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What's a Christian to do if they are just not getting much out of their preacher's sermons? In some cases, it may be helpful to share this loving concern with one's pastor. If you choose to do this, provide a few specific examples to help your shepherd understand more specifically where you are coming from. Do this with humility and bathe everything in prayer (Prov. 3:5-6). Having said that, before setting up such a meeting you should acknowledge that the difficulties your experiencing may reside as much in your own heart/mind, or in your own unrealistic and/or unbiblical expectations, as it does in the human mouthpiece of the Word (note 1 Peter 4:10-11). One must evaluate each situation on a case by case basis. Of course in many real world situations the matter is both/and rather than either/or.
Biblical humility should temper your criticisms with the honest acknowledgement that your pastor has invested 4-8 years of his life via bible college and seminary and to countless hours preparing weekly expositions. I remind myself of this very principle when walking into a medical clinic. Before informing my doctor that "I don't think he's doing his job right and needs to do this or that" I realize that the few hours I spent on Web M.D. does not make me a "subject matter expert" in medicine. That's not to say we should never question a doctor. Some medical professionals are really poor in what they do and we would be foolish to not get a second opinion (or to find another doctor all together).
In this vein, if your preacher has not received received adequate ministry training he may need to "go back to school" before assuming such a huge responsibility as is feeding the flock of Christ (see John 21). Note Clint Archer's helpful article on "should men go to seminary before leading the church of Christ.".
Having said that, those in the pew should be humble enough to listen to their pastor's thoughts knowing that he's likely spent hundreds of hours reading books on expository preaching, has invested thousands of hours listening to classroom lectures on theology, hermeneutics, counseling, Scripture, and homiletics, and probably benefits from many of the same well known preachers that you do. What Christian doesn't love the preaching ministries of Alistair Begg, Steve Lawson, and John MacArthur?
Biblical humility should temper your criticisms with the honest acknowledgement that your pastor has invested 4-8 years of his life via bible college and seminary and to countless hours preparing weekly expositions. I remind myself of this very principle when walking into a medical clinic. Before informing my doctor that "I don't think he's doing his job right and needs to do this or that" I realize that the few hours I spent on Web M.D. does not make me a "subject matter expert" in medicine. That's not to say we should never question a doctor. Some medical professionals are really poor in what they do and we would be foolish to not get a second opinion (or to find another doctor all together).
In this vein, if your preacher has not received received adequate ministry training he may need to "go back to school" before assuming such a huge responsibility as is feeding the flock of Christ (see John 21). Note Clint Archer's helpful article on "should men go to seminary before leading the church of Christ.".
Having said that, those in the pew should be humble enough to listen to their pastor's thoughts knowing that he's likely spent hundreds of hours reading books on expository preaching, has invested thousands of hours listening to classroom lectures on theology, hermeneutics, counseling, Scripture, and homiletics, and probably benefits from many of the same well known preachers that you do. What Christian doesn't love the preaching ministries of Alistair Begg, Steve Lawson, and John MacArthur?
On this note, one of the present dangers of the internet and the proliferation of "celebrity pastors" is that some Christians expect their local church preacher to sound just like you fill in the blank; not realizing that God does not give "five talents" to every servant (Matt. 25:14-30) and has given each individual a unique personality/style. If your preacher does not herald the Word as well as John MacArthur (join the camp), this does not mean that this brother has not been called to the ministry. All believers are expected to be faithful stewards of the talents that have been sovereignly dispensed on them by the Lord of the Church (see 1 Cor. 12-14; 1 Pet. 4:10-11; 1 Tim. 3:1f). In this same vein, if you expect your praise leader(s) to sing like Matt Boswell or Chris Tomlin, or to write arrangements like Fernando Ortega or Bob Kauflin, you are setting yourself up for being a church member who is never content. Be biblically realistic and remind yourself that the power ultimately resides in the Word of God not in the heralds of His Word!
For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:4-9)
If your preaching pastor's sermons are not consistently "true to the main point of text" then you may need to help him understand the 2 Timothy 2:15 mandate. The approved WORKMAN is not ashamed who handles accurately the Word of truth. If habitual laziness is the root cause of this you simply need to find a different Word-centered local church because a lazy preacher is a contradiction of terms (note carefully 2 Tim. 2; Col. 1:29). If your preacher spends more time on the golf course then in his private study he is failing his ministry calling (see also 2 Timothy 4:1-5). Be careful in your judgment however as "laziness" may not be the root cause behind your pastor's sloppy exegesis (it could be many things).
If the church you're apart of has unrealistic ministry expectations for the "preaching pastor" then you need to encourage your fellow members and lay leaders to flesh out the practical implications of Acts 6:1-4, Ephesians 4:12-16, and 1 Peter 5:1-4. Acts 6 says that elders are to "devote themselves" to two primary ministry duties: prayer and the ministry of the Word. If a congregation does not provide their preacher with undistracted times to pray and study they should not expect to be well feed. Fifty years later and John MacArthur still spends 15-20 hours a week in order to be ready to feed his flock each Sunday. If the lay leadership of the church expects the Sr. Pastor to take care of all the counseling, visitation, and discipleship needs of a church they have adopted an unbiblical church government model. "Shared leadership/shepherding" is clearly assumed in passages of Scriptures like 1 Peter 5:1-4 and 1 Timothy 5:17-18. Suffice it to say, their may be root causes other than laziness beyond your preacher's less than stellar sermons.
If after many years/decades of listening to the same shepherd (which is a blessing) you feel like your minister has become a bit stale with tired familiarity you might consider asking your lay leaders to approach your shepherd about a ministry sabbatical. Continued education is another valid option. Today the Master's Seminary offers a first rate Doctorate in expository preaching designed for the vocational pastor/missionary. This is a wonderful program that is tailor made to help preacher's refine their spiritual gift for the Body of Christ and the glory of God.
Keep in mind that not many seminaries today teach their students how to preach well; The Expositor's Seminary and the Master''s Seminary are two of the finest training centers when it comes to mentoring shepherd-preachers. It should also be noted that some theologians are better authors then they are pastor-preachers and it may take a few (long) years of regular pulpit ministry for them to discern this. Think Jerry Bridges. Some church leaders are more gifted in administration or in discipleship. One of the special duties of the Spirit-filled church is to help affirm areas of giftedness and ministry readiness. Pastor's should also disciple men and help them determine whether or not they are truly called to preach and/or pursue seminary/ministry (see 2 Tim. 2:1-2).
Another detail to consider has to do with church attendance. I am amazed how devoted American evangelicals are to their favorite television series- be it Blue Bloods, or Masterpiece Theater, or _____. Imagine if your friend only watched episode 2, 4, and 7 of 18 episodes of a series you love and then told you that they thought the show was "highly overrated." "It's not very connected and does not make a lot of sense." You would surely encourage him to start with episode one and watch for a few weeks in a row before making such a dogmatic assertion. Now granted this is not the best illustration but I think you get the point. One of the most effective ways to preach the Word of God accurately is to do so, verse by verse, (as to understand the context of the passage). Sequential preaching works best when the preacher and hearer are on the same page. Almost every Word-centered church today has a CD ministry and an online sermon library. We should be as committed to catch up on any sermons we may have missed as we are of DVR'ing our favorite television programs. Sermons with substantial doctrinal and theological instruction often require a few fly overs before the truth settles in.
If you are not getting a lot out of your preacher's sermons it may be him but it could also be you.
This series will be continued....
PERSONAL NOTE: I am very blessed to feed a flock that is full of 1 Peter 2:2 (hungry) Christians. A mark of spiritual health of any believer is that they long for the Word of God like a newborn infant craves the milk of it's mother. Sadly, many expositors preach to congregations who prefer messages akin to the Daily Bread (aka the Daily Crouton).
If you are not getting a lot out of your preacher's sermons it may be him but it could also be you.
This series will be continued....
PERSONAL NOTE: I am very blessed to feed a flock that is full of 1 Peter 2:2 (hungry) Christians. A mark of spiritual health of any believer is that they long for the Word of God like a newborn infant craves the milk of it's mother. Sadly, many expositors preach to congregations who prefer messages akin to the Daily Bread (aka the Daily Crouton).
