Too Much Too Fast

July 21, 2010 by admin

In a conversation, few people would get by with talking to you non-stop for 30 minutes. If for no other reason, every so often you would stop them and say, “Give me a moment or two before you continue, would you please, just so I can process what I’m hearing?”

Are you aware that people listening to a sermon also need pauses, or slow-down time, when they have a chance to laugh, sigh, or sit in quiet, just to process what they’re hearing?

Recently I heard a rapid-fire pulpit delivery that came at me with ideas, verses, illustrations, quotes, etc. one after another with hardly even discernable paragraph breaks. To make matters worse, all the points got equal emphasis and were delivered in the same high pitched “preacher voice.”

I followed for about ten minutes. Then the steady stream of machine gun like words started to wear me down. At the twenty minute mark I wasn’t listening all that attentively anymore. By the end of the sermon, I just wanted the preacher to get done.

I’m not saying the speaker’s content was lacking. What he had to say was good. But, he hadn’t learned to deliver his material in a way that was palatable to his listeners. It would be like a hostess asking guests to eat as fast as they could and as much as they could with no time to savor the various dishes.

When sermons are preached, believe me, it’s to everyone’s benefit to allow for the opportunity to adequately process the various thoughts being presented.

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You can learn how to develop highly relevant Sunday sermons that grab the attention of your congregation and help your listeners respond effectively to the deep truths of God’s Word. David Mains and Mainstay Ministries have a whole range of helpful solutions. Do you need to prepare a Topical Sermon, an Advent Sermon, a Christmas Sermon, an Easter Sermon, a Sermon Series, or any other Sunday Sermon? You can find help on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons. Just click here to visit David Mains’ website.

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What Would Millennials Think?

July 19, 2010 by admin

I have been consciously analyzing sermons for close to five decades. A rather unique observation I’ve made is that ministers tend to preach to their own age-set. It’s the segment of the population they know the best, so it’s probably natural that this would be the case.

The truth is, whenever I’m asked, as a 73-year-old, to give a talk for a group of teenagers, I find this to be quite daunting. I work hard to come up with illustrations related to their world. This happened again recently when I was asked to speak for a group where the average age was somewhere around 15.

I read this week in USA Today about a new survey conducted by LifeWay Christian Resources among 18- to 29-year-old Americans. It revealed that:

* 67% don’t read the Bible or sacred texts

* 65% rarely or never attend worship services

* 65% rarely or never pray with others

If this trend continues, the president of LifeWay was quoted as saying, “the Millennial generation will see churches closing as quickly as GM dealerships.”

Of course, I asked myself, “Would 18- to 29-year-olds be interested in the messages I normally preach? If not, why not?”

Because the church is always just one generation away from extinction, it’s a question all ministers need to ask themselves.

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Pastor, when “sermon prep day” rolls around each week, do you face the task of preparing another sermon with a frown on your face? If so, you’re not alone. Many pastors literally dread preparing their Sunday sermon. There just doesn’t seem to be an easy solution. The good news: David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help, whether you need to create a Topical Sermon, an Advent Sermon, a Christmas Sermon, an Easter Sermon, a Sermon Series, or any other Sunday Sermon. For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.

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Can It Be Measured?

July 16, 2010 by admin

Physical growth can be measured. Write down the height of your five-year-old, and a year from now you can easily tell whether he or she has gotten any taller.

Weigh yourself today and write down the results. Step on the same scale a month from now, and you’ll know precisely what you’ve lost or gained.

But what about spiritual growth? Is that growth measurable?

Of course it is! Prayerfully target a given sin, such as jealousy. Then on a scale of 1 to 10, keep a chart each day on how you’re doing. It’s not that hard to tell whether you’re improving.

Is it possible as a pastor to measure the spiritual growth of your congregation and how effective your preaching is? The answer is yes, you can. But again, you will probably need to concentrate on specific areas rather than talk in generalities.

What spiritual goals have you set for your congregation? Do you want them to be more missions-minded? Are they needing to improve in the area of worship? Would you like more of your people involved in Christian service? Is there a need for more in the congregation to get involved in a small group? Progress in these and other such specific matters are all measurable.

When corporate growth is recognized, it should be an occasion for affirmation from the pulpit. When more effort is needed, it’s the job of the pastor to be an encourager.

Measurable growth should be a normal part of being a follower of Jesus. That’s true both individually and as a part of a local church. And your role as a leader includes seeing to it that this is happening.

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Whether you need to create a Topical Sermon, an Advent Sermon, a Christmas Sermon, an Easter Sermon, a Sermon Series, or any other Sunday Sermon, David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.

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No More, Thank You

July 14, 2010 by admin

This Sunday service was jam-packed. In fact, some of the traditional elements had been cut to make room for a last-minute report. Don’t get me wrong; it was done well, as was a video on another topic that also called for a specific response.

Admittedly, I was a visitor. Maybe the regulars were more acquainted with everything that was going on. But for me, the experience tended to be so overwhelming that after a while I just kind of stopped processing what was being asked of me.

I’ll remember that service for a long time, because it underscored an important lesson. Whereas it’s important to make clear the response being called for in a sermon or service, you have to be careful not to ask for so much from your people that you overwhelm them. If you do, their response is liable to be what mine was. My mind said that I was being pushed to respond in more ways than I had come prepared to do.

Every so often, I hear a sermon that suffers from this same flaw. It’s put together incredibly well. I can’t find any traditional way to fault it. It’s just that the preacher pushed past what my limits were. He or she said too much or made the error of giving me more than what I could handle. It was like a seven-course meal when all I ordered was soup and a salad.

What I’m writing about is not a common problem. But I run into it now and again. So just be aware that overkill is not something to strive for.

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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about? Or, what will you preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon? David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help you learn how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons. Just click here to visit David Mains’ website.

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