Ten Keys to Preaching Toward Revitalization
Revitalizing a church is a multifaceted endeavor, and effective preaching is at its heart. Drawing insights from the previous two posts on preaching, we present ten keys to preaching that can energize and transform your church community.
1. Embrace Preaching as an Act of Obedience: Recognize that preaching is a divine command, not just a traditional aspect of services. It's an act of obedience to God’s will and plan for His church.
2. Foster Expectation in the Congregation: Encourage your congregation to approach sermons with expectant hearts. Like the people in Nehemiah's time, they should anticipate a meaningful encounter with God through the preached Word.
3. Preach for Worship, Not Just Instruction: Understand that preaching is a form of worship. It’s not only about imparting knowledge but also about glorifying God by valuing and treasuring His Word. The act of obedience to the command to preach and the attitude of our preaching as we hear the Word of God combine as the culmination of our corporate worship gathering.
4. Prepare the Congregation for Engagement: Teach your church to prepare mentally and spiritually before services. Effective preaching begins for the pastor and the church long before the service starts. This preparation can transform their experience from passive listening to active engagement.
5. Focus on Personal Internalization: Urge your congregation to internalize the message. The sermon should be more than heard; it should resonate with their emotions and spiritual journey.
6. Make Scripture the Foundation: Ground your preaching in Scripture. Every sermon should flow from Scripture, be saturated with biblical truth, and focused on conveying God’s message as revealed in the Bible. A church cannot be strengthened by sermons built from current events, personal agendas, pastoral passions or vision, or political convictions.
7. Encourage Active Listening: Promote active listening among your members. This involves taking notes (more than a fill-in-the-blank outline), reflecting on the sermon, and applying its lessons to their lives.
8. Preach for Transformation, Not Just Information: Aim for transformation. Your sermons should challenge and inspire changes in belief and behavior, leading to personal and communal growth.
9. Promote Practical Application: Each sermon should have a clear application. Encourage your congregation to live out the lessons learned and demonstrate their faith in practical ways.
10. Model and Inspire Action: As a pastor, lead by example. Show your congregation how to apply sermon lessons in real life. Your actions and words should inspire them to live out their faith.
Conclusion
Effective preaching in church revitalization is about more than delivering sermons; it's about inspiring change, fostering engagement, treasuring the Word, and leading a community toward spiritual growth. By incorporating these ten keys into your preaching, you can play a pivotal role in revitalizing your church and nurturing a vibrant, engaged, and growing community of believers.