When I'm on-site for a church consultation, I conduct interviews with a sampling of the members. I am often not at the church for a worship service and am frequently asked, "How can you consult our church and give recommendations for health and growth without hearing the preaching in a worship service?"

The answer is that I don't listen to the preaching, but about the preaching. I hear the preaching, but it comes through the ears, hearts, and lives of those I interview. These include the members, the youth, and the newcomers to the church. After all, it doesn't matter what I think about the preaching, because I'm not a candidate for membership at that church.

But what I hear is fascinating! It makes me wonder why more preachers don't take inventory, anonymously, more often. As an outside observer who has promised complete anonymity, it is interesting what people will tell me about life in the church!

Preaching in the Mix

I do hear a lot about preaching and worship services, in general, while interviewing during a church consultation. I recognize that there is more to quality and quantity church growth than just worship and preaching. Indeed, there are frequently many complex issues besides preaching. Yet preaching is an important part of the mix. It is important because it is often the most visible point in the church's life.

As I think about the relationship of preaching in those churches that I consider to be healthy in growth, a number of common characteristics come to mind.

Preach the purpose. Sometimes we take it for granted that people automatically understand the primary purpose of a church. But many do not! Lack of focus, vision, direction, and purpose seems to be rampant among American Christians. Frequently, when the clear purpose of making disciples is missing from the agenda of the members, it is also missing from the content of the preaching. It does not mean that every sermon has to deal with the Great Commission. It does mean, however, that Jesus' passion for the lost needs to be communicated on a fairly regular basis. It also needs to be translated to God's people so that they see their part in the Great Commission mission.

Maximize your gifts. I notice that pastors of growing churches tend to be fairly clear about the spiritual gifts they have and those gifts they are lacking. They tend to concentrate their ministry in areas where they are gifted. For your preaching, develop a style that utilizes your gifts best.

For example, if you have the gift of teaching, make your sermon more of a teaching/preaching type message. That might encourage you to preach in an expository style. It may lead you to provide an outline for people to follow or it may encourage you to use an overhead projector. If your gift is that of an encourager, make sure that whatever the message you're preaching, you include a focus on the encouragement aspects of that particular message. If your gifts are in the area of pastoral care and you are a relational-oriented preacher, it might encourage you to get away from the pulpit and get closer to people, allowing your relational gifts to shine through your preaching. Whatever your spiritual gifts, consider how organizing your preaching style and methods would capitalize best on the gifts you have.