Let us begin by stating the obvious. Some preachers are better at the task than others. Some are rather dry. Some have not been gifted with pleasing voices. Every preacher has a fault (or twelve) in his preparation or his delivery. As Raymond Kelcy used to say, “One of the proofs of the divine origin of the church is the preaching it has endured.” But that does not excuse the people in the pew from the responsibility to listen. And there are things that the non-preaching church member can do to improve the preaching.
Centuries ago, Thomas Watson, comparing the preacher to a tool being used by God, said, “Perhaps you complain the tool is dull, the minister is dead and cold. You should have sharpened him by your prayers.”
More recently (a mere 50 years ago) Jack Paul gave this advice to those who attended churches with poor preaching. He advised the bored listener to take a couple simple steps to improve the preaching.
1. Pick out something (anything) that the preacher did right and compliment him on it. (“I really liked the way you went up those steps into the pulpit.”)
2. After giving the compliment, tell the preacher, “I am going to invite all my friends next week. And I’ll be praying for you all week as well.”
Nothing is 100% effective. But that approach is very likely to succeed – especially if you really do pray and bring some friends with you that next week. There is a high probability that you will hear a better sermon that next week.
You may never preach a sermon. You may never read a book on preaching. But by praying for, and encouraging a preacher, you can help the preaching improve.
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