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When's the last time you convinced your kid to take a shower by just telling them they should? Exactly. So why do we expect people to deny themselves and follow Jesus just because we said so?

Here's the distinction that changes everything: Asserting truth assumes people are ready to receive it. Arguing truth assumes they're not, and you have to convince them. Every sermon happens on contested ground. The world, the flesh, and the devil are whispering "Did God really say?" before you even open your mouth. Argumentation is how you fight to take that ground back.

This episode unpacks how to move from proclamation to persuasion. Not trusting your communication theory over the Spirit, but removing obstacles that keep people from hearing.

In this episode:

• Why surface-level preaching feels shallow (hint: it's all assertion, no argumentation)
• Three diagnostic questions that expose where people actually resist: Why do they resist this truth? Why don't they live like it's true? What assumptions make it difficult?
• The concept of "defeater beliefs," the hidden assumptions that make people dismiss your point before you even make it
• Steel manning vs. straw manning: how to articulate objections better than your congregation can
• Five tools for building your argument: biblical text, logic, historical examples, personal experience, and analogies
• Why you don't have to win the whole case in one sermon. You're just taking another swing at the tree.

The bottom line: Preaching that feels deep and insightful isn't about coming up with new ideas. It's about understanding their ideas well enough to pick them apart and replace them with something better.

Mentioned Resources

The Reason for God by Tim Keller
The Air We Breathe by Glenn Scrivener
Sermon Architecture Simplified
The Preaching Lab

Related Episodes

Preaching Through an Annual Theme
Preaching Through Contextual Dynamics

Preaching Through Your Sermon Points

Evergreen

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