Leadership Tips
The Excitement of Preaching
What makes the difference in preaching?
A church service has the usual songs, special music, announcements, offering, and preaching. The pastor stays close to the Word. The person in the pew, however, leaves the service feeling that the message never reached beyond the space between the pulpit and the first row.
Another service follows the same routine, and not much is different until the minister walks to the pulpit. Immediately one feels that something special is about to happen. From the minister’s first words there is excitement in the audience. The Word is presented, the people are spiritually fed, and the message reaches to all corners of the congregation. People leave the service feeling like they have been to church. What makes the difference?
Careful preparation in at least four areas can make the difference: spiritual, educational, physical, and mental fitness. For a service to be fulfilling, the ministry of the Word must be full of life. After all, it is the living Word. Preaching can and should be exciting.
Spiritual Fitness
Spiritual fitness is a prerequisite for exciting preaching. The ministry is not arbitrarily choosing from the various professions. Those who enter the ministry must have the firm conviction that God has called them to preach. When this factor is established maintaining the life of spiritual fitness begins. At this point some ministers fail. Successful, satisfying ministry comes only as a minister develops an intimate relationship with God who called him.
Developing this relationship requires spending time — lots of time — with the Master. Ministers soon learn that God and His presence must be the first priority. Otherwise the ministerial duties will involve them until they lose a most important phase of their lives. It has been aptly said, “Some ministers spend so much time for God that they have no time with God.”
Ministers cannot share with people what they have not personally experienced. Worshiping our Heavenly Father is essential. We enter God’s presence with praise and thanksgiving (Psalm 100:4). King David discovered this means of fellowship with God and refers to it more than 150 times in the psalms. It is one of the most rewarding times with God when we do not ask or petition God for anything — we simply tell Him how much we love Him and appreciate what He does.
Educational Fitness
Farmers today would not attempt to harvest their fields of grain with bygone methods and means. Scythes and sickles are only good for occupying museum space. Today’s harvest is gathered by giant combines. The old horse-and-wagon days are gone forever.
The same is true for preaching. Years spent in educational preparation are tools and equipment that are the means of gathering the spiritual grain before it shatters and is lost. No one reaches a point of being fully educated — it is a lifelong process. Even with several academic degrees, we must never stop learning. Ministers must spend some time each day reading and improving for the harvest. Preaching cannot be exciting without it.
Physical Fitness
W.I. Evans, dean of Central Bible College for many years, used to tell students how important physical exercise was. He referred them to Paul’s advice to Timothy, “Bodily exercise profiteth little” (1 Timothy 4:8), and then added, “But that little is necessary” to keeping the body healthy and fit. All students on campus were required to participate in some form of exercise.
A sedentary life soon promotes overweight, sluggishness, and mental drowsiness. We are better equipped to fight spiritual battles if we are physically fit (2 Timothy 4:7).
Time needs to be set aside each week for keeping physically fit. Choose a method that best suits your physique, abilities, and desires. To accomplish this goal it must be included in your weekly schedule. Stay rigorously with that time unless some urgent spiritual emergency interferes. Ministers who are robust and vigorous in health find that preaching is exciting.
Mental Fitness
When my mother-in-law was 99, she still lived at home with her daughter. Her eyes were dim, her hearing was bad, and her knees did not work as well, but her mind was alert and clear. She kept it that way by memorizing and quoting chapters of God’s Word. She made a practice of memorizing many poems, played the organ, and kept up with the world around her.
Ministers must also keep their minds sharp. Some have difficulty remembering people’s names. People like to hear their names, and you can learn this skill. Several publications on this subject are helpful.
One way to keep mentally alert is to learn at least one new word and its definition each week. Then practice using that new word in conversation and preaching as soon as you have mastered it. Avoid ostentatious words, for they tend to draw attention to the person rather than communicating ideas.
Memorizing the Scriptures is always in order. Quoting God’s Word is a powerful means of reaching people.
Another practice for keeping the mind alert is to forget about the calculator and try mental exercises in addition, subtraction, and multiplication. Some students are so bound by the calculator that they cannot do simple mathematical problems like making proper change as a cashier.
Most people use only a small fraction of the brain’s capacity. Exciting preaching requires a mentally alert mind.
In today’s world of fast food, fast cars, and fast schedules little time is left to re-create. If, however, a minister is to be effective in reaching people with the gospel, he must discipline himself to a schedule that allows time to re-create: to replenish, to repair, and to renew his total being.
As Spirit-filled ministers we are familiar with Zechariah 4:6, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord.” The work of the Holy Spirit in the ministry of the Word must always be kept in the forefront. This is vital to understanding how the Word reaches souls.
A car may have a tank full of premium gasoline, but it will go nowhere if the battery is dead. Ministers, likewise, may have the best of abilities and talents, but they will go nowhere without the power of the Holy Spirit in their preaching.
The world needs Holy Spirit-anointed preaching. The Word must live in the heart before it lives in the voice. Then preaching will be effective, souls will find Christ, believers will be encouraged, and the kingdom of God will be advanced. That’s exciting.
James E. Griggs
