{"id":2444,"date":"2023-06-13T05:00:49","date_gmt":"2023-06-13T09:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/church-replanting\/?post_type=resource&p=2444"},"modified":"2023-06-12T12:08:22","modified_gmt":"2023-06-12T16:08:22","slug":"preaching-is-hard","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/church-replanting\/resource\/preaching-is-hard\/","title":{"rendered":"Preaching is Hard"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let me begin with an understatement: Preaching is hard. We love it, we\u2019re called to it, but every time we stand in the pulpit, we expose a little bit of our soul and stick our neck out.<\/p>\n

Preaching is hard.<\/p>\n

One of the many reasons preaching is challenging is the different kinds of ears receiving the message. I\u2019ve always found it amazing how the same message can affect individuals in the same congregation entirely differently.<\/p>\n

After a recent message, I received several pats on the back from members of the congregation who told me things like, \u201cMan, I really needed that,\u201d \u201cI love how you make the text come alive\u201d and \u201cThat was a real punch in the gut that I needed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then later, I received a text message outlining how I had disappointed someone with my \u201cnon-inspiring\u201d message.<\/p>\n

It was a reminder of a principle Jesus taught (though not about preaching) that if you live by the sword, you die by the sword.<\/p>\n

You see, preachers can\u2019t do what they do for the applause or they will quit doing what they do because of the criticism. You\u2019re always going to get both.<\/p>\n

We need never forget that both good and bad comments come from good and bad places. Sometimes when you hear something positive and affirming, it\u2019s because the message really served the purpose and they applied it well, but sometimes they\u2019re just positive because they love you.<\/p>\n

And, sometimes, someone is negative concerning the message because there was something in that message that probably should\u2019ve been left out or handled differently. But, sometimes, they\u2019re negative just because they\u2019re negative. Or maybe one line in the message soured them to everything else.<\/p>\n

You know how humans can be. You are one, right?<\/p>\n

Either way, I\u2019ve learned in 30 years of preaching that no matter what comes your way, don\u2019t get inflated by the compliments or deflated by the criticisms. Instead, make it a meal of campfire trout: Eat the fish and spit out the bones.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s always something to learn, even if the comment is overly gracious or absent of grace. Please take the opportunity and hear what needs to be heard, learn from it, then leave it behind!<\/p>\n

Let me give you our lives in a microcosm.<\/p>\n

In July 2022, because of multiple camps, all-church-staff gatherings and special events, I delivered 44 different messages. Here are some factual statements:<\/p>\n