Ten Cautions & Encouragements for Preachers
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Wed, December 13, 2006
- Viewed 460
- (26) comments so far
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.
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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texmom on Mon, December 18, 2006
I am not a pastor, just an observing flock member:) I posted a two part article on my blog recently called “What Your Congregation Wants You to Know”. In addition to some of the great points Mark has here, I might add that learning to delegate is so important. It will help more people become involved and keep you from getting burnt out by trying to do it all.
Also, don’t hesitate to ask for help and prayers from your congregation. Just as you are there for them, most of them really want to be there for you as well.
BK on Tue, December 19, 2006
I wanted to make a comment on #10. I believe that post-event discussions are more difficult but equally important as pre-event planning. I think this is where the relational rubber meets the road and we have to be honest, true, and critical, but also loving and specifically encouraging. This is community….sharpening one another, challenging one another, building one another up. We have to risk evaluation, set aside pride, hold fast to our identity in Christ, and ask how it went to one another.
Stewart on Tue, December 19, 2006
It’s clear most of ya’ll don’t like Mark’s taste in comedy. Chris Rock seems to be a particular point of contention. I would argue that Chris is a comedic genius and worth listening to. It’s true that he uses profanity and I wouldn’t choose to do that in a sermon, but he offers a sharpe social commentary in a way that relates powerfully to a mass audience. I think preachers can learn a lot from that. In my opinion, one reason most preaching is so boring (and having minimal effect) is that we are too cautious and too bland. I think we have a lot to learn from Chris.
Gene on Thu, December 21, 2006
I agree with what he had to say about “canned sermons”. It seems very prevalent today. My wife and I attended a church for about a year where the sermons seemed a little off the mark. Since I have served as a pastor and was studying preaching at the time it took only a few Sundays to see that the pastor was buying his sermons. I admit that I have reviewed other’s sermons. If the writer is someone who is theologically correct and someone I have come to trust then I view looking at their work the same as other commentaries. However, I am very cautious to put my trust in most of the sermons that I read. There is a lot of junk out there masquerading as biblical sermons.
I also appreciated what the writer had to say about studying comedians. It is a shame that so many have lowered their abilities to profanity. Conversely, there are plenty of old and new comedians out there to listen to. One thing I would add about listening to comedians is to listen to comedians that are more representative of the congregations that I have preached to. I like the “Blue Collar comedy” guys, but I primarily preach to rural and blue collar congregations.
Mr. K on Sun, December 24, 2006
I think many people get hung up on the context of the message. Yes the comics named are rude, crude and what we would consider socially unexcepted. Except they are not. This is what the majority of your congregations whatch and listen to. You do not have to like something to learn from it. I hate brocoli but make myself eat it 3 months prior to leaving for the mission feild so I get into a habit of “cultural sensitivty”. You never know when you have to swallow something you don’t like for the greater good. Know what your people are putting in, so you know what you have coming out. Get off you high horse and spend time with the drunks, whores and goverment officals. Hum? Sounds Christ like to me. Listen to what is being said it might apply.
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pezz on Sun, March 23, 2008
I think it’s just being wise to listen to other preachers. I can listen to 5 minutes of T.D.Jakes and get so many sermon ideas i have to turn off my ipod. I could never be Jakes or preach like him. I’m lilly white and lead a rural white congregation. But Jakes has a way of getting to the heart of problems that I know are there but can’t articulate till I have heard him say it. And when he does I think, “man I wish I would have said/thought that.” I do the same with Driscoll, McCarthur, Hybels, Stanley, etc. They feed me with ideas. The danger lies in trying to preach their sermons. They are far to unique to copy. But they can sure get the wheels turning.
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Preach!
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