Preacher's Block

This preaching tip was shared by Preacher’s Block co-founder, Hunter Bethea. If you’re interested in joining the most focused preachers in the world, sign up here.

This week’s preaching tip comes from a book I recently read, The 19: Questions to Kindle a Wesleyan Spirit by Carolyn Moore.

In response to John Wesley’s question, “Will you visit from house to house?” Bishop Moore says this, “Preachers who visit house to house will preach better, and those who are not preachers will be more effective witnesses to the gospel in their own way.” I have found that visiting people, whether in their homes, the hospital, or at a coffee shop, helps make my sermons more incarnational. I can ask myself, “How does this message give hope to Ms. Sue and others in a similar situation?” It also helps me avoid pitfalls, particularly the pitfall of saying something that can be misinterpreted because of a personal situation a parishioner is in. So don’t think of visits as taking away time from sermon prep; see them as an enhancement of your sermon.