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Lately I've been thinking about what makes a "great" preacher. The answer must necessarily
be subjective. After listening to hundreds of sermons by hundreds of preachers (some famous,
most not) in various settings for 45 years, I've come to some conclusions about "great"
sermons and "great" preachers. I remember when I was in high school getting up very early
one Easter Sunday morning and driving an hour and a half to a country church to hear a man
give a talk on the Resurrection. He took a little piece of paper and rolled it up to show us
what it was like for Christ to be wrapped up in the tomb. Simple, so simple, but it electrified
me and for the first time in my life, I was overwhelmed with the thought that Jesus had risen
from the dead. That man never went on to any great earthly fame, but I walked away changed
by his message. He was a great preacher to me.
Some years ago Keith Drury wrote a column about things he had learned from preachers he
had heard. When I read it recently, it started me down this line of thinking. As I ponder the
variety of preachers I've heard over the last 45 years, I see many differences in style,
technique and personality. But there are some commonalities. I pass them along for your
consideration.
What can we learn from listening to the best preachers?
1. They use humor effectively.
Humor is like salt. A little is good, too much spoils the soup. Great preachers know the
difference. Some preachers tell humorous stories to defuse tension. Others use puns and oneliners to get a point across. I've never a great sermon from a comedian in the pulpit, but I've
watched quite a few gifted preachers use natural humor to their advantage.
2. They live where you live.
This is hard to quantify, but it means something like, "That man understands my problems.
He knows what I'm going through." Sometimes this is done through references to current
events. Other times it is done by a personal illustration.
3. They have solid biblical content.
I don't necessarily mean that they do only verse-by-verse exposition. But if they take a
pressing question or a moral issue or a contemporary topic, the do their homework so you can
see the biblical basis of their message. They aren't preaching their opinion with a few verses
tacked on. Great preachers ground their messages in God's Word.
4. They understand the value of a good story.
Nothing wakes people up like these six words: "Let me tell you a story." John Stott said that a
good illustration opens a window in a sermon to let light shine on the truth. A story can be a
brief or long. But great preachers know when to use a story to help a congregation understand
and apply biblical truth.
This may mean they take a question and answer it, or they take a proposition and unfold it, or
they tell a story and apply it. However they do it, you can easily follow the message. When
they finish, you say, "Now I understand!"
13. They start quickly.
Rookies preachers often make the mistake of taking too long to get into their topic. The best
preachers tell you up front what they're talking about. They grab the congregation with the
very first sentence and never let go.
14. They preach for decision.
A sermon is not a lecture. The best preachers never end without bringing people face to face
with God in one way or another.
15. They land the plane on the first try.
When the time comes to end, great preachers don't circle the field or do a series of "touch and
go" landings. They land the plane on the first try.
What about you? What would you add to this list?