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 and getting these tips sent to your inbox every week, sign up here.

I’ve been listening to episodes of Bob Goff’s podcast, Dream Big and in one episode from several years back (unfortunately, I can’t remember which one), an author was talking about how you want a book you’re writing to have both “mirrors” and “windows.” Mirrors help us look at ourselves accurately. Windows help us see out to places we aren’t.

I think our sermons need mirrors and windows too. Sermons need to help people see themselves accurately (mirrors). We need to help people see that they bear the image of God; that they are loved; that they have areas of their life they need God’s sanctifying grace. We create mirrors in many ways: telling people what’s true about them and sharing some of our own shortcomings, just to name a couple.

Sermons also need to help people see where they can go (windows). We need to help people see the life God is inviting them—and the world—to. We can do this through helping our people imagine what life would look like if they lived in the way of Jesus, telling stories of others who are living in the way we’re inviting folks to, and giving hope for a God-promised future.

In your sermons in the coming weeks, do you have a mixture of both mirrors and windows? How might you add one of each to your coming sermon?