I was tempted during my years of full-time preaching to post a small sign on the pulpit–visible to me but not to the congregation. The sign would have read: NO BAD SERMONS ALLOWED!
Let me begin with a disclaimer. I have preached my share of bad sermons. In my early preaching efforts, there were possibly more bad sermons than good ones. I was a novice, it took time to find my “preaching legs.” I took minimalist, fluffy bulletin articles and turned them into sermons. I too often began with a sermon idea rather than with the Word of God. It pains me to think about and admit what sometimes passed for sermons.
Along the way as my preaching journey developed, I determined that my primary commitment would be to preach good sermons. I committed to spend the necessary time in preparation. (Some weeks you mine for ore all week long and still find very little precious metal by the end of the week!) I committed to Bible study and Bible reading. I committed to reading broadly in related materials and books. For several years, I read the New Testament through each month. I tried to read a book a day, although sometimes a book a week was all I could manage. Yes, I have read the books in my personal library–numbering near 5000 volumes before I began to give away books I had read.
From my undergraduate days, I remember a discussion (argument, disagreement) with my roommate at Oklahoma Christian College. I affirmed that a preacher ought to know or have an idea about the meaning of every chapter of the Bible. He said it was impossible. Today, I admit that this is a difficult goal. I have not reached the level I desire, so it remains a constant challenge. Think with me. We who preach and teach are the “experts” in the Word. We stand up and say we are speaking for God. We say that when we speak, God speaks. We claim that we are providing the exact word from God that is most needed in the life of the church at a particular moment. How can we do that if we are not careful, diligent students of the Word?
Good sermons attract listeners. People come to church to hear a word from God. Good sermons on Sunday nights bring people back. I spent 25 years in full-time ministry before I began serving in Christian higher education. Through those 25 years, it became a point of pride (healthy, I hope!) that Sunday night attendance stayed consistently high–usually near 75-80% of Sunday morning attendance. I know the claim–we live in a different world. My heart of hearts yearns to reclaim a full-time ministry to test the theory–good sermons bring people back on Sunday nights. There are numerous examples of this truth in the denominational world where thousands assemble on Sunday evenings to hear God’s Word.
I told my preaching students that if they only had one good sermon on a given Sunday, to preach that sermon on Sunday night, since the folks would continue to come on Sunday mornings out of duty. The principle has validity. Do not preach the dregs on Sunday night. Do not preach the leftovers. Do not make do with second best. Do not depreciate the Sunday night crowd with fluff and stuff. Preachers! On Sunday nights, you are sharing with the cream of the crop. You are in the midst of those who are ultimately making a difference in the local congregation. You are among the most committed, most serious, and most faithful Christians. They will forgive your inadequacies–but do not take advantage of them and demean them with spiritual junk food!