Here are some of my thoughts on Preaching
1. The sermon as we know it is more linked to the Greeks and philisophical debate then Jewish practice.
2. It is a great way to learn having to grasp a topic by preparing a sermon.
3. I worked out that I have preached about 400 times, of those I think there was about 20 which I can see lasting differences and change in people to this day, so it is a low hit rate.
4. At the same time I don't think any other method we have tinkered with has been markedly better (or worse mind you) then preaching. The reality is that people often don't change no matter what the communication style.
5. One of my best sermons which people still mention to me today, was a second hand message I had grabbed from someone else. Truth is truth even if it has not been given as Rhema. A good sermon with relevant truths transends alot of other issues.
6. The sermon is all about projecting power and authority and nothing beats the buzz of it, as all the people afterwards tell you how great it is. As a 22yr old it was intoxicating seeing people in there senior years scribbling down notes about what I was saying. Though what could a 22yr old really tell them?
7. Many young men see the above in church and crave to get into the same position. Which is why so many are keen to be Ministers even though the pay is rubbish and there is always a queue to get into the pulpit. Being able to preach makes up for all the negatives of ministry.
8. If you struggle slightly with insecurity, or crave acceptance, having a preach is a lovely bandaid.
9. Most people who preach truely believe deep down that they are an awesome communicater, because they are constantly told that.
10. Sermons are about entertaining people and feeding the congregations addiction to new information and rhema on a weekly basis. The congregation is at large a fault as the preacher in this.
11. Coming from a Welsh background, Wales is full of some of the great preachers on the planet and it has been true for nearly 200 years, that the Welsh produce the cream. My Grandfather told me that every Friday night in the Swansea town hall the building would be packed by people who had paid a door charge to hear two or three great preachers give a sermon each (this is the 1920'2 and 30's). It was common entertainment to have preaching compititions monthly in each church such as Moriah Chapel where the last Welsh revival happaned. The brutal fact though is with all these great sermons happaning in Welsh churches under 1% of the poppulation go to church any more. In Swansea which is the size of Christchurch the largest church has a congregation of under 300, and the second largest has about 70 people. It has become one of the most unreached people groups on the planet, but they love a sermon and a hymn.
12. I have not preached for 2.5 years, I do miss it, but I am not sure it is relevant, it's something I have put on the shelf for the time being.
During my theological training in the 60's our NT lecturer was an ex-missionary who had been expelled from China after being tortured and badly treated by the Communists.
On Monday mornings he would tell us about the service he had preached at the day before as a guest speaker.
He said that on the previous Sunday, he finished his message and went to the door at the close of the service to greet the congregation as they left, (They used to do that you know!)
But the people wouldn't come out! The conviction of God had been such that they were not prepared to look him in the eye.
Have you had that happen Preacher Boy?