10 Ways to change your Pastor Sermons
Week after week Pastor's pray to GOD that they will get a sermon or message that will move, inspire, educate and sometimes chastise the listeners....praying that the Holy Spirit will use it to make them more effective Christians.
"They need your help"
The quality of a sermon doesn't depend upon the Pastor alone. Here's what you can do to improve your Pastor's skills. This also can apply in someway to Cell Groups, Bible Studies, Sunday School, Evangelists, Etc....
So let's change our Pastor's Sermon's:
- Prepare yourself to listen carefully. Pay attention to the Scripture lessons read during worship--they are usually the basis for the sermon. Meditate on the theme of the day. Read the lessons before you go to church and listen to how they speak to you. Frame some questions that come to mind.
- Pray for your pastor and for your understanding. Ask God to speak to you through the entire worship service. You should not listen to a sermon with the frame of mind used when listening to a political speech.
- Expect something to happen. God promises that the word will produce fruit. If you "turn off"--because you feel down or last Sunday's sermon wasn't great--you struggle against rather than with God's word.
- Learn to focus. Concentrate intently on what you are hearing from the pulpit rather than on the fidgeting children or the mountain scenery on the bulletin. Try to understand how your pastor constructs sermons or uses anecdotes and literary allusions.
- Think about how to apply the message. Ask yourself: "Did that ever happen to me or someone I know? How can this Scripture and sermon lead me?" Write down key words and carry them with you through the week.
- See that your pastor has the time needed to prepare. Make sure your congregation's budget includes money for books and advanced courses necessary to keep your pastor's intellect sharp. If the preacher is stimulated and well-equipped to navigate the mysteries of faith, sermons will be better.
- Ask questions if you don't understand. Some congregations have sermon discussion groups (see page 12). Most pastors love when people ask questions. It means they were listening. And it's all right to disagree as long as you keep the disagreement civil and helpful.
- Remember not all sermons are winners for every listener. On a particular day, the message might not be effective or relate to your concerns. The sermon that touched you two weeks ago may have sounded obscure to others. If too many sermons are ineffective, talk to congregational leaders about providing the pastor an opportunity for refresher courses.
- Ask that printed copies or audio CD/DVD's of some "special" sermons be provided. Holiday sermons, for example, might be provided for the congregation after the service. The preacher is flattered, and people get a chance to read and reflect upon what was said.
- Tell the pastor when you think a sermon was good and explain why. Encouraging words or notes are always welcome. Preaching, like all communication, is a cooperative activity.
And finally, it's not a good idea to tell pastors the "dull sermon jokes" you heard last week. There may be as many jokes about preaching as there are about lawyers, dumb blondes and talking animals that walk into taverns. Pastors usually bear the levity cast at their profession with a forgiving heart, though it's difficult to hear your work ridiculed. It's not that they would be offended, but they probably heard it years ago.
And preaching is difficult work. So the next time you want to talk about or diminish his Sermon's think about this.....
"He has been called by GOD to do this work, he is a spokes person for Jesus!"
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