I think if we’re honest, the single issue that keeps us from being more effective in preaching is our own relationship with God. Now, I’m not idolizing Stanley here. But the way he talked about his sermon preparation, the amount of time he spent in prayer for sermon prep, that really impacted me. He said you can preach no better than you pray, and I think he’s right.
To become better preachers, it’s great to read books on preaching, attend conferences or workshops, and learn from others. But the single most important thing we can do is to work on our own relationship with God. How clean is your heart? What (hidden) sins are negatively impacting your ministry? How much of your sermon prep is spending time in prayer? Do you truly focus on God?
3. Can’t lose
Clean heart clear mind. It’s tempting to add “can’t lose” to these. If our heart is clean, if we bring all our sins into the light to deal with, if we focus our minds on God, what’s stopping us from acting in God’s power?
Clean heart clear mind…can’t lose!
(1) I discovered these are six of the seven aspects Stanley addresses in How to Reach Your Full Potential for God. He may have mentioned the seventh (using your gifts). But I was taking notes while watching, so it went fast. I haven’t read this book, so the thoughts above are my own.
