There is one form of praise and criticism that is always present while a sermon is being delivered…body language. There are moments (for most preachers), when they know that they have everyone’s attention: all eyes are fixed; no extraneous activities; everyone is focused.… There is, however, a class of folks who voice their disapproval on a weekly basis with their eyes closed, arms folded, or by other expressions of their disregard.

Praise is powerful in more ways than we might think. There is the obvious encouragement that comes from sincere praise, the false inflation that comes from flattering praise, the insecurity that comes from faint praise, and the discouragement that comes from praise withheld. Actual criticism is another matter as it too can serve to help, hurt, or destroy. Motives do matter. Calvin Coolidge observed: “The political mind is the product of men in public life who have been twice spoiled. They have been spoiled with praise, and they have been spoiled with abuse.” This is a problem for all “public” men. Self-evaluation is never safe by itself, and the swirl of opinions that surround public men can leave them either over-inflated or discouraged; or worse, fluctuating between both. Sometimes it’s hard to know who to believe. Regardless, preachers need to work harder to present sound, interesting, and powerful sermons.

The issues here involve way more than the preacher and his sermons; they also involve the people who are receiving the messages. Their own hearts are always added to the mix. It’s possible to have ears and yet not hear, or to hear things that were not said. Was the sermon just for you, or was it intended for everyone but you? Was it overly pointed or right to the heart of the matter? Did you think it would never end, or were you disappointed that it stopped so soon? These are the kinds of responses preachers get, sometimes from the very same sermon. Both sensitive and insensitive souls are usually present. Some are generous with praise, while others are sparing; and, for some, it has apparently never crossed their mind.

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