10 Things I Have Learned About Preaching

As a young boy of 14, God called me into the ministry. I was told all my life, “he'll be a preacher just like his daddy”. I remember “playing church” with other kids and they always made me the preacher. At 14, I really didn't understand what God was getting me ready for. I love childrens' ministry and that was the direction I was headed. It was easy to stand behind a puppet stage and speak through a hand puppet. I could say what I wanted but didn't have to see the people. Then I was pushed into singing. That was another chore at first. I remember visiting churches and my Dad urging me to sing everywhere we went. Eventually, I left preaching behind. My focus as a teenager was to continue broadening the childrens' ministry. (It was easy to talk to kids.) I was headed in my own direction. I wanted to be a childrens' evangelist and a gospel quartet singer. Then it really happened, the preacher who did the nursing home ministry left our church. Dad dropped it into my lap. I was 16 years old, and had to speak each week. I wasn't looking forward to it. Honestly though, it was my preaching boot camp. Now, after 20 plus years of preaching. I am .still learning new things about preaching everyday. I want to share with you ten of the most important things I have learned in preaching. Think outside of the box. Just because you are called, don't think God is going to give you a pulpit each week to preach. Look for new avenues for preaching. Be willing to do unorthodox preaching. Preach at a nursing home. Preach to kids in children'shurch. Realize you must relate to your audience. Honestly though, if you are called you should be willing to take every “outside of the box” opportunity. Preaching is not just in a pulpit, but look for opportunities for personal evangelism. True “preaching” is one on one. Pray for a greater anointing. When I began preaching, one of the greatest pieces of advice I received was from my Dad. He was a great preacher. He knew how to relate to his audience. Yet, he preached always with a great anointing. He told me time after time “keep praying for a greater anointing”. He told me this not so I would become “super-spiritual” but more effective. Please remember, some of the greatest preachers are not always demonstrative or emotional. Every one preaches differently, just let God anoint you. This will make you more effective. Preach Jesus. Dr. Ray H. Hughes, has been called the prince of pentecostal preachers. One piece of advice he always gave preachers was preach Jesus. No matter what topic we choose, we must always relate the good news of the gospel. Jesus is that good news. If we leave him out, we might as well quit. He must be the centerpiece of our message. It's a message A spiritual grandfather, Kenneth Perkins, told me to never think of preaching just a sermon. Look at it as a message to the church. The prophet brings a message from the Lord. The word preacher means to herald a message from a King. That's what we do, bring a message from the King of Kings. If you lose your audience you only hurt yourself. I was blessed to have a great spiritual father in Pastor John Sprouse. I probably learned more about pastoring through him than anyone else. I was very long-winded when I started being his assistant pastor. I had been in a church where all the preachers, exhorted for over an hour. East Bank was not that kind of church. He told me, preach as long as you want, but if you lose the audience your only hurting yourself. As a preacher, you know if you are connecting or not. You also know when you have lost your audience. If you go too long, or over people's heads all the time, they will turn a deaf ear to you or may not come at all if they know you are preaching. I know preaching is spiritual, but remember even in the pulpit we are not perfect. Preach doctrinally correct. Know the Bible. This should be a given, but I have heard so many preachers preach doctrinally incorrect. Know what you believe. Don't take scripture out of context. Even if you are preaching topically, make sure your supporting scriptures are used in proper context. I have seen many manipulate scripture for their own agenda. Don't make yourself look foolish. We are called to rightly divide the truth of scripture. Take one thing that you are i interested in and study it in-depth. I have just recently adopted this one. Dr. Hollis Gause, is an elder and pentecostal theologian in the Church of God. He tells preachers to find something they feel God is drawing them to. Take that and become the best expert you can be with it. Preachers can't be experts on everything, but you can be well studied on one or two things. Little prayer, little power. More prayer, More power. Howard Harris, was an old time preacher. He always told me to pray. The more you pray the more power you have with God. He also told me that prayer is hard, but praying in the Holy Ghost is easy. He said you have to battle in prayer sometimes until you get to praying in the Holy Ghost. He told me that praying in the Holy Ghost is so important in preaching. If you don't pray it first you can't preach it. The Holy Ghost knows what you are going to preach, so when you pray in the Spirit, He is getting you personally ready for the message. If you don't communicate with God through prayer, how can God communicate through you to the people. Don't give into hype. Follow the leading of the Holy Ghost. It's so easy to get caught up in emotional fervor. Being Pentecostal, can make it easy to yield to hype. The work of the Holy Ghost is not hype. Hype is man made. The Holy Ghost directs worship. Many don't think worship has anything to do with preaching. Yet, if we can worship with the Word of God then is it true worship. Let the Holy Ghost lead, not man made emotion. Emotion does not equal anointing. Remember it is not by might nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord. Don't worry about the results, that's God's job. There was a time, when I was going to quit preaching. I wasn't getting the results I wanted. I was going to join a quartet and leave my preaching ministry. I received a call to preach at a church, I never thought I would be asked to preach at. I went to prayer and said “God this is my last preaching engagement.” I fasted, prayed, and sought God for a message. I went to preach, it was a mediocre message at best. However, by the time I was finished the pastors apologized to the congregation. Three people were saved. God spoke to me like I had never heard him before that night. “You preach out of obedience, I take care of the results.”