What Keeps Us Preaching?

  Over the years I have attended and spoken at a lot of lectureships. Sometimes the speakers were rich in content taking us to the Lord while others were involved in too much dancing and entertaining. At one lectureship, an older gentleman, very humble spoke and afterward I heard so many statements like, "He was so monotone! I would hate to listen to him week after week. There would be no one left coming!" What was sad, he was a man of great spiritual insight and many missed it because they were caught up in man's enthusiasm and methods! There seems to be less and less discernment between fleshly and spiritual. Another sermon, another class, another lecture with information thrown out which most remember the funny stories or illustrations and the rich insight to the word (if it is central) seems to get lost. It makes the honest hearted preacher wonder what good is really being done.

  As I have preached so many, many years it is wonderful to discover there are honest and open hearts that yearn for a nugget from the Lord to build their trust in Him. There is another side also and preachers need to hear: not everyone listening to you teach/preach is longing to hear this sermon and those in the future. I sometimes think preachers think that people like to hear them speak! Sometimes preachers get carried away and on and on they go drowning everyone in nothing. I'm not trying to be rude, just real. 

  What is most important is to keep God at the center, opinions in check and a heart open to allow the Lord to do His work. It's not about being smooth or right on target. It's about God conveying a faith building message through His word. The preacher has presented himself to the Lord and the Lord uses him to build His people. When the word is central, God can speak to the educated and uneducated in the same sermon. God speaks to the young and old. It's not about you! It's about God! It's not about a story or illustration you build around. It's about God! It's not about sugar and spice. It's about God! It's not a history lesson or a written human book. It's about God and God speaks: "Preach the word! Preach MY word!"

  In the end, some will sit bored, waiting until the preacher shuts up, thinking about lunch, ballgames, vacations or who knows what else. That's not the disciples of Jesus and you don't have to worry which ones they are. The Lord knows. In His message you deliver, there are some there, thriving, longing and wanting to hear from the Lord. They aren't moved by your words but His word! God confronts them through His message and they know. These are the true, good-hearted disciples of Jesus and it is those that makes a preacher keep preaching!