I wish I could tell you that most pastors are preaching the Word. I can’t—some are not. Here are five things we may choose to do instead of preach the Word.

1. Entertain

“Music, drama, and video, felt needs, topics, more stories”

None of those things is wrong—unless they displace the preaching of the Word of God. Some teachers will tell you that you need to tell stories in your sermons or you will bore people. I’m not bored. If you’re not bored, no one is going to be bored. Can you take hold of the Word of God and take hold of a group of people and make them listen because you have something to say?

Are you bored? The greatest sin in ministry is to bore people with the Bible. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “Preaching is theology coming through a man who is on fire. A man who can speak about these things dispassionately has no right whatsoever to be in a pulpit; and should never be allowed to enter one.”

You have to get the Word of God, let it grip you heart by the power of the Holy Spirit, and drive over to church with something to say.

Now if a story fits in, I might tell you a story before I sit down, but don’t make that your thing. If people come up to you afterward and say, “I love that story you told,” it should make you crazy. Really, that’s what I am? I’m a storyteller? Christ’s gospel is the main story that you should be telling.

2. Share

“There are some things I just want to share with you today . . .”

Since when is the man of God some Dr. Phil and Oprah combo? You’re supposed to proclaim a message. If you’re not preaching, glory is not coming down. You have got to preach the glory down—people have to hear a word from God.

3. Woo

“Careful, careful, don’t offend, always comfortable, never pressured, just a pinch of truth, when they’re ready to handle it.”

4. Intellectualize

“I’ve been thinking and researching this in the original languages . . .”

5. Abbreviate

“Twenty-minute sermons”

Read More [Editor’s note: the original URL (link) referenced is no longer valid, so the link has been removed.]