Response:

Question 1: Was your training in homiletics adequate?

Yes, I believe my training was sufficient in almost all areas. I was taught reliance on God, and a good methodology for organizing and delivering messages, although I do not use that method today. We also had to learn to preach without notes, and although I use notes today, it certainly helped me to learn not to be dependent on them.

Question 2: What areas could you have used more help in?

We were not taught to have a lot of fire in the pulpit. Our homiletics professor was not very "enthusiastic" when he preached. His content was excellent, but you had to work at it to get it! I learned to be dynamic through hearing other men preach. Also, though we were clearly taught to "Preach the Word", we were not pushed to really exegete the Scriptures for our preaching points. It was not until I started working on my doctorate, and sat under another man's teaching, that I really grasped the importance of expounding the Scriptures when you preach, and not just grabbing a text and then preaching whatever you want to.

Question 3: What is the most important area in sermon preparation?

First of all, the preacher needs to be in a right relationship with God. Second, the passage should speak to the preacher first. My best messages have not been ones that I found in a book, or came up with just because I had to preach something, but rather the ones that God challenged me with from my personal study of the Word. Third, it is vital to find out exactly what the Bible is saying, (which means studying!) then take your preaching points from the text, and then deliver the message of that passage of Scripture to the people. I have heard messages that were doctrinally correct, yet had nothing to do with the text from which they were preached. The observant listener can figure out that the text isn't saying what the pastor is saying, and this weakens not only that particular message, but the doctrinal position as a whole, the authority of the Scripture, and the preacher's credibility. Finally, prepare to preach towards a decision. Every time I preach I want there to be something in the message that might lead someone to make some sort of decision. When doing a Bible study, don't just impart facts. Take the facts, and make an application. Facts without application doesn't help the listener. Application without facts denies the power of the Word of God. Then, when you get up to preach, preach like what you have to say matters, and like you desperately want the listeners to get it.

Hope this gives you some thoughts.

Thanks.

By Dr Mark Montgomery Ambassador Baptist Church 1926 Babcock Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 15209 (412)477-3210