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.

As preachers, we can fall into two different ditches on either side of the road. One ditch is the Ditch of Expertise. The other is the Ditch of Ignorance.

As preachers, we should preach sermons that are planned, researched, and thoughtful. (As a side note, I don’t know that I’ve ever preached a sermon as planned, researched, or thoughtful as I’d hope, but the goal here isn’t perfection, just aiming in those directions.) My guess is that—because you’re a part of this thing called Preacher’s Block—you believe in that goal too. The problem, though, is that sometimes we can come off as “spiritual experts,” as if we have it all figured out and have all our questions answered.

The problem with this is that our people can internalize this lie from Satan: “God doesn’t welcome questions. To be spiritually mature, you have to have it all figured out.” This can distance your people from you as their pastor and from God. It can make them feel shame and quiet the very real questions they have about life, faith, and God.

Instead, what would it look like for you to pull back the curtain and let people know that sometimes, you don’t have it figured out? What would it look like to point them, not to answers, but to the One who is The Answer? What would it look like for you to be the spiritual leader who doesn’t have it figured out but who brings their wonderings to God?

Maybe we’d embody a real faith that our people can seek to live out.

Next week, we’ll talk about the ditch on the other side of the road: the Ditch of Ignorance.