How Then Should We Listen?

I recently heard a well-known pastor who was speaking to a large group of seminary students, make the following comment, “No one will remember what you preach.  What they will remember is, were you there when they needed you.”  What a discouraging thing to say to young men who are preparing themselves for a lifetime of ministry.  A pastor’s ministry is not limited to preaching of course, but a pastor’s ministry will never become more than what he does with God’s pulpit.  No amount of Monday through Saturday ministry can replace the importance of the Sunday sermon.  That being said, I do understand that you will not remember everything that I preach.  I don’t expect you to remember everything.  What I do hope for is that you are intently listening to sermons with “biblical ears”.  What does that mean?  Here are my thoughts.

Pray.  Include the Sunday sermon in your prayers each day during the week.

Read.  We’ve been in John for a long time.  You can read the sermon text in advance.  If we’re not in John on a particular Sunday, I try to announce the sermon text on Facebook in advance.

Come Expecting.  Come to church on Sunday with an expectation that the sermon will be beneficial for you to hear.

Take Notes.  This doesn’t mean that you outline the sermon with grammatical precision.  It means that you have pen and paper and simply write down anything that sounds particularly important or impactful to you.  Writing it down will help you remember it, and you’ll have it with you to think about later.  (Taking notes also helps you stay awake.  Ahem.)

That One Thing.  Look for that one thing from the sermon that is fresh and exciting about God’s word – something new, difficult, or even confusing.  Write it down.  And of course there can be more than one thing.

Unpack It.  Call or text someone within a couple of days of the sermon and spend some time talking about what ‘That One Thing’ was for you.

Pray Again.  Create a bookend of prayer around each of our worship services.  Ask God to sear ‘that one thing’ into your memory so that His truth soaks in and becomes a part of you.

Fundamentally, biblically faithful preaching is not a word about God, it is a word from God.  It is certainly not a new word from God, but it is the proclamation, explanation, and application of God’s eternal truth, as reveal in His word.  And there is nothing more important in your life than understanding and applying God’s word.  Additionally, please never hesitate to ask me to better explain something which I said from the pulpit.  I would like nothing more than another swing if I missed the ball the first time around.  Call, text, or stop by the church office for a visit any time.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com