Monday Morning Insights

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    Ten Cautions & Encouragements for Preachers

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    1.  Read the biographies of great preachers. There are some good books on preaching such as Bryan Chapell’s Christ-Centered Preaching, but in my mind the best tutor is the biographies of great preachers. In reading these we can learn about their family life, devotional life, study habits, etc. One book that is a good introduction to the Puritans, who elevated the pulpit to a thunderous art, is Light and Heat: A Puritan View of the Pulpit, written by Bruce Bickel. I am also a rabid fan of the reformed Baptist Charles Haddon Spurgeon and read any biography I can find on his life and ministry.

    2.  Beware of the radio preachers. As a new Christian I listened to many hours of Chuck Swindoll, Greg Laurie, Tony Evans, Billy Graham, John MacArthur and others and was blessed. However, when men preach for the radio they are preaching to the masses. Subsequently, they are not as likely to speak personally of themselves, their struggles, their families, and the specific issues in their church because they are preaching to America. Most pastors don’t preach to the nation or world, but just to their flock who need to know their pastor, see what the Holy Spirit has been doing with the Bible in their life, and how the Bible is integrated into their daily life and relationships instead of vague and general illustrations and principles that are true but not specific to their community. Also, younger preachers can often listen to so many hours of a radio preacher that they end up parroting him rather than finding their own voice and style. For example, if I had a buck for every twenty-year-old Calvinist who sounds like he’s channeling John Piper or every Calvary guy who sounds like Chuck Smith I could have a building as large as Joel Osteen’s. The key is not to mimic a man, but to learn from him and honor him simply by preaching the same gospel.

    3.  Beware of the sermons for sale. Tragically, there is a growing trend for preachers to buy their sermons. The tragedy with this is that such sermons are often goofy. Furthermore, they do not require the preacher to get his time in Scripture and do not encourage any sort of theological instruction as they are general mass market sermons to fit everyone, everywhere and are therefore not missional or theological or, arguably, biblical. While it is not wrong to listen to other preachers and how they taught on a text or topic, it is unwise to simply preach someone else’s work whether that is through plagiarism or the purchase of a sermon.

    4.  Study the stand-up comics. Stand-up comedy and preaching are the only two mediums I can think of in which someone walks onto a stage to talk for a long time to a large crowd. Dave Chappelle, Carlos Mencia, and Chris Rock are genius at capturing an audience using irony and sarcasm.

    5.  Junk your notes and go with the Ghost . . . sometimes. Some years ago I gave up trying to manuscript or outline my sermons. Now, I focus on knowing the Scriptures I am preaching, spending many hours in prayer, meditation, and repentance through the Scriptures, and being filled with the power of God the Ghost. Then, I just get up and, with a few scribbled notes in my margins, I preach as God leads and trust that God will direct my words and He always does. Sometimes I may use a brief outline, but I am not tied to any one way of being ready to preach and just do whatever seems like it will do the job best.

    6.  Plug everything into your pulpit. We have our children’s ministry and small group ministry follow the teaching from the pulpit so that the whole church is studying and learning together to ensure focus and unity.

    7.  Preach Jesus. Jesus’ name should be spoken repeatedly throughout a sermon so that it is clear which God you are speaking of. Jesus should be the hero of every sermon, the answer to every question, and the hope for every person. Jesus promised that if He is lifted up He would draw people and the key to church growth is the exaltation of Jesus.

    8.  Learn from the feedback of your people without being defensive. Certainly there are always neatniks and critics, but listening to the questions and disagreements of people always helps you improve.

    9.  Give your sermons away. Some years ago we started putting the sermons online as free MP3 downloads. Today, with podcasting and vodcasting, we are seeing millions of people download the sermons. Our vodcast has been as high as #1 on iTunes for Religion and Spirituality. The web is the new front door and many people will visit your church through your website long before they attend a church event. Also, many people like to catch up on past teachings, forward pertinent sermons to their friends, and listen to teaching while they drive to work, cook their meals, and weed their garden. By giving the sermon away for free, a preacher’s ministry can continue for years into the future to a much broader audience than they have on a Sunday.

    10.  After you’ve preached, let it go and sleep like a Calvinist. Don’t listen to your sermons over and over beating yourself up. Once you’ve preached a sermon, let it be a finished work and move on. Passion, courage, and boldness are keys to preaching that simply cannot exist in someone who is too analytical or critical of themselves, so lighten up, have fun, and let it fly in Jesus’ name.

    Source:  http://theresurgence.com/mark_driscoll_2006-09-12_audio_preaching_and_teaching_jesus_from_scripture_part_5

    FOR DISCUSSION: Your Thoughts?

    Mark Driscoll offers ten things that he suggests would be either cautions or encouragements for pastors.  Take a read and see what you think…

    Comments

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    1. Andy McAdams on Wed, December 13, 2006

      I think I would agree with this to a point: 


      Stand-up comedy and preaching are the only two mediums I can think of in which someone walks onto a stage to talk for a long time to a large crowd. Dave Chappelle, Carlos Mencia, and Chris Rock are genius at capturing an audience using irony and sarcasm.



      However, I think I would watch some different comics, unless I wanted to be crude and learn how to cuss.

    2. Peter Hamm on Wed, December 13, 2006

      “Junk your notes and go with the Ghost . . . sometimes.” this is especially true if you preach every week. I don’t… So I need more notes.


      Loved the article, though. I think it will cause fewer problems than Driscoll’s other recent articles.


      http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/wink.gif

    3. Camey on Wed, December 13, 2006

      Have to disagree with #2 just a tad…...


      Was listening to Chuck Swindoll on the radio as I was traveling on Monday. He specifically was referring to himself and his particular church.


      #3 & 9 - I am one who listens to sermons from preachers all over the US, some famous and some not. In the past year, it has become increasing more noticeable just how many are using “sermons for sale”..... Definitely agree about “give your sermons away” - you never know who may be listening or when. So remember about #3….. http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/smile.gif


      Great to hear Driscoll in this fashion and form. May all of you who are preachers receive encouragement today! May you know that you are lifted up in prayer…...

    4. kent on Wed, December 13, 2006

      I wonder what the sermon advise would be from the person who over 25 years pastors a church of 150, on his or her own and having to covers all the bases. Does the visiting, teaches, plans, casts vision, helps people discover their spiritual gifts, enables them for ministry. Why do we never hears from these people?

    5. Jeff on Wed, December 13, 2006

      Scrap the notes and the manuscript might work if it was about me and the spoken Word.  However, I have been in two consecutive churches where there is at least one deaf (or legally impaired) person who can only follow if there is enough visual matter for them to get the flow. 


      It requires much more discipline and preparation to have a manuscript (an NOT read from it), but it is the SOURCE for some members of our congregation… like the video projection team also…


      How do you go with that “Spirit flow” every week and still keep ‘em all with you?  Plan farther ahead and pray harder as you prepare.  In 19 years of public speaking, evangelism and preaching in the local church, the Spirit has only changed my message “on the fly” three times that I can remember.  That number I think people forgive you for not having the notes ready.

    6. Abbey on Wed, December 13, 2006

      Chris Rock? You’ve got to be kidding. Quick with the punchline he may be, but only if you aspire to the vulgar and baseness of our fallen world.

    7. kent on Wed, December 13, 2006

      How do you buy other sermons and then use them? How do you make them your own? This is a real issue for me. I struggled with using the mateiral for the 40 days of purpose because the styles were different, and long, they were really long. No sarcasm here.

    8. Pastor Al on Wed, December 13, 2006

      Already spoken but he “comics” he listed are crude, raciest, sexist, misogynist, and basically some of most vile men on the circuit today!  Has he even listened to these guys?


      Come on Mark surely you could have recommended some comics that don’t use genitalia to make their comedic point!  Makes me think twice about taking anything Mark says seriously.


      PA

    9. Dan Moore on Wed, December 13, 2006

      Good points generally.  I still write my sermons out ... though I don’t read from them when I preach.  I find them useful for those I visit in jail where they are not permitted tapes so I give them copies of my sermons to use in Bible study. 


      Mark’s choice of comedians is not the greatest but the principles of catching the people’s attention used by comedians are worth a look.  Letterman uses the 10 question approach.  Leno often shows silly signs and has the interview on the street.  Jeff Foxworthy has his famous, “You might be a Redneck if….”  Rodney Dangerfield would string a series of one-liners begining with, “I don’t get no respect…” 


      Jesus was the master of catching the attention of His listeners.  I suspect some of His parables probably brought out some laughter. 


      Listening to radio and TV preachers should be done with a grain of salt.  A lot of Christians and non-Christians do listen.  But some of these preachers will teach something contrary to one’s own church/denominational belief.  I have had to deal with some issues that immature members have brought to me.   From time to time I would have the one particular parishioner or two who would say, “I wish you would preach more like Stanley or Osteen.”  And I would reply, “If I was pastor of his church I just might.”  If they persisted, I would just ask, “Who visited you in the hospital last time?  Me or [the radio/tv preacher]?”  That stops ‘em dead in their tracks.

    10. Pastor Al on Wed, December 13, 2006

      You want to hear a good comedian who does not use profanity and still can catch an audience - Listen to Brian Regan http://www.brianregan.com/


      You don’t have to listen to trash to learn! 


      Come on guys, what are we telling young preachers here by telling them to listen to Chris Rock?


      We might as well advise our men to check out Playboy because Hugh is sure successful with women and hey we might just “learn something.”


      PA

    11. kent on Wed, December 13, 2006

      Garrison Keillor is the best “preacher” in America. Just listen to his Lake Wobegon monologues.

    12. Leonard on Wed, December 13, 2006

      Some great points here.  I think debating over the specific comedians might be a bit fruitless, even though I do not enjoy the ones he listed.  As for taking a sermon from someone else; This is not as easy as just standing up an reading someone else’s message.  It requires deconstruction someone else’s message.  It requires gaining understanding of the text. (bible) It requires personalizing the message with illustrations and personality.  It requires developing the story to the people you serve.  Preaching someone else’s message is actually more work for me, not less.  But I do know that as I listen to other preachers I will come across something that makes me say, wow, that is better than I could have said it. I am stealing that.  I footnote this on Sundays.


      I disagree with #10.  After I preach I listen to the message at least once.  This enables me to learn how I said something, it helps me see patterns of words or phrases, it helps me know when I am too harsh or just right, it forces me to interact with how people hear my words and is one of the best things someone who is hungry to grow in their preaching can do.

    13. Ann on Wed, December 13, 2006

      Pastor Al,


      Now you’re talkin’ ,Brian Regan is hysterical and uses very mild language - there’s the occasional word you may not want your kid using, but of course it’s his delivery that rocks.  My pastor will use it sometimes, most people have no clue he’s doing it; those of us that do find it quite amusing.


      You always get a whole sno-cone!!  http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/grin.gif

    14. Brian on Wed, December 13, 2006

      Just a note about number 5: “Junk your notes and go with the Ghost . . . sometimes.”


      I’m sure he didn’t mean it the way I originally read it, but want to cover the base in case some miss it.  I originally took this to mean that there is no need for sermon prep.


      I preach from a manuscript (mainly because I’m distracted very easi….wow, that’s a cool song, man… I’m sorry, where was I?) and while I don’t “read” it from the pulpit, I do utilize it to stay on task.


      I’ve never had anyone ask me, but I’ve heard other pastors being asked why they don’t “let the Spirit lead” by just getting up and preaching.  My response would be that I allow the Spirit to “lead” while I’m studying and praying over the passage, begging Him to open my heart and mind to not only understand His Word, but also give me the words that will help others get it as well.


      I’m a firm believer that the Holy Spirit is involved in EVERY aspect of sermon prep.  I’m also a believer that some who practice the “just get up and preach” are guilty of laziness and are hoping the Spirit will bail them out as they stand in the pulpit.


      By the way, up until this past summer, I was working 2 jobs outside the church and taking classes for ordination and oh yeah - had a family to neglect.  I say this to mention that I’m not talking about those who CAN’T spend the 30+ hours that a former member of this forum says we should all spend in order to come to the same conclusions as his idol, Jmac.  I’m talking about those who simply WON’T spend what time they can.


      Now as I sign off, I want to say that there have been times when I was “ready” to preach the sermon I had prepared, then felt God leading me to trash what I had planned and go with something totally different.


      Then the question I have to wrestle with is this: was I just not listening well during all those hours of prep, or is that time spent for a future time?


      Brian

    15. Pastor Al on Wed, December 13, 2006

      Ann,


      You too!  & Take Luck! http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/grin.gif


      PA

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