Every preacher has his or her personal flaws. Even the finest minister struggles with certain temptations.
Maybe, like me, you are a recovering workaholic. An attractive lady pastor might admit to a struggle with pride. This man, whose sermons everyone raves about, tries to keep hidden the fact that he has a terrible temper. Another dear man-of-the-cloth is a known procrastinator.
So what do you do when your preaching text for a given Sunday is about a temptation you obviously haven’t mastered? Do you quickly arrange for a guest preacher? Maybe you just pretend like your life lines up with what the text is calling for.
My personal conviction is that authenticity is what you should strive for. Being authentic allows for a wide range of disclosures. It may mean nothing more than including a simple statement that says, “I found today’s text to be quite convicting.” On the other hand your sermon could include an extended illustration of your personal battle to know victory in a certain area of your life.
To make no reference whatsoever that you recognize this to be a problem makes you appear guarded, naive, or hypocritical, none of which is seen as a positive trait. I believe it’s better to openly recognize that you are human and therefore still a work-in-progress.
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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.
For so many of us, the Christmas celebration can be a mile wide and an inch deep. We tire ourselves with an ever-growing list of gifts to buy, activities to complete, and traditions to uphold. And through a maze of cards and calls, outreach and entertainment, we struggle to connect with others in meaningful ways. Our intentions are sincere, but often trivial. When we look back on the season, we’re often left feeling like our holidays somehow lost the Christ in Christmas, and only touched the surface.
Every pastor needs resources to help him or her find appropriate Sermons for Advent and Sermons for Christmas. With Christmas Sermon resources from Mainstay Ministries, you can help your congregation season their Christmas traditions with the flavor of Christ. More than simply helping them to remember that “Jesus is the reason for the season,” you can encourage people to focus on Christ in the very traditions that have become part of our celebration of Christmas: decorating our homes, conveying Christmas greetings, giving and receiving gifts, gathering with family and friends, entering the new year with goals. Click here to see a list of special Christmas Sermon Packages available.
Looking forward to Christmas? Looking for key Sermon Ideas? Wondering what to preach throughout the Christmas Season? Searching for help in preparing for your Sermons on Christmas Day? In addition to the above special offer, Mainstay Ministries has many valuable resources filled with Christmas Sermon Ideas to help you plan for your Christmas preaching and for such Sunday Sermons, including resources for the following: Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermon, Advent Sermon Series, Advent Sunday Sermons, Christmas Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermon, and Christmas Sermon Series. Connect with us on-line by clicking here.
