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Preaching is one of the most powerful forms of ministry we have. In the Bible and throughout history, God has used preaching to move people, inspire churches, and transform communities. Here are 4 things I encourage preachers to accomplish in every sermon (myself included!):
1 – PERSONAL
Humanize yourself. This can be as simple as making fun of yourself in the introduction (classic, easy), all the way up to showing how this passage has intersected and shaped your life and thinking in tangible ways, presently or historically. I think every sermon should have at least one personal moment or story or sidebar, but I think you can get away with up to 3, 4, or even 5 “personal” moments. It’s what people connect with – let them see your humanity. Use discernment, but remember to show them your weirdness/weakness. People respect your strengths, but they relate to your weaknesses.
2 – PRACTICAL
Don’t make people guess how they should respond. Partner with the Spirit to shepherd them toward the right response. They don’t need 100 things to do today, but at least 1 clear way this should change their life – something to know, something to do, something to pray, or something to feel – all legitimate applications. Application doesn’t have to be your main point, but at some point, there should be something to know/do/pray/feel. This is often where I introduce the concept of “maybe” — they don’t need to do EVERYTHING, but they need to do SOMETHING… maybe it’s this, maybe it’s that, etc.
3 – SIMPLE
This is especially true in a midweek service aimed at younger people and specifically fringe/freshman/lost. Keep it simple (and keep it short). People are more interested in conclusions than connections. You don’t have to show why leads to b, b leads to c, c leads to d, d leads to e. Just say A-C-E. This is a prophetic word, not a college lecture or lab report. Your sermon doesn’t have to (and should not) pass your logic class. We are feeding sheep, not giraffes. Study high, aim low – not low as in dumb, but low as in simple. Remember the iceberg rule: you have to leave 90% of your work underwater / in your office.
One final note on being simple: SOMETIMES the thing that stuck out to you in your study won’t be the thing you need to bring to the sermon. Sometimes that’s just for you, the preacher, to feed on while you feed others, especially if it’s not simple. It’s ok to have a steak on the grill for you, but chicken nuggets in the microwave for the kids!
4 – BIBLICAL
Don’t shrink back here, preach with Bibles open: people want to know what the Bible actually says. The next generation wants to know what the source documents say. We stand on the Word of God. The Word does the work. Bible teaching is not only right, it is also interesting. Studying an ancient book from another continent, language, and culture forces us to think outside our context and makes us all better. Expository preaching is always in style.
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About the author
Sol Rexius |
Solomon Rexius is the Co-Founder and Creative Director for Rype.tv. He is also the Lead Pastor of Generations Church in Eugene, Oregon. Before that, he was the Director of Salt Company at Cornerstone Church in Ames, Iowa.
