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.
In an interview about a recently published book that Michael Keller wrote with his late father, Tim, Michael encouraged fellow pastors to not be so focused on what people are doing wrong that they forget to affirm what people are doing right.
So often, we can see what our people are doing wrong (Jesus seems to think that His followers are often very good at speck-spotting) but either not see what they’re doing right, or forget to affirm what they’re doing right. No matter how many ways your people might be falling short at living in the way of Jesus, they’re also doing some things right (at the very least, they’re worshipping with the gathered Body of Christ if they’re in your church pews).
I don’t know about you, but when someone affirms how I’m growing and how I’m living well, I’m much more willing to hear critique on the areas in which I’m not living well.
How can you affirm before you critique in your sermon this week?