2. I Preach a Commentary Rather Than a Sermon.
This relates to a couple of the points above. Too often, I think that merely understanding what the text says is the same thing as having a sermon to preach. I can default to thinking that merely explaining the text is the same thing as applying. That is simply not what is most helpful to people.
3. I Give Too Much Detail/Information.
Christians love the word of God and want to study it deeply. But no one can drink from a fire hose. And too often, I take what took me three days of study to understand, and try to force feed all of it to others in under an hour. People need truth that is deep, but they also need truth that has been distilled.
4. I Don’t Sit Under the Word While I’m Preaching It.
I’m embarrassed to even think about how many times I’ve preached a sermon without realizing in the moment that the one person in the room who needs to hear this particular word from God the most is the one preaching.
Some of the most effective preachers I’ve heard also happen to be the most affected preachers. And that’s not because they’re dramatic (it’s fairly easy, I think, to tell the difference). Effective preachers are affected preachers because they themselves are sitting under the word that’s being delivered and are experiencing the ministry of the Spirit of Truth even as they speak.
I need to cultivate more of a spirit of humility and neediness so that when I preach, I also listen to hear what God would say to me.
Am I Alone?
Anything else? What are some common mistakes you make when you preach or study to preach?
