I've been away from the pastoral pulpit for 18-months now, but I'm still listening to plenty of messages in-person and on-line (Lutheran and other). With that in mind, the following coaching tips are meant to be encouraging for our LCMC church planters and missional preachers.
When preaching...
...challenge yourself to come up with a style, or method, that is not being used by others. What might that look like for you and your personality and/or your particular mission field? If we are going to reach the unreached (people who don't know Jesus, or don't like church as it is), it's probably a good idea to not sound and present like EVERY other preacher! As with everything in life, go to the Lord in prayer on this one. He wants you to be you, not you being someone else.
...don't just talk about Jesus--- but declare what he is doing! He is more than just an important historical character like Martin Luther or Abraham Lincoln--- Jesus is ALIVE and literally with us today! That's the perfect power for reaching the millennial generation that wants to be unconventionally trained to live out their faith in the daily marketplace. Living in the power of the Holy Spirit is the church's secret weapon that must not remain a secret!
...don't just talk about mission--- but teach people how to be obedient in living missionally as an everyday lifestyle. Doing missional events and activities are fine, but people want and need to be trained and encouraged in how they can live missionally in regular, every day life: at home, work, school and in community. In worship, have your people share from the front even the simplest testimonies of how they are striving to be missional--- through the easy and not so easy moments of life. This way, people can begin to understand they don't need some grand story to be living significantly as a disciple of Jesus.
...keep in mind that your congregation doesn't exist for itself...but exists for the sake of others. Ministering and fellowshipping within your church family is certainly not a bad thing, but what can you add to your Sunday message to inspire and empower the people to take the church to the streets? Too often churches are way more concerned about growing their own numbers inside the building on a Sunday, rather than growing a kingdom influence in the community on Monday. Since many people don't know "how" to be influencers because they are not being led to do so--- YOU teach and demonstrate to them "how" to be obedient!
...consistently cast vision (God's preferred future) and your mission (your strategy for participating in God's preferred future). Complement the vision and mission of your church with your values (what's important to you). Again, this glues together the gospel with the point of your church's existence. Social justice is important, so long as its backbone is made up of the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. Hey, let's out "social justice" the "social justice folks" by outlasting them, out loving them and out producing them! That way, they can't complain about your Christianity! Maybe then, they'll even want to know more about this Jesus guy....
...encourage your folks to use their Bibles in worship. If you don't teach and encourage them to open up the Word in worship, they probably won't do it at home. Printing the scriptures on the screen, or in a bulletin, is certainly convenient for the eyes, but it doesn't empower folks to keep their fingers on the Word. Try this: put shorter scripture passages on the screen while still inviting everyone to at least look up your main preaching scripture. This way the folks are in the Word, but not spending too much time going back-and-forth finding passages and getting distracted from the over-all message. Don't worry about your visitors not knowing the Bible. Loving them as your celebrated guests over-comes any short-term embarrassment of not knowing the Bible. Maybe, just maybe, they WANT to join a church that celebrates Bible usage?!
...ask God for the courage to preach to current events--- locally, nationally and globally. I rarely (and by rarely I mean never) hear any preacher speak directly to their city's issues, or what's currently going on with race relations, ISIS or Hamas, Israel or Christians in Iran. Why is that? Is it because preachers don't know what to say, or they're afraid they'll come off as political? If so, work at making sure you're addressing the Gospel with a prayer life and a keen eye on the news with a biblical world view--- so you can stop sharing generic messages that have the spiritual punch of a butterfly!
...build messages around recognized cultural holidays. I'm not talking about the obvious ones like Christmas and Easter, but the odd cultural celebrations--- like Ground Hog's Day, Memorial Day or Labor Day. With Labor Day approaching, create your message around the theme of "Every Member is a Working Minister, and Labor is our Worship!" Encourage everyone to recognize they are, no matter their occupation, a minister of the Lord Jesus in the marketplace! I can already hear the testimonies coming from all over the place!
...begin preaching the announcements. In other words, instead of sharing at the beginning (or end) of your service all the "ministry things" people should sign-up for, or attend, connect your programs to the power and importance of the gospel by linking them to your message. It gives hands and feet to your theme for the day. Use "...for example..." a lot! Announcements are often boring and a waste of time...but build them into your message, and they become powerfully relevant!
...dare to invite folks to speak with you within the message. You will, however, have to patiently teach them the difference between interrupting and trying to gain immature attention--- and the sharing of a heart-felt response to your questions. By occasionally using dialogue over (or with) a monologue preaching style, you can help people better remember your message. They are now a part of the message--- moving them from audience to army mode!
...tie your message to any baptisms in worship and/or to Holy Communion. Neither sacrament are suppose to be a worship interruption, or separate from what your trying to share as a theme. This, however, is usually the case in a poorly constructed worship service. If you creatively flow baptism and communion into your message theme for the day, it breaks the religious feel from the service, and creates a relational atmosphere. Can I emphasize "be creative" enough?
...stop talking like you're afraid to offend someone. The cross IS offensive and that's why I believe so many preachers fail to mention sin and the need of a savior--- because they're afraid of man! If the cross is not shared as the saving tool of God, we turn Jesus into a simple community organizer. If a preacher can't lovingly share truth and grace together, then no one's life will be changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Aren't you tired of religious church services? Of course. The un-church need to see changed lives! We all do! So, be the leader of bold truth and bold grace! I believe people will follow someone who is boldly following Jesus.
...challenge yourself to use media in a savvy manner. Creatively (there's that word again) build video testimonies into your message so the two connect in harmony. Use video clips that complement what you're doing instead of interrupting. Don't cut and paste, but weave videos into the worship like a work of God-art! This requires more planning and prepping on your part, but so what!? It's worth it because God-art grabs people's hearts!
...ask yourself the following question in your preparation: "Did Jesus have to die so that I could preach this message?" If not, you're probably not preaching the gospel. If so, GREAT! The core is ready, now just be creative around it!
So friends....
...When preaching, seek to take on some, or all, of these coaching tips. I guarantee you'll start to feel better about your presentation of the gospel and the creative, effective equipping will begin!
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