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.

Recently, my family and I went over to a friend’s house for dinner for the first time. As the front door was opened, my mouth immediately started to water. The smell of grilled chicken wafted through the entryway, inviting us inside. Freshly cut cucumbers and homemade naan were right behind, introducing us to the meal of the hour: Greek chicken bowls. In the dining room, each place was set with matching plate and bowl, accenting the decor of the room perfectly. Our gracious hosts offered us drinks, with eager boys filling the glasses. Before I took my first bite, my brain and tastebuds had already decided: this was a good meal. All because the table and the atmosphere had been set well.

We get to do the same thing with our churches and ministries every time we stand up to share the Word of God with them. People come to the table hungry, ready to be filled by something only God can provide. What would it look like to prepare them for the meal in a way that, when they finally sit down to feast, their mouths are already watering from what they’re about to receive? We do this by confidently opening our Bible to proclaim the Word (which we’ve practiced reading out loud at least a time or two), beginning our first words with intentionality (not “um,” “good morning,” or my personal downfall… “well”), and engaging introductions (more than a simple joke or unrelated story).

That’s not to say that God can’t use unappetizing starts to sermons; I think we serve a God that can overcome more than a fair share of shuffling papers and “ums.” But a confident, alluring setting of the table makes our congregants want to pull up a seat, tie their napkin around their neck, and pick up a fork to dig into the word that God has placed on our hearts.