In last week’s article, Can One Sermon Really Make A Difference?, I posed a question that had previously been asked of me. “Has a single sermon ever changed anyone’s life?”
I suggested that this question is faulty—that it’s intended to demean the value of preaching, and that, instead of asking “can you remember any sermons?” we’re better off asking “has a pastor ever blessed your life?” Or, even better, “what life-lessons do you carry with you today that were taught to you by everyday people who took the time to teach you, care for you, and be there for you?”
Since we tend to overestimate the potential effects of one sermon, but underestimate the potential effects of a year’s worth of sermons, here are eight steps to consider. The first five are for the preacher, the last three for the hearers.
Life-Transforming Sermons Are:
1. Biblically Sound
If you can’t start here, don’t bother.
A sermon is not a pep talk, a life hack, or a political screed. It should start and end with the biblical text, accurately studied and clearly presented. When we do that, the Bible itself promises that it will be life-transforming. (Psalm 119:105; Isaiah 55:11; Romans 10:17; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Timothy 4:2-5)
2. Preached With Integrity
No preacher (aside from Jesus) has ever fully lived up to the standards of the biblical text. But when we’re preaching one thing while doing the opposite, that gap will eventually come to light.
When a preacher shares from an honest heart, with actions that line up with their ideals, their example gives power to their words.
3. Heard Within The Context Of A Healthy Church Body
Disembodied preaching can feed the mind with knowledge, but it can’t transform a life.
I’ve gained a lot of knowledge from books and conferences through people I’ve never met. But sermons that are consistently delivered within the context of a local church body, are sowly, but surely life-transforming.
4. Tethered To The Original Context
Too much preaching starts and ends with the here-and-now. But the best, deepest, most life-transforming messages start with an understanding of then-and-there. What did the original author intend? In what context was it given? How did the original hearers receive it?
When we start there, we’re more likely to overcome our own cultural biases and hear it more clearly and truly.
5. Connected To Our Context
After understanding the original context, the universal principles from the passage need to be connected to the here-and-now. One of the reasons some pastors and congregation members bristle at going too deep into the text is that they’ve heard pastors and teachers who have done only that. If you’re not an avid history buff, you’re left high and dry.
After you’ve studying the text within its original context, tie its principles to the here-and-now by asking questions like “So what?” “How will this affect people’s day-to-day lives?” and “How can people apply this after they leave church today?”
Now, here is where the listener starts taking more responsibility than the speaker.
Life-Transformation Happens When We:
6. Live Them From Monday Through Saturday
We remember very little of what we hear or read. But the value jumps astronomically when we practice it.
It’s foolhardy to expect life transformation from a sermon that we don’t take notes on, think about, refer back to, or try to put into practice.
7. Hear The Message More Than Once (Or Twice, Or . . .)
There’s a reason advertisers repeat their slogans ad nauseum. And there’s a reason we have church services at least once a week. It’s the same reason your pastor repeats the same principles over and over.
Repetition is essential to memorization, habit-formation, and life-transformation. Small things repeated are far more powerful than waiting for a flash of inspiration.
8. Combine The Sermons With Other Spiritual Practices
Sermons are just one of the essential spiritual practices that produce life transformation. It’s folly to expect spiritual maturity from that, alone.
We need to read, study, pray, fellowship, and engage in ministry. Everyone will do that differently, but that’s where true life-transformation happens.
And when we do this, it’s amazing how much better the sermons get!
(Photo by Alex Holyoake | Flickr)
