Category: Preaching Articles (Page 1 of 2)

Helpful Tips for Preaching from Biblical Journeys

October 24, 2024 / Palitha Jayasooriya / 0 Comments

Preaching From Biblical Journeys

Introduction:

My mind goes back to my childhood as I begin this article. I remember the first time I rode the train through the beautiful hill country of Sri Lanka with my family – a journey considered by many to be one of the most scenic train journeys in the world. The images of perfectly manicured tea plantations, misty hills, cascading waterfalls, winding streams glistening in the sun, and the many enchanting tunnels we passed, are forever etched in my memory.

I also remember our family of 5 being huddled around a small radio in 1969, listening to the ‘live commentary’ of man’s first attempt to land on the moon. Even though we were thousands of miles away, the excitement of this adventure was so special that we stayed up all night following the story with hope in our hearts. The sense of relief as well as joy as Astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped on to the surface of the moon and spoke his now legendary first words, still remain with me.

I have always been interested in following journeys. Throughout my lifetime, I have followed many such journeys with much enthusiasm. In fact, my favorite comic strip in my childhood was based around the adventures of Tintin as he journeyed to many parts of the world including, of all places, the moon. (I am not ashamed to say that I still read those books sometimes). Not sure however why Tintin never travelled to Sri Lanka!

The Preaching Platform – 1st Anniversary

September 3, 2016 / Palitha Jayasooriya / 3 Comments

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Praise be to our God!

2 days ago, on 1^st September, we completed our first Anniversary of the online ministry of ‘The Preaching Platform’. I well remember the day this ministry was launched 1 year ago by Pastor Dishan Wickramaratne, the Senior Pastor of the Peoples Church (Assembly of God).

As we look back over 1 year of God’s faithfulness, we thank Him for the way He has blessed our efforts and for the lives He has touched through this ministry. The sermons and devotionals on the blog have had 10391 page views in 142 countries over the past year, besides the views on Facebook and Twitter.

Article : Sports Imagery in the Scriptures

August 17, 2016 / Palitha Jayasooriya / 0 Comments

7032461261_59f7c78c15_z (1) - A visual of a sports stadium. — Photo Credit – @Doug88888 courtesy flickr

Since last week, the eyes of the sports world have been firmly fixed on the Rio Olympics. As expected, new records have been set, new talented athletes haven been discovered and some of the more seasoned campaigners have also proved that they are still at their best!

Personal Sports Memories-

I have always been a fan of sports and my favorites have been cricket, football and tennis, in that order. As a schoolboy, I remember waking up very early to listen to cricket commentaries on short-wave radio from Australia, staying up late when they were being transmitted from England, and staying up even later to listen to commentaries from the Caribbean. All the listening was done through a small radio we owned.

Another sports memory that will always be entrenched in my mind is tuning in at around 3 in the morning to listen to the 1970 Football World Cup final between Brazil and Italy, being played in Mexico. I still remember the thrill I felt when the legend Pele scored the 1^st goal and very specially, the final goal scored by the Brazilian captain, Carlos Alberto, later to be described as one of the most memorable goals in World Cup history! The commentary team from BBC Radio made you feel like you were actually watching the game!

Article: Celebrating Women on Mother’s Day

May 7, 2016 / Palitha Jayasooriya / 2 Comments

“A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised, give her the reward she has earned” (Proverbs 31:30-31)

The world is celebrating Mother’s Day as usual on a large scale and I’m so happy that The Peoples Church is celebrating our mothers, at our services on May 13^th. I thought however that this was a good opportunity for me to express my appreciation to the 2 mothers who have had the most input and the most impact in my life.

Preaching with an Interpreter

January 27, 2016 / Palitha Jayasooriya / 4 Comments

Preaching with an Interpreter

It’s a tough call being a Preacher. I deeply respect the men and women who faithfully teach or proclaim the Word of God to hungry hearts regularly. Preachers however can find themselves preaching in many different situations that can be quite challenging.

In this article, I would like to discuss the subject of preaching with an interpreter.

5 Qualities of Preachers on Fire

October 30, 2015 / Palitha Jayasooriya / 2 Comments

Image Credit: Ordinary Ministry

‘When preachers are on fire for Jesus, people come to watch them burn for Jesus’.

‘God’s method is a man, and you are that man’ (Dr. Colton Wickramaratne)

I heard a dynamic preacher proclaim the first statement above at a Conference I attended recently. It came out from his lips under the fire of the Spirit’s anointing. The second quote is a favorite statement of the Founder Pastor of Peoples Church, Sri Lanka, Dr Colton Wickramaratne; one he has consistently shared in his ministry over the years.

There’s something special about a preacher who’s on fire for Jesus. It has been my joy to hear many of them in my Christian walk. As I’ve tried to identify what keeps the fire burning within them, here are 5 characteristics I have noticed of a preacher who’s on fire for Jesus.

5 Foundations To Build A Blessed Family

October 18, 2015 / Palitha Jayasooriya / 15 Comments

Image credit: Evil Erin

Introduction

Many buildings that look strong on the outside develop cracks and some collapse, due to the foundation being weak. Bad foundations produce bad buildings! It’s no different with building a blessed family. Didn’t the Lord Jesus Himself give us the parable of the house on the Rock and the one on sand (Matthew 7:24-27)? The house on the Rock stood firm because it had the right foundation.

In this article, I would like to share what I believe are 5 vital foundations for building a blessed family. They are:

Preacher, Let’s listen and learn

June 21, 2015 / Palitha Jayasooriya / 0 Comments

Image credit: truth noize

‘Be quick to listen’ (James 1:19)

I was wonderfully saved by the grace of God at the age of 16. Since that day, I always believed that one day I would be preaching the amazing Word of God. I therefore decided that I would listen as best as I could to the preaching of God’s Word and learn that Word as much as I could.

I remember sitting on the edge of my seat as a teenager, as the Founder Pastor of our church, Dr Colton Wickramaratne would preach his anointed and inspiring sermons week after week, trying to learn as to what made those sermons come alive. Besides Ps Colton, I would eagerly look forward to hearing other men of God who would come in to our church as missionaries or guest preachers. Among the many who did come, I vividly remember the preaching of Pastors Mark Buntain, Syvelle Phillips and Arthur Speldewinde, besides many others, as they expounded God’s Word skillfully. Being an avid short-wave radio listener, I would also spend many hours listening to Christian Radio Stations. Memories of programs like ‘The Hour of Decision’ and ‘Unshackled’ come to mind. I was listening and trying to learn.