“If you are holding your own in a city church, it’s a miracle. If you are slowly dropping behind, God is blessing. But if you begin a new work you are a fool.”

There was no mistaking the intent of this minister’s words. His analysis was factual and his advice sound. No precedent existed for beginning a new church in the inner-city, and there were certainly no guarantees of success. Northing is more difficult to explain reasonably than the unreasonably leading of God. And, there was no convincing this friend that our project plans were anything but audacious.

Thus began a new adventure for me and for a core group of people who believed that God was leading us to begin a new work in the heart of downtown Chicago. I’m not sure I can claim that the anticipated step was totally one of faith. At the time it seemed to be the only option. I was employed by a large Chicago church as assistant pastor. A new head minister had been called. In accord with the custom, the staff members were considering tendering resignations and locating other positions. In a way I was glad, due to the considerable misgivings I was experiencing in this, my second job in the traditional church.

My frustrations had reached the point where it was not uncommon for me to endure tension headaches on Saturday afternoon in anticipation of the Sunday services. Typically, I would not find relief until after a good night’s sleep following the Sunday evening meeting. Monday and the first half of Tuesday were fine. But, the pressure soon returned with the approaching midweek service.

What about you? Is your ministry causing you to experience extraordinary stress? Are the pressures of serving your local congregation on the increase? Perhaps through this blog I can offer you some suggestions from my own experience that will point you in a new direction. At least that’s my prayer.

You see, I have heard God’s call in these last years of my life on this earth. I have responded to Him and devoted my efforts to helping pastors become all God wants them to be. I urge you to stay with me for a while and see if God causes my words to resonate in the core of your being. Maybe, just maybe, God will speak to you through my thoughts.

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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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(…continued from the previous post.)

What then is the secret to the kind of preaching that is Christ-like and therefore amazes listeners because of its authority and ability and weight and power? (I suppose other descriptive words could be added such as “relevant” and “inspiring.”)

I’m thinking about the few preachers I’ve heard who in my mind manifest this unique Christ-like skill. I don’t believe the key is their intellect or their ability as a communicator. They are all smart individuals while at the same time often being what I would call “profoundly simple” in what they say. Then they are anything but boring. But again, I don’t sense that these are the special qualities that make them uniquely like Jesus.

The closest I can come to what I am looking for is an intensity of conviction. These special men and women believe they truly have been given a timely word from the Lord himself, and it is imperative that what they have to say is heard.

Theoretically speaking, I suppose most ministers believe what they are preaching in some way equals “God’s Word”. But they are not driven by a passion that says “You must listen closely because I speak on God’s behalf!”

There is no question but what Jesus believed that his words were literally those of his heavenly Father’s. To a slightly lesser degree, so did the Biblical prophets. I suspect that the contemporary ministers on my current short list sense this same sort of sacred responsibility. They aren’t just preparing and preaching “another sermon” because it’s the weekend once again. They are agonizing over how to live close enough to the Lord to be convinced that they have clearly heard his voice and they will then faithfully communicate precisely what it is he has told them to say with an intensity of conviction.

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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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