Grow In Preaching

By Pastor Lee Hemen

June 30, 2023

One of things that has always frustrated me as a Christian and a pastor is that far too many pastors think they do not have to mature in their preaching skills. They will pound their pulpits to try and get their listeners to mature in their faith practices of prayer, Bible reading, witnessing and biblical knowledge but never address their own shortcoming of truly stagnant preaching.

I was shocked when I went to listen to a fellow pastor preach and his style was exactly the same as when he graduated from seminary some thirty years ago! There are few pastors who would desire their congregations to remain spiritually stunted for thirty years, yet find no problem with their own stunted growth in being able to preach the word of God that truly meets the needs of their listeners today. This should not happen.

Pastors often preach on what Paul wrote Timothy, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15 NIV84)” And do so to enforce the notion that Christians should be able to know and understand the Scriptures, but often fail themselves to be able to handle what they are preaching. Paul was trying to teach Timothy to work on him being able to correctly handle God’s truth. We fail as pastors when we never grow or mature in being able to preach the world of God effectively. It takes more than just falling back of the old heresy of relying on the Holy Spirit, and I say this because I’ve often heard this but what it really means is that many are too lazy to actually work at being better in their speaking and preaching.

No athlete or professional ever developed the skills they have without constant practice, personal physical development, and honing of skills. Why are so many pastors mentally and intellectually lazy when it comes to their sermons on Sunday? It is laziness to not do the work of knowing what is happening in the world today and to be able to relate to your listeners how to live their faith out in both practical and spiritual ways. To be able to give them consistent biblical and spiritually palpable answers for today’s world. If you are using illustrations from a book, that are hundreds of years old, or do not relate to your listeners – you’ve failed yourself, your calling, and your congregation. What sounded fine in 2001 may not work in 2023! And believe me if you are still using a 1990’s style of preaching to reach today’s people, you’ve not communicating well at all.

It takes time, hard work, and a willingness to take a hard look at yourself and your style to see if you need to do something better. I know, I had to do this constantly myself. I read and hear often that the church today is losing the next generation. It is not just the fault of the people in the pews because it begins with the person in the pulpit. Fellow pastors hear me here and understand I write this just as Paul did to his friend and fellow pastor Timothy. We are to do our best to present ourselves to God as pastors approved, workmen who do not need to be ashamed and who correctly handle the word of truth! And it is more than just reading a commentary or the latest Christian fad book. Have someone video you, then critically rewatch it yourself and take notes on what you could do better. Have others who do not go to your church watch it and give you honest feedback. Read or take some online classes on how to do better public speaking, be aware of the what is going on in the world – the latest fads, music, movies, books, and the what, why, when and where. This does not mean you need to agree with it, but you need to be aware of it. And, yes, it can be hard to listen to others critic your sermon, but it can be truly helpful if you are willing to mature through the process. Record on TV or go to other worship services by other pastors in different churches and denominations to see what they are doing.

Stop preaching to hear yourself preach. Shorten your sermons, longer does not mean better it often means you are meandering looking for a way to mercifully end it. As one pastor told me years ago, “Stand up, speak up, sit down, and shut up.” It’s as simple as knowing that if you cannot state in one easy understandable sentence what you are preaching, you’ve lost your listeners.

Dear brothers in Christ, I urge you to grow in your faith and knowledge of the Lord, but I encourage you to grow in your preaching as well.

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Just Wondering…

I was wondering that if pastors are supposed to preach their convictions that God has given them through the Holy Spirit, why do so many preach sermons that never offend? Isn’t the message of the gospel offensive to those who are not saved? Shouldn’t pastors preach on the social issues of the day that adversely affect our society, including homosexuality, abortion, and socialism? Why is a pastor’s free speech muzzled not only by the IRS but the you-are-us crowd in the pews? Why are worship services for God filled with the easily offended unsaved who do not know how to worship God? And why are pastors so afraid to offend them? Makes one wonder…

Do You Like Being Told What to Do Over and Over Again?

Do You Like Being Told What to Do Over and Over Again?
Today’s Thoughts…
By Pastor Lee Hemen
May 11, 2009

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. (Philippians 3:1)

Do you like being told what to do over and over again? Do you like repeating yourself? Without exaggerating, as a parent, I am sure that you, like me, have had to repeat yourself at least a million times! Well, maybe not a million, but quite a few! You get my drift. Why? I believe it goes back to our sin-thick nature. We do not like being told what to do, when to do it, or what we are up to as individuals. After all, whose business is it anyway but mine? Right? Not if you are a believer!

Paul addresses this problematic narrow-mindedness in the lives of fellow Christians. He does it in kind of an off-handed way by first reminding the Philippians to “rejoice in the Lord!” No matter what happened to Paul in prison, and no matter what might occur with the Philippians because of their faith in Christ, he wanted them to rejoice in the salvation and relationship they enjoyed because of Jesus Christ in their lives. However, he also off-handedly writes, “It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again.” Again? Yes, again! Over and over Paul had to continually remind his thick-headed readers to remain strong in their faith. Why? These people had lived one way for so long in sin that they needed to be constantly reminded of what their faith in Christ meant for them now. Paul had the hope that if he repeated himself often enough that the spiritual truths he was trying to teach these new believers would finally sink into their sin-thick heads. Never fear Paul – it didn’t! Pastors are still trying to remind their fellow sin-thick-headed Christians to “rejoice in the Lord,” over and over and over again. Perhaps the old adage that “repetition is good for the soul” holds true here?

I am constantly amazed at the number of folks who call themselves “Christian,” but yet have absolutely no coherent  and logical notion of what that truly means, what Scripture teaches about joy in the Lord, the end of all things, creation, baptism, salvation, eternal security, heaven, hell, predestination, judgment, the sacred, holiness, the Trinity, the church, discipline, spiritual gifts, abiding in Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit, and who Jesus truly is!

Paul repeated himself because it was “a safeguard” for the Philippians. He knew that if he repeated himself enough that at some point down the road, when these new believers were faced with ungodly theology or legalism (more about that next time), they would hopefully remember what Paul had told them over and over again.

Now, let me ask you dear one in the Lord, do you need to be constantly reminded of what to believe, why you should believe it, and why it is important? I would ask you then, why? You must like being told what to do over and over again…
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Today’s Thoughts, 1 Timothy 5:17

by Pastor Lee Hemen
May 16, 2008

The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. (1 Timothy 5:17)

Pastors and their families live in a fish bowl where Church members often scrutinize everything from their leaders’ socks to their children’s behavior. Yet there are many pastors that remain untouchable, aloof, and separated from the congregation they are supposed to serve. The word for “pastor” is derived from that of a shepherd. The sheep are to hear and know their leader’s voice. He is to be among his sheep. Many pastors remain on call day and night, they carry burdens and secrets they cannot tell anyone, and they often do so with grace and compassion. Churches far too often take advantage of a pastor’s availability and misuse his servant heart. They should be ashamed of their ungodly behavior. If  you were to take a serious look at the  compensation levels of pastors and contrast them to the compensation levels of other professionals, many pastors live a sacrificial lifestyle! This should not be! While other pastors take advantage of their congregations and use them as “stepping stones” to other more “important” denominational or higher paying jobs. The job of pastor has received both praise and condemnation in our day and age. Why? Because churches fail to be the churches they should be.

Paul encouraged Timothy to lead the church in honoring pastors who work hard. What a difference it makes when a church appropriately honors its pastor and staff! Such honor can be given in various ways, including the provision of an ample honorarium. But when a pastor needs to be disciplined, often churches are so embarrassed, because often they were the ones who pick him in the first place, they do not do the godly thing and resort to foolishness instead. Paul gives us four guidelines to consider: First, “Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.” Make sure that when you accuse a servant of God that you chose to be your leader in the first place is doing something wrong, you had better have witnesses to back your accusation up!  Secondly, “Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning.” If the pastor is guilty of doing something evil enough to be rebuked, do it publicly. You elected him publicly and shouted to the heavens he was “God’s man” for your church, now rebuke him publicly as well. But do it with grace and mercy, always looking for redemption. And thirdly, Paul says do not hold favoritism above spiritually doing the righteous thing: “I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.” Picking pastors or rebuking them should not be done like a popularity contest. And finally, help you pastor and church to “not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.” (1 Timothy 5:19-22) Too many churches are quick to pick pastors, deacons, or elders that are not morally, spiritually, ethically, or familially qualified. All of the members of the church of Christ, His body, should “keep yourself pure.”

Dear child of the Lord, today pray that your pastor is taken care of appropriately. Pray for him daily and provide for his needs. Come alongside of him and expect noting more from him that you would not require of any leader of the Lord. He is not a spiritual superman, but a human being called by God to minister to you.
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NOTE: This article is copyrighted by Pastor Lee Hemen © 2008 and the property of Pastor Lee Hemen. You are welcome to copy it, email it, or use it but please if you copy it, email it, or use it you must do so in its entirety.