“Our church is really losing people,” a friend said to me recently. “Three years ago we were nearing 600. Now with one new pastor we’ve dropped to under 300. We’re going from two services back to one, but even then we won’t come close to filling the sanctuary. How we’ll combine the traditional and contemporary approaches, we’re not sure. But whatever happens music-wise, the preaching is still the major problem. Our pastor puts in a lot of time preparing, but his messages just don’t seem to connect with people’s lives.”
“Can your pastor solve his preaching problem on his own, or will he need someone to help him?” I asked.
“I’m not sure he would be open to help,” was the response.
“You didn’t answer my question,” I responded. So I asked it again. “Without help from someone else, do you think your minister on his own can make his sermons more relevant?”
“Probably not,” was his answer.
“Is there anyone in the church who’s qualified to help him work through this and communicate more effectively?”
“Not anyone I can think of.”
“What about one of those on the leadership team—an elder, or deacon, maybe a retired minister, someone in the field of communication?”
“Not really.”
“Then you need to get outside help. Otherwise it’s just a matter of time until you’re under 200 and dropping.”
“But where do we get help like that?”
“You’re talking to him!”
(LONG PAUSE)
“Ask him to breakfast and I’ll meet him.”
“I don’t think our minister would be open to that.”
“Then I can’t help you … but you have a serious problem, don’t you. Because you’re talking about key people going to church elsewhere, young people leaving the faith, your pastor over time being crushed by what’s happening, and many more I’ll not mention.”
(LONG PAUSE)
“The wife and I,” he confessed, “have been thinking about attending somewhere else too.”
“I guess that’s always an option. Don’t like it as much, though!”
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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, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon?
David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Saturday or Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions.
We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.
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.
You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.
