Sermon Preparation Begins With Spiritual Formation
by Safiyah Fosua
One day, a woman stopped me to ask a question: "Can anyone learn to preach, or are some people just spiritually gifted?" The questions that arose in my heart from her innocent but provocative question continue to haunt me. When is a sermon or a preacher good? Can indeed anyone preach an effective message?
Sermon preparation begins with spiritual formation. An important aspect of spiritual formation is coming to terms with the human condition. The Bible whispers that we are all human, and we are all subject to human foibles — yet it counters that grim pronouncement with the good news that we may be redeemed and reformed by the power and grace of God. Preaching then becomes the act of sharing those fresh revelations, like a herald with a message too hot to hold. Consider the following suggestions:
- Approach the text with empty hands and an open heart. Leave your previous ideas about the text behind. Let the text speak to you first. Later, consult commentaries, lexicons, and other resources.
- Let formation precede information. What about this text speaks to human need? What builds character? What increases faith? What brings hope?
- Approach the text prayerfully. Both the preacher and the congregation have spiritual needs. God may use the text to speak to your personal needs as well as those of the congregation.
- Approach the text with humility. Think of the people in your congregation and the best ways to help them truly hear what you have just heard. The message comes from God; you are the messenger.
When is a sermon "good" and what makes a preacher effective? For most people, relevance and authenticity win over sermon delivery skills. They respect the words of a person who regularly struggles with the text and emerges from the encounter with a word that he or she believes has come from God. The eloquence of the sermon is not nearly as important as the relevance of the message and the sincerity of the messenger. My answer to the original question: though some are indeed gifted in preaching, any Christian who takes spiritual formation seriously can preach an effective sermon.
Dr. Safiyah Fosua is the Director of Invitational Preaching at the General Board of Discipleship, Nashville, Tennessee.