Trying to show off your talent, skills, gifts, research (using Greek and Hebrew for show off). Never try to show people you are the best preacher around. You are the mouthpiece of God and preaching is by the grace of God.
- Using Christina words without explanation e.g sanctification, transubstantiation, regeneration, incarnation. Do not make an assumption people know what you want to say. We are here to hear the explanation and definition of terms.
- Imitation: A preacher should maintain originality. This is a challenge with many preachers who try to be a copycat of a certain preacher, apostle, prophet or bishop.
- Unnecessary obsession on the gifts demonstration at the expense of teaching of the Word. Power demonstration is done based on the Word of God.
- Misinterpretation of scripture and avoiding contextualization in the quest to propel a certain view or thought. Some form sermon points first then look for a text to match it. Never force your points or thoughts into a scripture.
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| Interpreting the Word |
- Emphasizing and defending a certain area at the expense of the whole Gospel.
- Preaching the other Gospel rather than the Word. Many preachers fail to preach from the Bible but are at liberty to present their philosophies and thoughts. Some just read a Scripture and preach something else. This is the start of being heretic disposition. The most painful one is when preachers have the audacity of not read the Word and continue to present a ‘sermon’. You would wonder where the sermon will be based on.
- Avoiding Jesus Christ in your message is called pulpit suicide or murder. There is also a tendency of developing oneself into a Messianic figure where people to look up to you rather than up to Christ. In this many preachers are worshipped instead of Christ. This is manifestation of pride where everything will start and end with ‘I’.
- Preaching people, themselves, events and places rather than the Gospel. Many preachers spend a lot of time criticizing other preachers, churches etc. In this the temptation will be to prove that their church, themselves or their founder is the best. When are we going to preach the Gospel and stop preaching people?
- Refusal to be corrected and coached. Many feel offended when they are told that’s not it.
- Trying to preach on your own power. Preaching from experience rather than from inspiration. People need to hear God through not you through you. There is also a tendency of trying to rely too much on commentaries, theologians and other preachers.
- Trying to preach too many points or more than one subject (or theme) in one sermon (spraying)
- Raising unnecessary hopes in the congregation. This is not faith. Don’t make people over-expect something you are not able to deliver. Testimonies are good but sometimes preachers overdo them and at times exaggerate in the quest to get attention of hearers and raise hopes in them.
- Not checking your facts before you preach (e.g statistics, scriptures, places). The other greatest challenge is exaggeration of statistics of gospel events e.g ‘When I was preaching the attendance was 15000 people’ when there were only 1500 or 40 blind people were restored their sight when nothing happened. This is gospelying.
- Feel good messages trying to preach what the congregation wants to here. It is strange that many want people to be excited and avoid rebuking the church. Don’t be overwhelmed by your own message when it doesn’t bring repentance in people.
- Rushing throughout the message with the hope to finish the message. This will bring congestion in your preaching. Some will chew the words and breath-over the sermon instead of preaching. Where are you rushing to?
- Preaching too long in the pretext of moving in the Holy Ghost move. A preacher needs to have great time management.
John Museredzo is a passionate teacher of the Word of God. Contact +263775127589
John Museredzo is a passionate teacher of the Word of God. Contact +263775127589
