Fresh preaching begins with a refreshed preacher – refreshed by the presence of
God, the Spirit of God, and the Word of God.
Come clean with the
Lord. Confess your own sin, weakness, staleness, and anything else that may
have come between you and Him. Ask Him to refresh you before you seek to
refresh your preaching and its effectiveness with others.
Heritage Christian University Alumni Days – Cory Collins
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Song – “Create in Me
a Clean Heart.”
Ps 51:6 Behold, You desire
truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know
wisdom. 7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I
shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the
bones which You have broken rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins And
blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And
renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your
presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the
joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.
Now see the result –
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be
converted to You.
Remember how Jesus
called His disciples away privately, so that they could be refreshed.
Mk 6:30 The apostles
gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done
and taught. 31 And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a
secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going,
and they did not even have time to eat.) 32 They went away in the boat
to a secluded place by themselves.
You cannot give
anyone anything more than – or different from – what you first are and what you
first have. So first refresh your faith, hope, and love by being with Christ.
Fresh preaching comes from a fresh preacher.
Remember how Jesus
Himself often found refreshment by being with the Father. Mk 1:35 In the
early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went
away to a secluded place, and was praying there.
Think of your
original desire and decision to preach the Word of God. Refresh your preaching
as you would refresh your marriage. Remember what you found attractive and
appealing. Recall why you began preaching initially. Renew your vows. Revive
your honeymoon. Identify the things that have made it stale and have threatened
its vitality. Address and eliminate those things.
Let us preach as if
Jesus died yesterday, rose this morning, and is coming back tomorrow! Come see, go tell – Matt 28
Let us preach as if
we just discovered and bought the treasure hidden in the field! Matt 13:4
Let us preach as if
we just found something most precious that was lost! In Jesus’ teaching, when
the sheep, coin, and son were found, in each case there was an announcement to
others, then a celebration to follow. Luke
15
Let us preach as if
we just emerged from a dark, dingy, pit into a world of light! 1 Pet 2:9
Let us preach as if
the world is starving, and we have the bread! 2 Ki 7:8 When these lepers
came to the outskirts of the camp, they entered one tent and ate and drank, and
carried from there silver and gold and clothes, and went and hid them; and they
returned and entered another tent and carried from there also, and went and hid
them. 9 Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day
is a day of good news, but we are keeping silent; if we wait until morning
light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the
king’s household.”
Let us preach as if
we hold in our hands the most powerful, life-changing, death-defying instrument
in the universe – the Word of God! Proclaim God’s Word expectantly and let it
flow through you and work! Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and
active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the
division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the
thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden
from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with
whom we have to do (to whom we will give account).
Let us preach as if
the world is on fire, and we are called to the rescue!
Let us preach as if
we are on fire, and the world is watching us burn!
Let us preach as if
we have been commanded not to preach!
As if we cannot help it! Acts 4:20 for we cannot stop speaking about
what we have seen and heard.” 1 Co 9:16 For if I preach the gospel, I
have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not
preach the gospel.
Now let’s talk about
some practical ideas for refreshing your preaching.
Feed your spirit on
the Word – soak as a sponge – perhaps read from an additional translation. My
mentor said, “You have to put more in your reservoir than you draw from it,
lest you run dry.”
Preach what excites
you, what grows out of your own study and prayer.
Preach what you need
to hear.
Preach what you
certainly know and truly believe. Do not preach your doubts or cause others
unnecessary issues with their faith.
Preach what you will
enjoy preparing to preach. Maybe a brief series on archaeology, called
“Eureka!” Or on angels, or Islam, or “Questions Jesus Asked.” My current series
– “Keys to the Kingdom – the Sermon on the Mount.” I have identified 15
qualities that Jesus described. I am starting with an introduction, then
attitude, influence, self-control (anger and lust), and faithfulness (marriage
and truthfulness).
Outline Scripture.
Divide it into thought units. One of my mentors kept a Bible and a notepad
beside his bed. He would not go to sleep without outlining a passage or chapter
each night.
Study inductively. (Let
me know if you want more specifics on this.)
Keep taking courses –
in person, online, by correspondence – that refresh you.
Think homiletically.
Use the “seed card” idea. Observe, as Jesus did (birds, sheep, grass, fish).
Vary your preaching.
A preaching friend includes each month one sermon to inform, one to inspire, one
to convict, and one to convert.
Collect
illustrations, quotations, facts, stats, and stories – meat on the bones.
Do your own work. Read
and listen widely, but borrow sparingly. Do not take shortcuts, and do not
cheat yourself and the church re: preparation.
Do what fits you and
what you do best. Be confident. Be yourself. Improve yourself, and be the best
“you” that you can be.
Yet stretch
yourself. Fewer or no notes. PowerPoint or not. Visual aids.
Speak to new groups.
Expand your range. Accept every invitation you can. Imagine and create wider
exposure. I’ll prepare a 15-lesson series and anticipate presenting it at Yellowstone
Bible Camp in Montana, where I go as a week-long adult teacher from time to time.
Connect with your
listeners – in homes, in small groups, on social media. Listen to them before
they listen to you. Know their needs, circumstances, challenges, hopes, dreams,
etc.
Identify your eager,
expressive, attentive listeners. Establish eye contact and rapport with them as
you preach. Get their feedback.
Associate with
people who refresh you. Do not feel guilt for spending more time with them; you
need them! Paul noted that Philemon was a “refresher” of the saints, and Paul
requested that refreshment. Phm 1:7 For I have come to have much joy and
comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed
through you, brother. Phm 1:20 Yes, brother, let me benefit
from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.
Ask for ideas,
questions, and concerns – regular Bible Question Night.
Form a think tank,
including various generations and life circumstances.
Ask your own questions
and collect responses for special occasions like Mother’s Day and other lessons
as well. I preached two series from 1 Cor. I called 1 Cor 1-8, “Because You
Belong to Christ …” and asked people to complete that sentence. Then I called 1
Cor 9-16, “Because You Belong to Each Other …” and asked people to complete
that sentence as well. I incorporated some of their responses in the various
messages that followed.
Ask your listeners,
“What do you think are the marks of fresh preaching?”
Ask other preachers,
“How do you keep your preaching fresh?”
Preach energetically
and enthusiastically.
Note current events
– sports, politics, economy, scandals. There is now a movie in the works on
Samson. His mother will be played by Lindsay Wagner, the “Bionic Woman.” I’ll
use that in a new parenting class that I am preparing. “There are no bionic
parents!” “How would you like to have Samson as your son?”
Create a blog. Write
your sermons so they can be posted. I will turn this presentation into a blog
post. I will also share it with our monthly preachers’ group.
Video your sermons.
Link to them via your blog posts.
See and share the
lighter side of life – add some humor. One source is Readers Digest.
Add some human
interest elements – stories, children in the church.
Provide application
– from the “why” to the “what” to the “so what.”
Plan ahead – a
series, which gets you thinking of fresh ideas in advance.
Keep a spreadsheet log
– to avoid repeating yourself and force freshness.
Recycle, refresh,
and re-energize Scriptures you have used before. Here are couple of ideas for
doing that.
Create a new title.
For example, when you are preaching Luke 5:1-11, a standard title might be, “The
Miraculous Catch of Fish,” or, “Jesus Calls the Disciples.” Instead you could
choose a fresh title, like “Let’s Launch out into the Deep!” or, “What’s Your
Net … Worth?” A fresh title may help you approach a familiar text in a fresh
way.
Create a new
outline. For example, when you are preaching Luke 7:36-50, which I often title,
“A Savior Who Touches Sinners,” you could outline it as …
An Unlikely Invitation – 7:36
An Unwelcome Guest – 7:37a
An Unusual Outpouring – 7:37b-38
An Unfair Assumption – 7:39
An Unequal Comparison – 7:40-46
An Undeniable Connection – 7:47
An Unimaginable Relief – 7:48-50
Preach from a Bible
book you have not used in the last year or more. I discovered awhile back,
after reviewing my spreadsheet log, that I had not preached from Lamentations
in quite some time.
Share the pulpit
with coworkers, missionaries, preachers in summer series, and elders. Last
Sunday night our youth and family minister preached. This Sunday while I am
away, one of our shepherds will preach. In the evening our new minister for our
college-age group will preach.
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