From Leadership, the foremost professional journal for church leaders, comes a collection of contemporary illustrations--extensively cross-indexed for speakers, teachers, writers, and preachers.

A convenient source for contemporary illustrations and stories, this book helps users make their messages more memorable, powerful, and relevant to today's media-engaged listeners.

A collection of contemporary illustrations indexed and organized by topics and alternative topics to be used by speakers, teachers, preachers, and writers.

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.

Lasso Them With LaughterThe way to your listeners’ hearts is through their funny bones. Want to grab their attention? Do it with humor. Need to drive home a point they’ll remember? Nothing does it better than a rib-tickling anecdote—like the ones in this book. 1002 Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking is jam-packed with one-liners, jokes, humorous stories, and pithy proverbs for just about any subject or circumstance under the sun. Pick your topic. Appearances, Communication, Opportunity, Prayer, Self-Image, Sports . . . these and plenty more come to you conveniently alphabetized, numbered, and indexed for instant referencing. There’s even a space for you to log what you use, so fresh nuttiness doesn’t become old chestnuts.Tested by preachers and public speakers, this ensemble of humor is just the ticket to get your audience laughing—and listening.

A Comprehensive Resource for Today’s Christian Communicators. This extensive encyclopedia is the most complete and practical work ever published on the art and craft of biblical preaching. Its 11 major sections contain nearly 200 articles, comprehensively covering topics on preaching and methodology, including: Sermon structure and “the big idea.” The art of introductions, transitions, and conclusions. Methods for sermon prep, from outlining to exercising. Approaches to different types of preaching: topical, expository, evangelistic, and more. Best practices for sermon delivery, speaking with authority, and using humor. Leveraging effective illustrations and stories. Understanding audience. and much more. Entries are characterized by intensely practical and vivid writing designed to help preachers deepen their understanding and sharpen their communication skills. The contributors include a virtual Who’s Who of preaching from a cross section of denominations and traditions, such as Dallas Willard, John Ortberg, Rick Warren, Warren Wiersbe, Alice Mathews, John Piper, Andy Stanley, and many others. Haddon Robinson and Craig Brian Larson—two of today’s most respected voices in preaching—provide editorial oversight. Includes audio CD with preaching technique examples from the book.

Nothing drives home biblical truth like Fresh Illustrations. That is why Jim Wilson, editor at www.freshministry.org, invests his energy helping preachers and teachers deliver truth with maximum impact using Fresh Illustrations. His illustrations are based on current events, recognizable people or a quote from a popular book or movie. These are not old stories that everybody has already heard and repeated a million times . . . they're hot-off-the-grill fresh. Now, he has collected some of his best illustrations on Stewardship and put them in this handy volume. Teachers and preachers alike will find this an indispensable tool for communicating biblical truth.