Preaching...

Jimmy Smith sent this email out to all of the Pastors in our Association this past week.  As surprising as this may be to many people it is true.   


  Of all the things that pastors must do each week, none is more important than his role as preacher.  It is at the same time exhilarating and frustrating, liberating and confining, easy as pouring water from a clean glass and hard as getting blood out of a turnip.
  It is a task that must be done each week and cannot be put off.  The more a pastor runs from it or puts it off the harder it becomes.  It carries with it a weight of responsibility.  No one can know what it feels like until they have been there.  What may look easy from the third row has come about by hours of prayer, study and preparation.
  Denise George, in her book entitled, What Pastors Wish Church Members Knew, has compiled a list of answers to questions sent in by pastors from all over the United States. Here are two lists she has compiled on pp. 145-146 

So what do you pastors want their members to know about their preacher’s preaching?

• Preaching is the most enjoyable and also the most difficult job in his position as pastor.
• Preaching God’s Word is an awesome responsibility, one he takes very seriously.
• A pastor’s primary goal in preaching is to please God.
• Each week he spends vast amounts of time in prayer, study, and preparation to bring his church members Bible-based, meaningful, and life instructive sermons.
• He shows his love for his congregation by faithfully and consistently feeding them God’s Word.
• The responsibility and challenge of preaching God’s Word can often create frustration, fear, and tension in his life.
• He sometimes questions his own ability to bring fresh, relevant, substantive, life changing sermons to his people.
• He often worries about the future of preaching and the church.
• He struggles to adequately communicate to every individual in the congregation.
• He needs member encouragement as he strives to keep his sermons consistently Christ-centered, and God honoring.

What You Can Do To Help Your Pastor

• Pray especially for your pastor as he studies and prepares his weekly sermons. Tell him, through an email or handwritten note, you are praying for him.
• Respect your pastor’s time.  Be careful not to needlessly interrupt him during his scheduled sermon preparation and study time.
• Encourage him as he seeks to communicate with so diverse a congregation.
• Listen attentively and carefully as your pastor preaches.  Keep eye contact and let him know you are hearing him.
• After the worship service, what you appreciated about his sermon.
• Write him a note or an email of encouragement and gratitude as he begins preparing the next week’s message.
• Thank him often for his dedication to the task of preaching God’s Word.