What are you planning to preach post-Easter? Do you follow the liturgical calendar (with Ascension Day and Pentecost on the horizon, then "Ordinary Time")? If so or not, how does that affect your next series?

It's always a little concerning when I cannot verify a sermon illustration (usually something purported to be historical and true) from any source other than sermons or sermon illustration sites. Early in my preaching I was not as discerning as I am now. While brainstorming with Preach360 App/Gemini, it suggested a historical illustration that I have seen before. I couldn't find any independent verification. To its (or apparently "his") credit, I asked directly and got this response: "That is a discerning question! To be completely honest with you—as one brother to another—the Waterloo Semaphore story is largely considered an apocryphal 'preacher's story.' While it's a brilliant homiletical illustration, most historians agree that news of the victory actually reached London via a human messenger (Major Henry Percy) who traveled by carriage and boat. There was no direct semaphore line across the English Channel at that time that could have transmitted a message in that specific way." Three things can be true: 1) As communicators of Truth, we should be very discerning about everything we say, including "brilliant homiletical illustrations". You shouldn't use something if you know it to be untrue. 2) We are sometimes lazy regurgitators of untrue stories, which merely causes them to spread more. 3) If you love an illustration that you know is apocryphal and want to still use it, just say at the beginning something like: "this is probably (or is) an untrue story, but it illustrates this point..." and use it. I find it hard to do that a lot, but have done it occasionally. Other approaches or thoughts?

This is not really about preaching. Just wondered what you would do. At end of service, after giving the notices, a visitor put up her hand and asked if she could come to the front, she had something to say. Panic?! do i let her i tell her NO, if I say No what message does that give out, if I say yes, what is she going to say. I agree, she says she has a message from the Spirit for the church (more panic). The message is 'God loves you and you should pray more for your minister, (my sermon was on unity). If anyone was touched my the ministers sermon, God wants to heal where you have broken relationships. Can I pray for you minister now, God loves you' It worked out all right in the end. she felt led by the spirit to fly from London to Scotland and doesn't know why and then to come to our church. Haven't seen her again?? Thoughts?

There is a long list of sermon prep frustrations that I've experienced over the past 30+ years. Here are some of the top issues I hear as a preaching coach. - I often feel behind. - I struggle with sermon structure. - I experience unfinished sermon stress all week. - I am constantly rewriting my sermons on Saturdays. - I feel like my sermons get too confusing and complex. - I rarely receive the kind of positive feedback I long to hear. - My sermon application feels shallow, forced, and sometimes moralistic. Q: Can you relate to any of these? Q: Which ones stand out as most problematic? Q How has Preach360 helped you deal with them? Let's talk about it in the comments! 🗣️ Also, we'll deal with some of them in tomorrow's live coaching workshop—and demo the latest Preach360 web app. I think we're only days away from a community beta test. Join the live workshop here: https://www.skool.com/preach360/calendar?eid=c983fe02456c4e30a4dbb5ba60e8b06e Oh, if you haven't participated in this week's poll, cast your vote here: https://www.skool.com/preach360/poll-what-would-help-you-most-with-preach360-workshops That's it for today! Hope to see you at tomorrow's workshop. McKay

To make our Wednesday live coaching as helpful as possible, what would you like us to cover during our Preach360 workshops? Here's the link to this week's live coaching. https://www.skool.com/preach360/calendar?calDate=1771853153&eid=c983fe02456c4e30a4dbb5ba60e8b06e