FROM MINISTERIAL SERVICES
Preparing Quality Sermons
Most reports from the various Feast sites have now come in. We've had dozens of comments on the many outstanding sermons and sermonettes at the Feast this year! I want to congratulate you men on the fine job you've done in helping to make this such a superb holy day season. Our dedication to God — allowing Him to use us as tools in His hands — is really the key to making the Feast the best ever each year. As we grow in the knowledge of God, understanding His purpose and plan more each year, having a better grasp of His truth, and drawing closer to Him, the Feast is always bound to be the "best ever."
One thing to keep in mind as we get back to our regular responsibilities after the Feast is that we all need to continually work at keeping our sermons at a top-notch level. We all know how difficult and seemingly impossible it can be to thoroughly prepare scintillating, moving, exciting, powerful and helpful sermons week after week. But that is the goal we should always be striving for.
Perhaps we can allow the Feast to be the motivation needed to really dig in and put added life, enthusiasm, interest and meaning into all our sermons. I constantly receive comments from brethren about the valuable and helpful messages they are hearing in their local congregations. We certainly want to keep that up, knowing how easy it can be to let all the pressures of other ministerial responsibilities crowd out the time we need to prepare truly meaningful and worthwhile sermons.
Following are a few pointers that will help you to keep preaching high quality sermons throughout the year.
1. Remember that sermon preparation is of major importance to your effectiveness as a pastor (this includes sermons and sermonettes by associate pastors and assistants) and therefore must be given the necessary priority in your schedule.
2. Always be on the lookout for sermon resource material. Take time to regularly read a newspaper and/or newsmagazine. Occasionally view an educational TV program. Be aware of new books on social topics, international relations, etc. (You don't necessarily have to thoroughly read such books to be aware of what is being discussed in them.) These habits will help you have current and factual examples to use in your sermons, thus adding to the impact of your messages.
3. Don't stray from the Bible. The Bible should always be the foundation and center of our messages. God has called us to teach His Word, not our own ideas or thoughts. Don't allow some book, article or other outside source to be the central theme of a message. Let such material serve only as an example or illustration of the basic Biblical message you are giving.
4. Don’t stray from established Church doctrine into your own speculation, pet ideas, thoughts or theories. This mistake is a form of vanity — the kind of vanity that led Lucifer to believe that his ideas apart from God had some special merit or value. There are plenty of topics you can and should cover that God has made absolutely clear to His Church. Getting into your own pet theories in sermons will only serve to undermine the congregation’s respect for you. God has set you there to be faithful reflection of His apostle, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, as God's ministers in Paul's day reflected his teaching (II Tim. 2:2).
5. Consider your audience. Carefully consider through prayer how best to help your congregation to understand and benefit spiritually from the subject you will be speaking on. Ask God to lead you to have the right kind of loving, concerned approach most effective for them.
6. As I mentioned in the Refresher, plan the year's sermon and Bible study subjects in advance. This will help you to make sure that you are not omitting any area of major importance, and will also help you to keep a record of what you've covered from year to year. Be flexible enough to juggle or revise your plan when necessary.
7. Don't forget the mechanics of speaking. The principles in the Spokesman Club manual apply to sermons, too: a good introduction to arouse attention and interest; a clear SPS; main points of the body clearly defined, logically developed and properly emphasized, with easy-toÂfollow transitions; and a logical conclusion with an appeal to action. Keep these basics in mind while preparing your messages. It would be a good idea to review the Spokesman Club manual with your sermons in mind.
8. Keep striving for excellence in grammar and pronunciation. Don't let yourself grow lax in overcoming habitual grammatical errors, mispronunciations and diction problems.
9. Your personal example is of utmost importance. What you are speaks louder than what you say. The impact of your messages largely depends upon the example that you and your family set as Christians. Part of your ministry is the example you set in your marriage, your childrearing, your conversation, your personal manner, your forms of entertainment, etc.
10. Most important, let God do it! Seek God's help. Trust and rely on Him. Ask God for His Spirit, His mind, His thoughts, His views. Realize you are not equipped nor qualified to teach God's people — but He is! And He will give you what you need, if you acknowledge your need to Him and submit to Him. Never begin the preparation or delivery of a sermon or Bible study without first seeking God for His help and inspiration. Don't ever forget that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. I think we're all aware that when a man begins to think he can preach to God's people without actively and diligently seeking God's help, he is in deep spiritual trouble!
Should there be a fourth Ministerial Refreshing Program, we hope to go into more detail on planning, preparation and delivery of sermons and Bible studies.
Please continue to pray for Mr. Armstrong and his party on the current trip. I'm sure he will have much good news to report when he returns. As he has stated so often, he really appreciates your continued prayers for him and your diligent service to God's Church.
So again, keep up the good work!
