I don’t know that I’ve ever processed this in words, but that is why I love blogging. Blogging helps me think through how I do what I do and why I do what I do.

Here’s a preaching principal.

When I talk on a tough topic that I know might send people on a guilt trip I try to focus on the future. I don’t want to bury people with guilt. Our messages can actually cause unintended consequences like defeatism if we aren’t careful. That’s what happens if we focus on the past. People just wallow in their past. So when I preach on a tough topic I try to remind our congregation that what you did yesterday isn’t nearly as important as what you do tomorrow!

For example, if you’re talking about sexual purity there is a danger of sending people on a long guilt trip. But that isn’t the goal. The goal is to help people reestablish godly sexual boundaries.

I’ve found that when I say I’m not as concerned about yesterday as I am about tomorrow, it’s like our congregation breathes as sigh of relief.

Keep it future-tense!

Isn’t that what Jesus did when he said: “Go and sin no more.”