How many sermons have I preached? I would say…. a lot.

I have spoken for over 20 years. Some of them have been doozies, some have caused me to fall asleep…or perhaps more accurately be dissapointed.

It still amazes me at times that people will actually come, and listen, to what I may have to say. But then, it is a spiritual discipline, and really, people are coming hoping that they will hear God’s voice, not mine. That is when preaching is at its best, when the preacher, the congregation and the Holy Spirit are having a beautiful dance together. If only in our hearts and minds….

It is great to hear someone come back from a conference having heard from God. But as a preacher who preaches week in week out, I know there is a far weightier discipline for the local church Pastor. He basically preaches to the same people, week in, week out. Not every message can be one where you ‘hit it out the park’. A conference speaker brings their best message, their best stories, their keenest insight.

Its why I am determined to ‘change it up’ every twelve months or so. I consider my preaching, and seek to bring a different dimension, a different method, a different insight. I don’t want to be bored, and I certainly don’t want the people to be bored. It is the most important message in the  world, and to be boring is a terrible injustice to God’s word.

At Inglewood Church we are doing a monthly series on marriage. So in order to challenge myself I spoke on a confronting marriage from the bible, Jezebel and Ahab. What a couple! The sort of couple who would bring many ‘awkward’ moments to any dinner party with friends. But it went well, and I was challenged personally. Surely that is when you know your preaching is the best, when you feel it yourself.