Preaching

Always. Martyn Lloyd Jones often said to his wife that he'd never preach again. Many of the greats echo this. As the old saying goes, "If you're satisfied with your own preaching, so is the Devil1"

 

Even if you're preaching from the same text, be sure not to preach the same sermon. Obviously, your main points and thrust will be the same, but update your illustrations and applications. That means you have a different sermon

 

Hey, don't sweat the 5 minutes prep thing. Jesus also told us to give no thought as to what to say, that God would give us the words.

I taught our Wednesday Bible study last week; wasn't until an hour prior that God finally gave me the message. Unfortunately, it was actually for me, and not so much the church. So I presented it as "learn from my mistakes."

Another thing about that: Whenever you actually humble yourself, God makes sure there's someone there to see it. First Wednesday we've ever had pretty much the whole congregation in attendance....

 

I've been preaching for almost three years. Sometimes I use notes and sometimes I do not use notes.

I have found in both occasions, if the Spirit is not with me i do nothing but "have a little talk" but, when He is empowering me to preach His word, I am able to deliver a message in power.

Being a Primitive Baptist, I never know when I'm going to be called on to preach. I could have as little notice as 1 minute or if I'm filling an appointment weeks of notice.

I let the Spirit guide me. I seek a message from God to deliver to His people. I study His word (not as much as I should) and let the Lord impress on my mind what He would have me to speak on. From that study, I'll make notes. Historical references, verses and the like. But never do I hold myself to that topic or series. I try to follow the Holy Spirit. I have changed my message by impression from the Spirit many times. It always seems to be the right thing.

Changed Like Saul,

Elder Chris Folsom
www.pbsermons.org

 

Went back and read my own message; may have given the wrong impression.

We should work hard to prepare a sermon for the people we're preaching/teaching to. Sometimes, the words just don't come until the last minute; but that's not an encouragement to regularly not prepare (and my message above wasn't meant to be an encouragement not to prepare, either).

 

Those messages, which leave you in doubt as to how good you did..... Every person needs preaching to in a different way; and just maby, God had someone listening, whose mind is now evaluating what you said.

My street ministry church is now on the receivers end of a voluntary receivership of a low-income housing motel. Without having to preach a word, my being at the motel daily, letting people know I'm the minister of the church organization who's now collecting their rent and fixing things, has gotten several of the Drug Users / Ascoholics / and others, to come to me and ask for prayer. Since Mid Dec, 3 have gone to church with me (2 more than once; and one still coming back). I think I'm not trying hard enough; but God is helping me. Let him work. Those nights (Days) you think you messed up, just might have gotten someone saved. This is not to say, that you don't need to constantly try to be better.

 

Brother You and I are on the same level. I am 18 (soon to be nineteen) and I understand completely. I find That If I overprepare I mess it all up. If I underprepare then I rely on the Holy Spirit. Now I do not just walk in Sunday Morning without a topic, but with a passage of scripture and some thoughts. That is when I usually do the best. Or rather the Spirit does the best with me.

 

Not having any notice should not be a problem since you should be doing Bible study/devotional reading of the Bible along anyway. Preach from the overflow. HOWEVER: this is not an excuse to be lazy or just to believe God will give you the words in spite of laziness. God doesn't bless that any more than He gives a student the answer to a Chemistry test in spite of not studying for it.

 

OD, anyone who has ever preached has felt as you have. Particularly in those early days when experience is weak and theology is unproven. As several have said, we should always seek to preach better, and time and experience are a real help. I have been preaching for 35 years and I have found the Lord enables me to take his word and declare it clearly. Even then I find myself wishing I had said it better.

I read an illustration about Spurgeon who preached on a given Sunday and left the pulpit feeling he had done a poor job. However, God used the message and he saw fruit from that "poor job" many days to come. The real evidence of a good message is not necessarily how you feel about it, but its long term fruit in your lives and the lives of those who heard it. And only eternity will fully reveal that fruit.

The one danger in your comments was your comparison with others. That is never a good means of assessing the value or good of any message.

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us." Remember we are "clay pots," Jesus Christ is the message and the enabler of the messenger.