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Preaching

Tips, ideas, articles, and ruminations about the art and craft of preaching.

preaching is sometimes a matter of perspective

By Preaching
It never fails to amaze me.  After preaching a sermon that I'm sure is a flop, someone comes up to me and tells me how meaningful it was to them.  "This was just what I needed to hear."  (In my mind I'm thinking, were you listening to the same sermon?). A preacher is often his hardest critic.  This happened to me last Saturday night.  During my message I was having one of those mental conversations that preachers and public speakers often have ... Am I going to fast?  This doesn't seem like a lot material.  I bungled that explanation.  How much time do I have left?  Where's the exit?  All of these conversations are happening in real time. Then came the lobby and the comments.  Two people leaving in tears (and not tears of joy that the sermon was over).  Heart-felt remarks.  Good questions about how it applied to specific…
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jesus and today’s preaching

By Preaching
“If Jesus preached the same message minister's preach today, He would have never been crucified.” - Leonard Ravenhill Ouch.  That stings.  But as my parents or a teacher or a well-meaning friend once told me: The truth hurts. Someone else once told me this as well: "... the truth will set you free." Does our modern preaching reflect the passion, intensity, content, rebuke, and challenge that Jesus' preaching did?  Are we preaching the same message?  Are we as willing to speak the truth in front of a non-receptive crowd? American Christianity reflects much of American culture: an over-emphasis on the individual, meeting felt needs, self-help, etc.  In his book "Christ and Culture," H. Richard Niebuhr addresses the different ways the church has tried to relate in and to culture.  He boils it down to three basic ways: church against culture, church enmeshed in culture, and church above culture. My point: this wrestling…
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getting in the flow while speaking

By Preaching
Yesterday, I mentioned that when I'm "in the flow" the words seem to come naturally.  This led me to think: how does one get in the flow while speaking or preaching?  (Let's all stipulate principle number one is prayer). For me, this is when I know I am in the flow: My focus is not on myself but on magnifying Jesus. My concern is not about how I appear but does the audience understand. My desire is to see lives changed regardless of whether I get a "good job" at the door. My purpose is singular, clear, and compelling. I'm not thinking ahead; I'm simply speaking. If you do much public speaking, how do you know when you're in the flow?
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less inhibition, more discipline, better speaking

By Preaching
After more than 25 years of standing in front of people and speaking to them, I've become a bit more comfortable doing so -- and hopefully a bit better at it, too. Recently I was reflecting on two characteristics that seem contradictory but actually complement each other well when it comes to public speaking: less inhibition and more discipline. Less Inhibition.  Don't be so uptight that you make every else uptight, too.  Be yourself.  Be real.  Express yourself with emotion and vividness.  When I am "in the flow" in front of a crowd, the right words seem to show up at the right time.  This typically means I am less focused on myself and more focused on the audience. More Discipline.  I can't say everything.  During my preparation, I usually generate three or four good sermons but can only preach one of them.  The more disciplined I am about paring…
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