Dear Young Preacher,
Forty years ago, I was in my early years of pastoral ministry as a solo pastor in a rural church. I found great joy in preaching God’s Word—even though Sundays seemed to come every three days. Thankfully, God allowed me to serve a supportive, gracious congregation where a young pastor could grow and develop.
I don’t recall getting a letter from a veteran preacher when I started out. But if I had, I would have benefited from hearing these five encouragements. While they are aimed at younger preachers, they serve as good reminders for all of us who proclaim God’s Word.
Make the Condition of Your Heart Your First Priority
God built a pattern into creation: we reproduce after our own kind (Gen. 1:11). Or as Jesus put it, “everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40). If we hope to see people conformed into the image of Christ through our preaching, we must keep growing in Christlikeness.
In my seminary days, Dr. Howard Hendricks reminded us, “You cannot impart what you do not possess.” I would encourage you to cultivate a devotional life bigger and deeper than your sermon preparation. Remember, preaching not only takes homiletical hard work, it also requires personal heart work. “Above all else, guard your heart” (Prov. 4:23, NIV).
Give Your Best Hours to Sermon Preparation
I’m not saying give all your hours to sermon preparation. As a pastor, you must do more than preach. You are called to shepherd God’s flock and lead God’s people.
The demands of pastoral ministry can be relentless, no matter your congregation’s size. In fact, I found that pastoral pressures were greater when I served as a solo pastor of a smaller congregation. Still, don’t let the other legitimate and important aspects of pastoring squeeze out your preparation for preaching.
As Paul admonished young Timothy: “devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (1 Tim. 4:13). Establish a rhythm of using your best hours—the hours you are at your best—for prayer and the Word (Acts 6:4). While it’s true that pastors must do more than preach well, they can’t do less.
Set Deadlines for Your Sermon Preparation
As the saying goes, work expands to fill available time. When I pastored out West, I didn’t have to turn in my sermon outline until Friday morning. Often, I found myself scrambling to finish my sermon manuscript on Thursday afternoon.
When I became the pastor of The Metropolitan Bible Church (The Met) in Ottawa, the office team wanted my outline by Thursday morning. To my surprise, I adjusted and finished my outline and a rough draft of the sermon earlier. While I still reviewed and revised my sermon manuscript later in the week, having a midweek deadline made my sermon preparation time more efficient.
Deadlines do make a difference. Even if you don’t have an external deadline to finish your sermon, set one for yourself.
Aim to Preach “Parakaleō” Sermons
The Greek word parakaleō is tricky to translate. It can mean either encouragement or exhortation—or a blend of both. As a young preacher, you need to know something about yourself: you’ll naturally default to one side or the other. You’ll either tilt toward being a truth-teller (exhortation) or gravitate toward being a grace-giver (encouragement).
To be faithful and effective as a preacher, you’ll need to communicate with both grace and truth. That’s because Jesus and his Word are “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). So consciously aim at preaching parakaleō sermons; seek to exhort as you encourage and encourage as you exhort.
Find Your Internal Security in Your Saviour, not Your Sermons
It’s hard not to feel elated on days your sermon seems to soar. It’s also easy to feel flattened when your sermon seems to sink. After you preach, you may feel insecure and vulnerable. Some Sundays you will drive home with an empty ache inside, wondering if your sermon made any difference at all. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was right when he said preachers need pastoral care when they finish their sermons.
That’s why you must remember to return to Christ for your inner security and emotional stability. Preach the gospel to your own heart: you stand accepted by God because of what Jesus did on the cross, not what you do in the pulpit. You don’t preach so God will love you more; you preach because he couldn’t love you more.
As a pastor, you are engaged in something eternally important. The local church is at the centre of God’s redemptive work in the world. And preaching the Word is at the heart of what God calls pastors to do. May God’s Spirit strengthen you for this calling.
Warmly,
Rick Reed
