Use me, O God, not because it's the hour for the message, but because you've given me a message for the hour. -Ed Towne
This past Saturday I spent most of the day doing what I truly love—teaching. I enjoy every opportunity to teach and engage with persons in learning, preparing, and improving themselves to better serve the Lord and His Church in ministry. This was the final session of a homiletics course at a C. H. Mason Jurisdictional Institute of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) denomination with persons preparing for the ordination process. The emphasis of this course was in expository preaching, which is becoming a preferred method among Pentecostal preachers.
One typical method of classroom learning is reading textbooks written by experts and professionals, in this case professors of preaching and famous preachers because we suppose those in the halls of academia and mega-church pulpits can offer the best advice for preaching. One such book, Best Advice for Preaching (1998) edited by John S. McClure, offers as the title presumes some great wisdom on the greatest endeavor persons like me have ever been allowed to engage for the eternal benefit of others.
It is not necessary for a preacher to express all his thoughts in one sermon. -Martin Luther
I thought for this course to include an added perspective. So I posted on Twitter and Facebook, “What would be your best advice to preachers?” I just want to share some of the replies with you.
This idea was inspired from The Great American Sermon Survey (2000) by Lori Carrell which includes listeners’ advice for preachers. I appreciate those who responded for adding practical value to the course. The comments were well received by class participants and fostered discussion. I have not categorized or listed them in any particular order. Please feel free to comment and add your own best advice to preachers so that we who preach will listen up and learn.
• Never take Scripture out of context, and please...stick to the script. Do not flip it!
• Preach substance, not style. Clichés and nursery rhymes may excite the masses, but they don’t save a single soul.
• The Gospel is actually very simple. Don’t seek to complicate it to make yourself seem smart. You’ll fail at both.
• Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not yourself, your opinion or your discontents.
• No more “turn to your neighbor!” We can listen and comprehend without the tricks.
• Be HONEST. Preaching is not a competition or an art; it is a privilege, an honor. People need transparency and honesty.
• Don't try to wing it. Nothing more irritating than someone who clearly has nothing to say...or trying to regurgitate Joel Olsteen.
• Tell more about Jesus and less about your testimonies. Less one-liners and cliché’s and more of God's word.
• Never make the people happy twice.
• K.I.S.S (Keep It Simple Stupid)…One’s goal should always be for clarity and understanding of the audience, not necessarily how profound you are or how well you flow as a preacher.
• Nothing is more annoying coming across the pulpit than a preacher trying to “wing it” through a message. Receive the word from the Spirit as a diamond in the rough, cultivate, study it, and tailor it to your audience as though the state of their souls depends on the message that you relay — because they do.
• Don't just preach a feel good message. The people of God do not need a high, they need change. A word that will stick to their bones. It doesn't always feel good, so don't preach for brownie points.
• Don't get in to the habit of preaching that you are not sensitive to the move of God and miss Him. Sometimes, He might want you to just minister and talk. Hear His voice.
• Know your word. Study the Bible and ask God for a fresh in-time revelation of His Word, not someone else's revelation.
• I remember reading Charles Spurgeon read his text at least 100 times, and for every 10 minutes he thought he would preach that text he would study at least 2-3 hours. His thought was…let the message become part of your being.
• Study as much as you pray and pray as much as you study.
• Read yourself full, think yourself clear, pray yourself hot, let yourself go!
If you ask me how you may shorten your sermons, I should say, study them better. Spend more time in the study that you may need less in the pulpit. We are generally longest when we have least to say. -Charles SpurgeonCopyright © 2010 Johnson Beaven III. All Rights Reserved.
Johnson Beaven is pastor of Citadel of Faith Church of God in Christ (COGIC). He serves as a district superintendent and Episcopal assistant in the COGIC Indiana North Central Jurisdiction; human resources director for the COGIC International Department of Evangelism. He is the Indianapolis site coordinator and an instructor for the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) Certificate in Theology Program, and a religion columnist for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. His Twitter account is @jbeaven.
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