For over a year now, I have served in a senior pastor role. This has meant preaching almost every Sunday and most of the Wednesday night and special services. I have always loved preaching. Wrestling with the Scripture, communicating God’s word, sharing passionately, pointing people to Jesus. I wondered if I would find it harder to be passionate and energetic once I started preaching each week. I also thought I might find that I would like preaching and sermon preparation less once I began preaching more regularly. Each week I spend a chunk of time preparing for the sermon. Thinking. Praying. Reading. Researching. Writing. Rehearsing. Then, on Sunday morning, I do my best to simply trust the Spirit. I have learned several things in this past year about preaching…
1. I am more in love with the Word of God than ever before. I have found that the Bible has come even more alive as I focus on it in study and prayer. I continue to learn from it.
2. Preaching every week is both easier and harder than preaching occasionally. It is harder in the sense that you must stay fresh, creative and disciplined. You have less time to read, research, think and pray between sermons. Its easier because the passion builds and routine and rhythm has strengthened me. Building on sermons and series as you seek to move the congregation forward and help them grow spiritually and fall more in love with Jesus is a joy.
3. I still love preaching and feel as passionately about it as I ever have. Preaching more is challenging, but it is also life giving. Sharing the word and doing my best to trust the spirit and point people to Jesus and the Kingdom builds passion.
4. Preaching is far more important than I realized. The act of preaching carries greater significance, meaning and importance in the life of the preacher and the church than I realized. This is a high and humbling reality and it is also something that Pastors must take seriously.
5. Trusting the Holy Spirit is a great gift. Preaching that is focused in the triune God requires trusting the Spirit. In the midst of all of the preparation, ideas and presentation, it is God who must speak, God who must act and the preacher must trust. It is our one great act and the true meaning of faith. I have grown so much from having the honor the comes from trying to trust the Spirit every week.