I visit new churches every other weekend so I hear new
pastors speak a lot. Here are some of the positives I hear/see.
1. They are passionate to communicate to their people.
2. They are close to the people so the relational connection comes out in their messages.
1. They are passionate to communicate to their people.
2. They are close to the people so the relational connection comes out in their messages.
And here are some of the areas for improvement I hear/see:
1. Many have not determined the key point to the passage so they ramble through many points with no clear target or application. Some think this is good and call it “preaching the passage.” (Verse one says… Verse two says….) A clear speaker doesn’t preach everything in a passage but just what leads to the main theme so he can “bring it home.”
2. Often speakers do not have a “hook” that draws people into the passage. In real estate they say you need to identify the pain people have and present the pleasure you can provide for them. i.e. the pain of not moving to the house they want in a timely fashion and the pleasure they would experience if you helped them sell quickly so they could move. In an evangelistic message, i.e. moving from the pain of loneliness and guilt to the pleasure of forgiveness and relationship with Christ.
3. I hear preachers struggling to find stories in life (or old stories of bearded Christians) to illustrate their points, when they could easily look to the Old Testament, Gospels and sometimes to Epistles to find real biblical stories that illustrate the point.
4. There are not a lot of pilots speaking. Many do not know when and how to “land the plane”. “If one good point is great, then three good points are better.” Not necessarily. The goal is application, not knowledge to forget.
5. One good memorable application in 20 minutes is better than five muddled points with little application in 50 minutes. I missed the last 20 minutes anyway even though my wife kept poking me.
6. Are people emotionally connecting with your message and application? If so then they will be more likely to remember and apply it. First of all, are you emotionally impacted by the passage so that it flows from your heart and passion?
7. Props are good memory joggers. I’ve seen Ed Young bring a car onto the stage, Bill Hybels bring a swinging door, Gary Smalley use a 4 foot size ear, Dave Ramsey smash a piggy bank, John McGowan used a Starbucks latte, etc.
8. Has this stuff we preach ever changed anyone’s life? Rick Warren often brings people up in the middle of his message to interview to illustrate what God can do.
9. Having people look/read the scripture during the message will help them see the value of looking at it Tuesday morning.
10. Having an outline/points to follow jogs memories and reinforces learning when they take notes. And helps keep me awake.
12. One pastor tells the story of a man who came up to him in the 80’s after a message and said, “We really do want to obey God.” Lon wasn’t sure where he was heading. The man went on, “We don’t need you to help us feel guilty very week. We know where we are wrong. We need you to teach us from the Bible how we can walk with God on Wednesday after lunch when a co-worker is giving us a hard time.” Now the pastor asks himself with each message, “What have I given the people to help them walk with Jesus on Wednesday after lunch?”
1. Many have not determined the key point to the passage so they ramble through many points with no clear target or application. Some think this is good and call it “preaching the passage.” (Verse one says… Verse two says….) A clear speaker doesn’t preach everything in a passage but just what leads to the main theme so he can “bring it home.”
2. Often speakers do not have a “hook” that draws people into the passage. In real estate they say you need to identify the pain people have and present the pleasure you can provide for them. i.e. the pain of not moving to the house they want in a timely fashion and the pleasure they would experience if you helped them sell quickly so they could move. In an evangelistic message, i.e. moving from the pain of loneliness and guilt to the pleasure of forgiveness and relationship with Christ.
3. I hear preachers struggling to find stories in life (or old stories of bearded Christians) to illustrate their points, when they could easily look to the Old Testament, Gospels and sometimes to Epistles to find real biblical stories that illustrate the point.
4. There are not a lot of pilots speaking. Many do not know when and how to “land the plane”. “If one good point is great, then three good points are better.” Not necessarily. The goal is application, not knowledge to forget.
5. One good memorable application in 20 minutes is better than five muddled points with little application in 50 minutes. I missed the last 20 minutes anyway even though my wife kept poking me.
6. Are people emotionally connecting with your message and application? If so then they will be more likely to remember and apply it. First of all, are you emotionally impacted by the passage so that it flows from your heart and passion?
7. Props are good memory joggers. I’ve seen Ed Young bring a car onto the stage, Bill Hybels bring a swinging door, Gary Smalley use a 4 foot size ear, Dave Ramsey smash a piggy bank, John McGowan used a Starbucks latte, etc.
8. Has this stuff we preach ever changed anyone’s life? Rick Warren often brings people up in the middle of his message to interview to illustrate what God can do.
9. Having people look/read the scripture during the message will help them see the value of looking at it Tuesday morning.
10. Having an outline/points to follow jogs memories and reinforces learning when they take notes. And helps keep me awake.
12. One pastor tells the story of a man who came up to him in the 80’s after a message and said, “We really do want to obey God.” Lon wasn’t sure where he was heading. The man went on, “We don’t need you to help us feel guilty very week. We know where we are wrong. We need you to teach us from the Bible how we can walk with God on Wednesday after lunch when a co-worker is giving us a hard time.” Now the pastor asks himself with each message, “What have I given the people to help them walk with Jesus on Wednesday after lunch?”
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