Over the past few months, I’ve had the chance to preach at my church, Grace Community Church, three times.
And I’ve loved it. Each time, though, I’ve learned quite a few things. Some about myself. Some about the art of preaching. You can read what I’ve learned HERE and HERE.
Well, this past Sunday was no exception.
5 Observations about Preaching
1. It’s incredibly easy to get distracted.
I notice every single person that stands up to leave. Every one. And I try oh so hard to not get distracted by them. Remember that next time you get up in the middle of a sermon.
2. To preach well, you have to give of yourself.
When I preach, I pour myself, my life, my personality, my research, my stories, my heart and my mind into the craft. And this past Sunday, I had the privilege of preaching 3 times. It was a beautiful exhaustion.
3. Beware the death blow.
Want to know how to deal a crushing blow to a pastor? Right after they say ‘Amen,’ find them in the hallway and tell them which part(s) of their message were a disaster. They’ll love you for it. And by love, I mean…watch out, because they may swing at you. Preachers should elicit feedback, but it’s okay to wait a day or two.
4. If you want to get better, you’ve got to work at it.
I work to get better every single time. I evaluate what I said and how I said it so that next time I can communicate more effectively. And, hopefully, I’m improving.
5. Preaching is an unbelievably incredible motivational tool.
I talk so much about the importance of community. In fact, that’s what my sermon was about on Sunday. And I talk so much about community that I can almost forget how powerful the public, spoken word can be in someone’s life. We saw people taking steps of faith in droves on Sunday, as they took a step towards community by signing up for small groups.
Question: Has God worked in your life through hearing someone preach?
