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What You’ll Never Hear About Preaching in Seminary

I’m a pastor who is constantly learning how to do it better. But first, I want to provide a caveat to my title. The caveat is you have heard most of what you’ll read below, but the real issue is have you paid attention to what you’ve heard? So, in a sense, what I’ve listed below are some reminders for ministry to encourage you to keep pressing on toward God-honoring, Christ-exalting ministry.

1. Your ministry will not be easy:

If you think your ministry will be the exception, try to name one biblical character who was greatly used by God who did not suffer. Sorry to break the news … but suffering comes with the calling (1 Peter 3: 13-17).

2. Time for study will be an ongoing challenge:

Every day there will be a thousand urgent things that will compete for your attention. Do not sacrifice your sermon preparation on the altar of the urgent. Do what is most important! (1 Tim 4:6-8)

3. God’s Word is sufficient even when we are not:

Preach the text faithfully and you will be amazed at how God takes His sufficient Word and applies it to the hearts of your people. “The foolishness of God is wiser than man’s best wisdom” (1 Cor. 1:25).

4. The rush for relevance will be a constant drain on you and your preaching:

Remember, we don’t make the Bible relevant—we open the text and show our people how relevant it already is. And if it is relevant, it is most certainly sufficient to change lives. As David says, it “converts the soul” (Psalm 19:7).

5. What you say is more important than how you say it, but how you say it has never been more important:

Be a constant learner and seek to improve your delivery. The Word we share is too important not to say it well. And the first key to effective delivery is to be well-prepared.