Stowell’s 4 Power Dynamics

/ Peter Mead / 1 Comment

Joe Stowell, in a session on preaching, listed four power dynamics that are critical for preaching transformationally, that is, preaching for changed lives.  Nothing new here, but a helpful reminder for us all:

1. The Preacher’s Life – This is number one for a reason.  Consider the true value of our integrity, our walk with Christ, our willingness to apologize when necessary (and periodically it is for we all fail).

2. The Text – Do we need any comment here?  After all, this site is about Biblical preaching!

3. The Context – Not the hermeneutical overarching principle for Bible study, but the context in which you preach.  Stowell pointed out that no church would continue to finance a missionary who refused to consider issues of culture, language, etc.  Yet many preachers allow themselves the same nonsensical freedom when it comes to the ministry in the pulpit!

4. Clarity – If the feedback stated is “Wow, that was deep!” then the message should be translated as “I didn’t get what you were talking about!”  Be clear.

Simple stuff, but I’m sure I’m not the only one who needs these reminders.

Some Sermons Need More Time

/ Peter Mead / 3 Comments

Another Stowell comment that I appreciated last week as I drove in the middle of the night down that deserted highway called the M1.  “A sermon prepared in the mind of the preacher only reaches the mind of the listeners.  But one prepared in the mind, and in the heart and life of the preacher reaches the heart and life of the listener too.”  How true is that?

We must allow time for sermons to soak long enough in our lives that we are changed, rather than merely informed.  Perhaps this means starting preparation a few days ahead of a normal, but rushed schedule.  I wrote before about preparing using a 10-day rather than a 5-day preparation schedule.  But sometimes this is not enough.

The example Stowell shared illustrates this well.  Let’s say that you are going to preach on prayer, but you know yourself and know you are not a pray-er.  What to do?  Postpone the sermon for a year and learn, with God’s help, to pray.  Then preach it!

All sermons need more time than a day or two before delivery.  Some sermons need much more time.  The time it takes for a learned truth to become a lived reality.

What Are You Aiming To Be?

/ Peter Mead / 4 Comments

I was greatly encouraged the other night. After a challenging week I had a two to three hour drive to preach at a university Christian Union meeting. It went well, far better than it should have gone. On the way home I was built up and encouraged by listening to Dr Joseph Stowell, former president at Moody Bible Institute. He was speaking about preaching. He encouraged this preacher.

One of the gems I appreciated in his talk was this. He urged his listeners not to aim to be a great preacher. Instead, he urged them to strive to be an effective preacher. Greatness puts the focus on yourself, while effectiveness keeps the focus where it should be, on the listeners. As he said, “The issue is not how well you’re doing, it’s how well your listeners are doing!”

One of the benefits of aiming for effectiveness rather than greatness is that it takes away any jealousy or resentment of “great” preachers. If you’re not aiming for greatness then they are no threat, they are not the competition. In reality there are very few great preachers, and most of us would do well to not be comparing ourselves and making excuses for our own lack of “fame” (if I had thirteen secretaries, or if I had a slick marketing manager, or if I just knew the right people, etc.) Let the greats be great. Let us be effective. Oh, and if Swindoll, or Piper, or Stanley, or Lucado, or Begg, or Briscoe, or David Jeremiah, or whoever, happens to throw a bail of hay over the fence and feed our sheep, then praise the Lord!

Let’s not aim for greatness, let’s diligently strive for effectiveness.

The Sweetest Agony

/ Peter Mead / 1 Comment

Somebody said that preaching is the sweetest agony.  It is sweet when lives are changed.  And it is agony all the rest of the time!

There is nothing as rewarding as seeing lives changed.  Sometimes from a one-off sermon.  Typically over the long haul.  Sometimes it is hard to measure.  Sometimes you receive a note that overtly expresses gratitude for the change that has occurred.  Often you hear nothing.  Since preaching is often more agony than sweetness, it is a good idea to keep some reminders of the sweetness of lives changed.  A drawer where those periodic notes or letters are dropped in, then sit there awaiting a time when you need a reminder of the sweetness of the preaching ministry.  A folder in your email entitled “Encouragements” that you can go back to when the inbox is overwhelming and discouraging.

There is more sweetness to preaching though.  If the sweetness is changed lives, then don’t miss the one life that hears every time you preach.  I don’t mean your spouse, although any encouragements there are worth so much.  I mean you.  Every time you or I prepare a sermon we are involved.  We go through the times of prayer, the valleys, the highs, the wrestling with the text, the grappling with the big idea, the prayerful cutting of material, the sermon run throughs for an audience of two (the Lord, and yourself).  A lot of this process may be agonizing.  Much of it can seem like thankless toil.  But there are good times too.  Times of sweet fellowship with the Lord.  Times of clarity in the exegesis of the text.  Times of blessing and encouragement.  Sweet times.  When these occur, perhaps find a way to mark them just like the thank-you notes above.  Perhaps an entry in a journal, or a note on your notice board, a visual memorial on a shelf . . . something to remind you of how good it can be, and will be again.

Preaching is agony much of the time, it has to be.  But it is a sweet privilege to see God at work in your life, and through you, in the lives of others.

Not Created Equal

/ Peter Mead / 4 Comments

Preparation and presentation are not the same thing.  For example, consider the issue of details in the preaching text.  In one sense every text is made up of details.  Nouns, verbs, adjectives, participles, grammatical constructions, quotations, allusions, etc.  It can be a narrative, a speech, a letter, an exhortation, a poem, a wisdom saying, or whatever.  Every text is built with details.

In preparation we begin with an interest in every detail.  It is important to see and interpret every element of a text.  It is often helpful to note what is not present too.  As diligent exegetes we consider every detail important enough to study and interpret in its context.  We continually move back and forth between analysis and synthesis, between details and big picture.  However, during the course of the study process, some details will be seen as more critical to a solid understanding of the text.  Every detail matters, but not every detail is equal.

In presentation we are limited by time and motivated by purpose.  Our purpose in preaching is not to present every avenue of inquiry that we have pursued at our desk.  Our purpose in preaching is not to download (or dump!) all of our acquired knowledge to our listeners.  Our purpose is tied to our main preaching idea and its application.  So we carefully cut unnecessary explanation of details that do not drive forward the main idea and purpose of the message.

In the study, diligently analyze the details.  In the sermon, remember that some details need no more than a passing comment, others just a careful presentation in the reading.  However, some details are critical and central, calling on us to highlight them and clarify their significance to our listeners.  We don’t want to lose the forest for the trees, but in order to enjoy the forest fully, some trees have to be highlighted.  Details.  They all matter, but they are not created equal.

Good Thing It’s a God Thing!

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Preaching is hard work. Perhaps it’s a unique kind of hard work. The emotional, spiritual, mental and physical expenditure can be significant. The time put in preparing and praying adds up. Some listeners may not realize it, but most preachers can have no doubt that preaching is very hard work.

It makes sense that it should be hard work. Just consider all that is at stake in the lives and eternities of the lost, and the lives of believers who live in a complex jungle of sin, relationships, spiritual attack and so on. Yet pondering the realities of what needs to take place in the preaching event could cause us to despair. We’ve worked hard, brought to bear every skill we’ve been blessed to acquire, given all we have and then we start to wonder – is it enough? Am I capable? Can I make any difference at all, let alone the difference I’ve prayed for and I believe God desires? The answer has to be . . . no.

We pray, we prepare, we preach, we pour out our all. But the fruit of preaching is too much for our abilities and skills to produce. So we quit? No. We preach the Word. We preach with a quiet confidence, with a subtle refrain ringing in our hearts – It’s a good thing it’s a God thing!

Struggling to Focus? Motivating Earthen Vessels – Part 2

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In the first part of this post we thought about the reality of almost constant discouragement in ministry.  One part of our response to these things must be to look to God and press on.  But then there is another side – look to God and renew.

Renewing ability to focus – Discouragement can easily steal focus from our lives.  We might go through the motions and do what needs to be done, but do so without a real ense of focus and concentration.  Ultimately this means we are not giving our best to God, family, ministry, etc.  The ability to focus requires processing of discouragement and distraction with God (take time to pray through the issues and “cast your cares on Him”).  Then there are other factors in focusing, simple ones like getting exercise (it helps the brain, endorphins and all that stuff), plus getting sleep.

Renewal of the EQ – Bill Hybels spoke a few years back about our EQ – our Emotional Quotient.  He suggested that we’re quick to care for ourselves spiritually and even physically, but there are also the emotional needs that we have.  Rest is important in multiple forms.  Enough sleep.  Days off.  Times away from our normal role.  Time with the family.  Time alone.  Time with friends to share the deep struggles.  Time with friends to just unwind.  Time to laugh and relax.  I know you don’t have time for all this, neither do I.  But if we don’t make the time then we will suffer and the EQ dial will start flashing warning lights at us.

Remember this – Loss of focus, discouragement, distraction, etc. are not a good excuse for sin.  When our internal fuel tanks are low, temptation will usually hit us pretty hard.  But sin will only compound the issues, not help us escape from them.

Being able to focus is important in any preaching ministry.  What other tips can you share with us?  What do you find helps you?

Motivating Earthen Vessels

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If you have been involved in ministry for more than a few weeks, you’ve probably noticed that discouragements come with the territory.  Of course, there are times when all is great, the mountain-top times.  But discouragement will keep biting at us all from various sides.  In this post we will consider one response to the issues raised, then in part 2 we’ll balance that with another possible response.

Discouragement can come from others.  Sniping, gossiping, criticism, comparison and outright attack.  I remember reading Well-Intentioned Dragons, a small book addressing the issue of people who think they are doing the right thing, but keep on tearing down the pastor or minister.  Discouragement can come from inside.  Feelings of failure, inadequacy,  downright fatigue.  Discouragement can come from lack of obvious fruit in the ministry.  It can come from almost anywhere.

Remember that this treasure is in earthen vessels, and that applies to you as much as to your congregation or to others.  Remember that your role is not to make everyone happy all the time.  Remember that God has prepared you and gifted you and is continuing to use you, even if you don’t feel it right now.

Paul wrote about earthen vessels in the context of his own preaching ministry (2 Cor.4).  “We are earthen vessels so that God will receive the glory.  We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; stuck down, but not destroyed.”  At times we may feel knocked down, but we’re not knocked out.  By God’s grace let us get back up and press on for His glory!

Have Times Changed?

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Times have changed.  The New Testament was written in a time when the primary form of public entertainment, at least in the Greek context, was the oratory of the travelling rhetoricians.  Today we live in a time of complex and numerous forms of entertainment, a time when oratory is frowned upon by many.  Times have changed.  In those days the “speaker” was one who spoke with a motivation to look good, to make money and to gain the applause of the audience.  Times have changed, or have they?

If there is a sphere where the potential dangers of oratorical pride persist, it is in the church.  It is so easy to preach in such a way as to look good before others, to pump up your own hype.  It is a constant danger that money becomes a motivating factor in ministry decisions (both individual invitations as a guest speaker, or moving church for a better pay package).  It is a lurking temptation to preach for applause (not typically the theatrical ovation, but the post-sermon feedback, the cloud of affirmation).  These dangers are before us whether we are guest preachers, or local pastors.  But we must fight every temptation to tickle ears, line our pockets or only ever look good.

Here are some basic starting points:

Honor God’s Word – Preach the Word.  If it might make people uncomfortable, preach the Word.  If people’s ears won’t feel tickled, preach the Word.  Obviously be gracious and careful, but don’t preach always living in fear of offending someone.

Honor God’s People – It is tempting to tickle ears and promote good feelings all round, but people need more than that.  Love them enough to communicate the text relevantly, even if somewhat uncomfortably.  Love them enough to challenge errant thinking, dangerous tendencies, etc.  But don’t take this as an excuse for laying on guilt trips all the time – remember that our people need a lot of encouragement too!

Process Personal Pride Promptings – Pride is a temptation for all of us.  It may manifest in different forms, but we must all be aware of it.  Let’s always process any pride promptings before God.  Take the positive comments, the whispering voice of affirmation, the feelings of accomplishment, and bring them back to Calvary.

Times have changed, but not completely.

It’s Hard Enough Already

/ Peter Mead / 1 Comment

Some readers preach every week, perhaps multiple times each week.  Others only preach periodically.  Perhaps this post is more for the less frequent preachers, but it could apply to all.  Simple idea today – when you have the choice of what to preach, don’t make it more complicated than necessary.  There’s always a lot to think about when you preach – the text, the congregation, your own life and circumstances.  Then there are all the aspects of effective communication, all prayerfully reliant on the Lord throughout the process.  Preaching is hard enough already, don’t make it harder:

Don’t go for an obscure text unnecessarily.  If you’re preaching through a book, then you probably need to deal with the difficult texts – it’s healthy for you and the church.  But if you have the choice, especially for a one-off message, don’t be afraid to use a familiar text.  By familiar I mean familiar to the listeners.  It may be familiar to you, but I would suggest you still need to study and immerse yourself in the text, even if you think you know it.  But don’t worry about listeners yawning and saying to themselves, “Oh here we go again, the same old text.”  Chances are they haven’t heard it that recently, and perhaps they need it again anyway!

Don’t go for multiple texts unnecessarily.  It may be tempting to combine several texts to construct the message.  There are reasons to preach with a combination of texts (see recent posts on “low fence” for more on this).  However, a lot of the time I would ask if it is worth the extra work?  Either you skim the preparation and present the texts superficially, or you diligently study each text in context and multiply your work by many hours.

If you have the opportunity to deliver a stand alone sermon, select your text wisely.  Don’t add unnecessary work, either in difficulty of text, or number of texts.   Don’t bite off more than you can chew, preaching is hard enough already!