Imagine writing a sermon that must be original, insightful, useful, challenging, comforting . . . once a week. That's exactly what most preachers are called upon to do while seeing to all of the other responsibilities that comprise their vocation.

Book four in "The Preacher's Toolbox" series tackles the art and craft of sitting down to face a blank computer screen and coming up with a message that feeds and even entertains the listener. Expert preachers, speakers and teachers share the results of years of doing just that.

Articles include
- "Writing a Good Message in a Bad Week," Scott Wenig
- "Five Hammer Strokes for Creating Expository Sermon Outlines," Jeffrey Arthurs
- "How Prayer Transforms Prep," Michael Lawrence
- "Simply Profound," Duane Litfin
- "If You Dislike Sermon Prep," Bill Hybels - "Getting Out of Preaching Ruts," Matt Woodley
- "Planning Sermon Series," David Daniels
- "Preparing Your Soul to Preach," Pete Scazzerro
- "The Preacher's Study," Kent Hughes
- "Facebook Sermon Prep," Bill White

There is also a special "How I Prepare . . . " section from leading pastors, including
- Timothy Keller
- Mark Driscoll
- Lee Eclov
- Matt Chandler
- Justin Buzzard
- And more

Master the craft of effective communication that grabs attention and wins hearts.
Like everyone else, preachers long to be understood. Unfortunately, the rules first learned in seminary, if misapplied, can quickly turn homiletic precision into listener boredom.
To capture heart and mind, Mark Galli and Craig Larsen suggest preachers turn to the lessons of journalism. In Preaching That Connects, they show how the same keys used to create effective, captivating communication in the media can transform a sermon.
Amply illustrated from some of today's best preachers, Preaching That Connects walks through the entire sermon, from the critical introduction to the bridge to illustrations and final application. Key points include the five techniques for generating creative ideas, your six options for illustrations, and the ten rules for great storytelling-and why the transition sentence is the hardest sentence you'll write.
Preaching That Connects is for all who seek to hone their craft to communicate the truth of the gospel effectively.

Movies have become the stories of our culture. People love to discuss favorite movies and actors, and this interest can help you communicate God s Word with power---if you have exciting, movie-based illustrations at your fingertips. Now the editors of PreachingToday.com have gathered the best movie-based illustrations, the scenes that convey biblical truth convincingly. This collection contains 101 complete illustrations straight from popular movies your listeners can relate to. Each illustration is easy to use---you don t even have to be familiar with the movie to share the truth it portrays. .Complete index includes multiple keywords and relevant Scripture passages for easy selection. .Each illustration provides plot summary and detailed description of the scene---you can tell the story well even if you haven t seen the movie. .Exact begin and end times are given for each illustration if you wish to show the video clip. .Each illustration gives background information on the movie---year created, MPAA rating, and more. This handy, to-the-point resource will help you add dramatic muscle to your sermons and lessons. Engage your listeners imaginations through the power of movies---and drive biblical truths home to their hearts."

If you ve used the original Movie-Based Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching, you already know why this sequel is a must-have. If not, you re about to discover why More Movie-Based Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching is one of the most effective people-reachers you can add to your tool kit. Movies have become the stories of our culture, and they can help you communicate God s Word with power---if you have exciting, movie-based illustrations at your fingertips. The editors of PreachingToday.com have gathered the best movie-based illustrations, the scenes that convey biblical truth convincingly. This collection contains 101 complete illustrations straight from popular movies your listeners can relate to. Each illustration is easy to use---you don t even have to be familiar with the movie to share the truth it portrays. *Complete indexes includes multiple keywords, movie titles, and relevant Scripture passages for easy selection. *Each illustration provides plot summary and detailed description of the scene---you can tell the story well even if you haven t seen the movie. *Exact begin and end times are given for each illustration if you wish to show the video clip. *Each illustration gives background information on the movie---year created, MPAA rating, and more."

Every preacher, teacher, or writer knows the value of a good illustration in helping connect the truth of the passage with the congregation or class---and how hard it is to come up with good illustrations week after week. This book contains the cream of the crop: 1001 illustrations carefully selected from among thousands on Christianity Today International s popular website PreachingToday.com. These illustrations are proven, memorable, and illuminating. As the saying goes, they will preach And they re fresh, all written within the past seven years. Of course the best illustrations are no good if you can t find the right one. These illustrations have been arranged according to twelve master topics, each divided into several subtopics. Further, they ve been indexed according both to Bible references and to 500 keywords. A searchable CD-ROM is included, allowing you to get the illustration into your lesson or sermon with ease."