Preach the Word

O.K. Guys,

As I said earlier, the varied topics we are discussing this term can, and do, relate to each other.

In one of our discussions, we asked the question, "Will every preacher eventually pastor," and our conclusion was "No"; however, very, very often a preacher is called to pastor. Some of the books we are reading this time give practical insights into working with churches and reaching others.

One thing I have noticed through the years is that, yes, it is good to use new techniques and to try new things. But, I have also noticed that no matter what you do it is very hard to keep excitement up through techniques all the time. One thing I have really seen God bless is the preaching of the Word. When you are going through the ups and downs of church life, the steady preaching of the Word does cause members in your congregation to grow. Sometimes they may not even realize how the Word is working in their lives, and sometimes they may be more focused on excitement, but the steady pouring of the Word of God into their lives brings many benefits. Sometimes those benefits are taken for granted.

A few Sundays ago, I was preaching on something that seemed to me to be rather dry. (Hey, if it was dry to me, just think of what it must have been like to the rest of the congregation), but during the invitation God caused His Word to do a work through the Holy Spirit. I have seen this happen time after time.

Sometimes a preacher will pour his heart out and not see results. Sometimes he will try to get more forceful through his own efforts and not see anything happen. The best thing, to me, is to watch God work. When you faithfully preach the Word, you often will see professions of faith and lives being rededicated. Just remember, though, if you don't see those outward professions, God is still and always doing a work in someone's life through His Word.

Some of you may be called to pastor in the future. One of the most overwhelming tasks for this (and it can be worse if you are bivocational as most of us are) is to know what to preach on every Sunday.

W.A. Criswell, former pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas Texas, early in his ministry, was impressed of God to preach through the Bible. He announced to his church one Sunday morning that he was beginning a ten-year preaching plan. He did indeed preach through the Bible. People who joined the church would often say things like, "I joined during Isaiah," or "I joined in Matthew." God certainly did bless the church during his ministry.

Several years ago, I came upon a plan that would keep me from pulling my hair out every week, agonizing over what to preach next. Someone said, "Are you looking for a sermon?" Then he pointed to the Bible and said, "There's a whole book full of them."

Something like this may be helpful to you. Sometimes you can pick a book and preach through it.

Bro. Criswell, after he finished the first time, started through the Bible again. Only that time, he alternated back and forth between the Old Testament and the New Testament.

I am doing something like that, but I have modified it somewhat to give more variety. (Again, this, however, is all prayerfully done. Any time I "have a bug" about something, I will certainly preach on that if I feel like that is what the Lord wants.)

Here is what has been a blessing to me. I am not saying anyone has to do this, but I am saying one of the hardest things you may have to face is coming up with a message one to three times week, and figuring out what to preach next. If the Lord gives you a plan, praise Him and use it.

I divided the Bible into six sections: three from the Old Testament, and three from the New Testament. I would preach several messages from one of those sections, and then move to the other Testament, do the same there, and then go back.

As I said, sometimes the hardest thing to do in ministry is to figure out what to preach about. This plan has really helped me, and it makes me study. It also causes me to deal with topics I might otherwise want to avoid. So, as I have often said, if I am not strongly impressed to do something else, I will preach on something from the next chapter. (In the case of the New Testament, I try to get an average of two sermons from one chapter.) I do ask the Lord to show me what He wants, but it seems to me, for me, that often what is in the next chapter is what He wants. Another thing about doing this is that you can come to something that will really hit hard on some members of your congregation. When you are just preaching through the Bible it doesn't look like you have just singled them out.

If something like this can benefit you, Go for it!