the personal attention Patrick gave me in my life. He taught me how to teach students, how to organize ministry, how to lead volunteers, how to conduct a worship service, how to choose curriculum, how to make a calendar of events, how to counsel struggling teens, how to run mission trips, how to stay close to Jesus, and how to repent of sin. Today, my ministry looks like it does because of him. I don’t want to merely entertain teens, I want to see them saved and discipled. I don’t want to just have adult volunteers, I want to have adult leaders who love teens and are equipped to lead them. I don’t want to do youth ministry just for the sake of it, but I want to have a vibrant, life-changing, growing, and Jesus-glorifying youth ministry. I want to have interns and teach them what Patrick taught me so that more teens in many other places can grow in Christ as well! 2 Timothy 2:2, “And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 1 Thessalonians 2:8, “So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.” Continue reading →

Mar 1 2011

CBSM Sermon Video – “SEX TALK: For Beauties and Beasts”


This is our second and final sermon in our SEX TALK series for this February. This message is all about how super important gender roles are to God and in His Word. God created us in specific gender with specific roles to each gender. God did this because He was reflecting Himself (different roles within the Trinity), and He’s reflecting His Gospel. Through this message, we want to turn-out biblical BEASTS (dudes) and BEAUTIES (ladies) who want to glorify Jesus through their gender. Godly guys need to be MENNN, and godly girls need to be LAIDIESSS. So feel free to check out anything on here, and use it for your ministry or life.

Feb 24 2011

SEX TALK: Beauties and Beasts

Free downloads for youth pastors and small group leaders:
2 – Sex Talk – Gender Roles (mp3)
2 – Sex Talk – Gender Roles (handout).pdf
2 – Sex Talk – Gender Roles (ppt)
2 – Sex Talk – Gender Roles (outline).doc
2 – Sex Talk – Gender Roles (small groups)
2 – Sex Talk – Gender Roles (service)
.
SEX TALK Sermon Intro Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpFGSOS3GIE
This is our second and final sermon in our SEX TALK series for this February. This message is all about how super important gender roles are to God and in His Word. God created us in specific gender with specific roles to each gender. God did this because He was reflecting Himself (different roles within the Trinity), and He’s reflecting His Gospel. Through this message, we want to turn-out biblical BEASTS (dudes) and BEAUTIES (ladies) who want to glorify Jesus through their gender. Godly guys need to be MENNN, and godly girls need to be LAIDIESSS. So feel free to check out anything on here, and use it for your ministry or life.

Jan 20 2011

Ex Nihilo (Doctrine of Creation): 3 Questions to Ask an Evolutionist

Free files for student pastors and small group leaders:
2 – Creation – Evolution (mp3)
2 – Creation – Evolution (handout)
2 – Creation – Evolution (ppt)
2 – Creation – Evolution (outline)
2 – Creation – Evolution (sermon notes)
2 – Creation – Evolution (small groups)
2 – Creation – Evolution (service)
Ex Nihilo Title Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUEiN6R2ZBw
(We used “Common Designer” from Answers in Genesis as our sermon intro video)
I’ve never preached on evolution before…nor have I ever preached on something that’s not in the Bible! I heavily studied Mark Driscoll’s chapter on “Creation” in his book “Doctrine.” You will see a lot of his material in my notes. I also used a little of Wayne Grudem’s chapter on “Doctrine of Creation” in his book “Systematic Theology” as well. I didn’t want to just preach a sermon on how evolution is wrong and creationism is right. So we went with the angle…how do we talk to evolutionists and engage them in conversation so that over time we can see God move their hearts to Jesus and then eventually to a biblical view of creationism? I want our students encouraged at every single moment to talk to unbelievers about Jesus, the gospel, the Word, etc! Check out all the resources above for a greater understanding on this HUGE issue.

Dec 7 2010

CBSM Sermon Video on Proverbs 1 – 9 “Get Smart”


We had an incredible worship service last night as we kicked-off our new series on the book of Proverbs called “Get Smart.” We showed a hilarious video from the “JayWalk All-Stars” collection of Jay Leno asking common people super easy questions…and they barely get any right. We played a quick game called “Smartest Woman Ever” which went great. Our worship was strong and Christ-centered, and our study in Proverbs was life-changing. Proverbs is a book on the importance of gaining daily knowledge and living wisely on a daily basis. But knowledge and wisdom both have a point to it…Jesus Christ! We gain all of our knowledge in view of Jesus, and we live out all of our wisdom for the motivation of the glory of Jesus. We are to fear Jesus as our Lord in both knowledge and wisdom (Prov 1:7, 9:10). Jesus is the voice of wisdom calling out (Prov 8:1-4, 1 Cor 1:24, 30). And Jesus is the Son of the Holy One (Prov 30:4). In summary: we need to live as smart and as wise as we possibly can because that is what pleases Christ and brings glory to Him! Check out all of our resources on this page for more on Proverbs 1-9.

Nov 13 2010

CBSM Sermon Video – “Best Book Ever: Is it really all true?


Our goal on this night night was to train, equip, and prepare our students to defend the INERRANCY (absolute truthfulness) of Scripture now and when the heat gets turned up in college. The Bible is inerrant (without errors) because it is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18), Jesus said the His Word is Truth (John 17:17), and the Scriptures were written by God (2 Peter 1:20-21). So we at CBSM unashamedly hold to, love, and boldly live the full inerrancy of God’s Word. This sermon explains what inerrancy is, explores the Word for where God claims inerrancy, and takes a look at problem passages where people claim mistakes in the Bible. Check it out!

Nov 13 2010

CBSM Sermon Video – “Best Book Ever: Who really wrote it all?”


Covering the Doctrine of the Inspiration of Scripture was a great night for us! God convicted me that we should spend as much time in the Word as possible that night…if we were going to talk about the importance of understanding that God’s Word is inspired by God Himself! So, we showed a quick 5 minute video to kick-off the service, I think preached for about an hour and ten minutes, and then we sang a couple of powerful worship songs, and then called it a night. I was AMAZED to see how into it the students were…and how God had them listen to His Word for over an hour. God still uses His Spirit to move students to love His Word…and the preaching of His Word!