Last time I preached, I learned a lot about myself. See what I mean HERE.

I had the opportunity of preaching again at my church, Grace Community Church, yesterday.

7 Personal Truths I learned Through Preaching

1. I’m hard on myself.

Always. In fact, I’m probably much harder on myself after I preach than others are. I know the spots where I swung and missed, the spots where I didn’t connect, and what I should’ve said differently. And I’m good at beating myself up.

2. I’m vulnerable right after the message.

I’m all about “constructive criticism,” but I need some time. Give me a few hours…24, if you’re feeling extra generous.

3. Rehearsing through the whole sermon a few times helps me a ton.

I’ve started doing this, practicing through the whole sermon a few times, from start to finish, adding in key phrases, transitions, and striking things that are out of place. When I’m piecing things together throughout the week, I find I inevitably leave out key pieces of the puzzle.

4. I carry a lot of the emotional weight of the room.

I shared a heavy message yesterday, and I could definitely feel the weight of emotion in the room as I preached. This thought encourages me to pray for my pastor more…even while he’s preaching.

5. Preaching drains me.

I said this last time, but I’ll say it again. After I’m done preaching, I feel like I’ve worked a full day.

6. “Great message!” doesn’t do much for me.

It doesn’t feel all that encouraging. I’d much rather hear something like, “That’s what I needed to hear.” Even if it comes through an email.

7. Preaching is a lot of work.

The prep that goes into each message takes lots of time. The guys that do this every week are studs. Props to Ron Edmondson and Chad Rowland, my pastors!

8. Preaching connects me with God unlike anything else.

My mind is more active, my spirit more tuned in, and my heart is more primed.  Preaching, for me, is the culmination of a lot of intense preparation.  And I feel tightly connected with God through it.

Question: Do any of these resonate with you?

7 Personal Truths I Learned Through Preaching is a post from: Life and Theology

 

Listening to the headliner Ernie Halter (another side note…neither of us liked his performance.  The music was okay, but the lyrics, and his commentary on them, were really shallow, which is not becoming of somebody in the singer-songwriter genre), perform, I was struck by this:

Why is it easier for a musician, who knows nobody in the crowd, to be completely vulnerable and honest with his in-between-songs-running-commentary, than it is for people in a small group?

Maybe it’s the fact that he didn’t know anybody in the crowd.

Maybe he’s just an open book.

Maybe it’s that he was 2000+ miles from home, and didn’t count on word traveling back to LA.

Maybe he had had too much to drink.

Whatever the reason, he quickly developed a relationship with the audience.  He had them (except my wife and I) eating out of his hand, sharing stories that allowed the crowd to be able to quickly know his story and his struggles.  Community was developed in a matter of a couple of minutes.

The quicker a small group can move from surface-level talks about the weather to deeper talks about real life, the quicker they can move into authentic community.  And this move to authentic community needs to start with you.  Whether you’re the group leader or not, you can be the one that helps your group move away from one-word answers to questions and prayer requests for your next-door neighbor’s 2nd cousin’s cat.  You can begin to discuss and pray over personal issues that matter, and lead the group to do the same.

Are you willing to take the risk?

Ernie Halter, shallow lyrics, community, and YOU is a post from: Life and Theology