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There’s a seeming notion that because it’s preaching, we don’t have to be as eloquent or as sharp or as polished, we just have to speak the “good ‘ole truth” of the Word. But why aren’t we as concerned with communicating eternal truths accurately when we’re so consumed with other speaking settings? Collin Coats and I discuss that topic and many more in this episode of Ministry Minded. We also discuss the importance of preaching and why it’s vital for the preacher to treat their sermon as a craft that must be continually improved.

You only learn the art of preaching by engaging in the practice of it, which is to say, your sermon delivery gets better the more you deliver sermons. But even so, somewhere along the line some pastors get too comfortable with their ability to prepare and deliver messages each week that they don’t take the time to hone their craft. They get complacent, almost robotic. And when sermon preparation is robotic, you’re in a precarious spot. Complacency in preaching should be avoided at all costs. To that end, preachers must approach their sermon as eager miners digging for gospel-truths, never relinquishing the pursuit of excellence in their craft. Accordingly, Collin has made this pursuit the focus of his ministry, The Craft, a service site that analyzes sermons in order to help preachers become more effective in sharing and expounding the truth of the gospel.

In this episode, Collin and I sit down and go in-depth on preaching and what makes for a compelling Christ-centered sermon. We also talk about the doctrine of distinguishing law and gospel and its significance for student ministries. If you’re serious about preaching and the craft of delivering sermons, I think you’ll find this show extremely beneficial.

Resources.

Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon, Bryan Chapell

Ordinary: Sustainable Faith in a Radical, Restless World, Michael Horton

Putting Amazing Back into Grace: Embracing the Heart of the Gospel, Michael Horton

The Reformed Pastor, Richard Baxter

Preaching and Preachers, Martyn Lloyd-Jones and Bryan Chapell

Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism, Tim Keller

Grace: So Much More Than You Know and So Much Better Than You Think, Brad J. Gray

Sponsor.

This episode is brought to you by the Christian Standard Bible. Find out more by going to CSBible.com.

Notes.

Collin resides in Waco, Texas, where he lives and serves with his wife at Redeemer Presbyterian Church. He’s the founder of The Craft, a site that’s focused on giving quality feedback and analysis to preachers to preach clearer and more compelling sermons with a redemptive-narrative approach. You can follow that project online through the blog and through @craftsermons on Twitter. Be sure and follow Collin on Twitter too, @collincoats.

Credits.

Intro music: “West Coast” by Ryan Little, licensed under CC BY 4.0.