Tag: preaching

Our Foundational Work

Week in, week out no matter what else is going on faithful pastors work hard to teach the Word of God. Nothing is more foundational to healthy ministry than that. God’s word is where we learn about God’s character, God’s purpose, our condition and His wonderfully good life giving news! God’s Word gives certainty, clarity, direction and hope. God’s Word leads us to salvation in Christ and entrance in His eternal Kingdom. What could be more crucial?!

And yet, over time, a variety of temptations to drift lie waiting for those called to shepherd His people. Here are few we have all seen. I’m sure you could easily add to this list.

  • Sharing our own words as if they were God’s Word.
  • Teach His word without digesting and following it ourselves.
  • Short cutting His Word in favor of other growth strategies.
  • Using His Word to build our own platform.

The problem is deprioritizing God’s Word hijacks the power & purpose of our calling. The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit that cuts to the core of our soul and releases cleansing transforming creation redemption power. I know that is too many adjectives but God cannot be limited by our sense of good grammar. To encourage you I want to simply remind you of some key verses about a pastor’s relationship to the Word and some questions for your reflection.

Does how you live embody God’s true knowledge? Do your words preserve true knowledge even when you are NOT teaching?

Teach His Truth Not Your Ideas!

Mal 2:7 For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.

I know you aren’t a priest in the OT sense, but you are a member of Jesus’ royal priesthood! You are an undersheperd of the Great Shepherd called to steward His word for the purpose of His mission. Pastors should be known for being men who know the Word while skillfully helping others understand and follow Jesus in it.

GUT CHECK: We must ask ourselves. Is what we teach true biblical knowledge? Do we value clear over clever? Do we honor the content & intent of our Creator’s word when we claim to teach?

Keep Your Life Anchored in His Word!

1Tim 4:16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.

GUT CHECK: Does how you live embody God’s true knowledge? Do your words preserve true knowledge even when you are NOT teaching? To teach with integrity and authority means our lives should demonstrate, exemplify, and model God’s living word with increasing faithfulness over time. I’m not talking perfection here but continual deepening as His disciples.

The problem is deprioritizing God’s Word hijacks the power & purpose of our calling.

Protect the Priority of His Word in Your Ministry!

2Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

Work at living and teaching it well. It takes what it takes to study, pray, listen to the Lord and shape the message for those He calls you to serve. Prioritize that time, Plan that time & protect that time. I know there are other important things we do as pastors, yet if we drift from His truth those other things are likely to become polluted as a result.

GUT CHECK:  Do we prioritize intentional work to understand & follow God’s word in my own life? Do I work hard to make sure the principles and applications we teach from his Word are true to his word?

Pastor, I am for you in this sacred work. I pray you do not stray from the simplicity of teaching the Word of God so that people can experience the transforming power of Jesus. Whatever else you do each week, devote yourself to faithfully reflecting, digesting and teaching God’s Word.

Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Embrace the Power of the Same Old Thing

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 

Preaching Easter is both exciting and strange. We are excited knowing the room is likely to be more full than normal. It is a great gospel opportunity. The strangeness is the temptation to be overly creative, clever or compelling in our shaping and delivery of the message. This is our one big shot this season after all. If we are honest it is our opportunity to see the size of the crowd take a more permanent move forward. Please my friends, let’s avoid stepping into that trap.

Believers should NEVER get bored with the powerful grace of Jesus in the cross & resurrection. Preachers shouldn’t either!

During my 25 years of preaching in the same church I sometimes wondered “How do I make is sound like I’m not just preaching the same thing as last year… as every Easter?” A better question would be “ when did I get bored with the Resurrection of Jesus?” Or “When did I forget that Jesus is on the job building His church changing hearts” It rests on His power not ours. Thankfully I have a wife who was quick to remind me that believers should NEVER get bored with the powerful grace of Jesus in the cross & resurrection. Preachers shouldn’t either!

So my encouragement to you this Easter is remember to rejoice in the powerful resurrection of Jesus yourself! Whether your message is done or still cooking embrace the power of the same old thing. In this case the “old thing” is the Eternal One whose resurrection changes everything!

Like Moses trusting the single staff God told him to take up, we take up the gospel trusting the calling, presence and power of our Lord to do his powerful work when we obediently follow Him.

So as this week unfolds:

  1. Rest in Jesus as you prepare. Study with faith, seeking the Lord prayerfully as you prepare. The risen Christ who has given you life is at work in you seeking to bear fruit including this weekend! Rest in Him. He is ready to work!
  2. Exalt Jesus as you preach. Live in the passages and prepare to teach what they teach. Yes make it clear. Share it in as interesting and compelling way as you know how. But don’t over work this! Jesus is compelling all on His own. Put His message on display. We are simply messengers NOT authors. Let the good news of Jesus’ resurrection power be clearly seen.
  3. Invite people to follow Jesus in faith. Call them to respond to the call of God in their hearts as they hear His Word. Remember preaching is never about showing how smart we are. It is ultimately about helping people see AND respond to Jesus. it is about transformation through information, not information alone.

It all rests on the power & presence of God in us as we prepare, in us as we share and in other as they hear & respond. Praise God our Risen Savior is at work still in the hearts of people.

John 12:32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”

I am praying for you as you share His gospel truth this weekend. May His presence and power so fill you that those who hear you hear and respond to Jesus in ways that both bring and deepen His life in them.

Preach Powerfully this Easter!

Easter can feel like the Super Bowl for Pastors. If you are scheduled to preach this weekend, I don’t have to tell you about the excitement and weight of preaching on Easter. In reality, it should be no different than any other week, and yet as fleshy humans the idea of the crowd gets in our head and distracts our heart.

If you are going to have an off-week, you don’t want it to be this one. Along with Christmas Eve and Mother’s Day it can be among the highest attendance days of the year. If nothing else, it is the one weekend that all who claim your church as their church are most likely to show up at the same time! If you find yourself struggling today thinking about what or how you will preach this Easter Sunday, I pray the following thoughts might encourage your heart and overcome any struggle or pressure your flesh brings to bear.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you need to validate your worth through an amazing Easter sermon performance.

Continue reading Preach Powerfully this Easter!

Keeping Christmas Fresh

John 1:14   And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

How is your Christmas preaching going? Are you excited about what you planned? Are you worried that it’s warmed up leftovers? Do you ever struggle with teaching the same passages to the same people at the same time of year each year?

It doesn’t take long for those who preach to struggle with Christmas preaching. In a world where our church families can find the best sermons from every other preacher we worry about boring them, especially if we have the privilege of staying in a church longer than 4 years.

There are many things that can drag us down this season. Don’t let your preaching be one of them.

I remember the excitement of preaching through Christmas in my first year as a pastor. I hit the ground running the first week of December with all the passion a rookie can muster. The second, and third Christmas seasons were equally exciting. Still, with each passing year a nagging fear grew about how to mix it up and keep it fresh after I ran out of “Christmas passages.” Thankfully the Lord worked my heart over.

Continue reading Keeping Christmas Fresh

Stay Faithful to the Word 

In today’s post I simply want to remind you or the priority & power of God’s word. The time you spend, the work you do to understand and share God’s word with people is one of the more important parts of your calling.

      2Tim. 2:15  Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. Cf. 2Tim 4:1-3

How much time do you spend in sermon prep? I have heard this question from other pastors trying to figure out how to juggle their competing demands of ministry. Some state that unless you spend 30+ hours a week you are being unfaithful while others assert if you spend more than 10 hours a week you are being unfaithful to your true calling.

What if the better question is not how much time but how faithful are you to the ministry of the Word in light of Jesus’ call and the Spirit’s gifts in your life.

      Acts 6: So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.

We all face nagging tension over how and where to spend our ministry time. The challenge of competing ministry demands is nothing new. The apostles faced a crisis of expectations in Acts 6 and wisely took a stand. They would not neglect the ministry of the Word and prayer by taking on too many other ministry responsibilities. We are wise to follow their example still.

Consider this: Does your use of available ministry time show that you cherish the Word of God? Do you prioritize faithfully serving the Word of God to His people? So, how long should you spend? As long as it takes within the resources and responsibilities God has given you.

God gives pastors different gifts, ability levels, callings & opportunities. Certain aspects of sermon prep come faster for some than others. Full time pastors have more time than bivocational ones. But every one of us has the same Word of God with the same Holy Spirit. They are our most powerful spiritual tools for truly spiritual work. He gives each what we need to accomplish the purpose He desires.

      1Tim 4:13 Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.

Here are some questions that may help:

  • Do I study the passage enough to know what it really says?
  • Do I prayed enough to know what the Holy Spirit wants us to know & do in response?
  • Do I fleshed it out enough to teach the passage faithfully while trusting the Holy Spirit’s lead in the moment of teaching?
  • Am I abiding in Christ enough to be alert and usable to the Spirit in the moment.

Trust how Jesus chooses to work through you! God’s Word is powerful. It is a light, a fire, a sword, a hammer, and a healing balm. God’s word is able to lead us to salvation and transform our lives. When people receive and respond to the Word they follow Jesus more deeply well beyond us!

When we faithfully teach God’s word, we give people their best opportunity to experience Jesus’ life changing work in a personal way.

The purpose of teaching the Word is to shepherd people toward deepening relationship with Jesus. Remember the purpose! Trust the time God gives you and make the most of it! I’m praying for you as you share His message this coming weekend!

      2Tim 4:1-3 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.