Just thought I’d share some random reflections on preaching.

I used to study about 20-30 hours per message early on in ministry. I don’t study quite as much now. I’m reading strategically weeks in advance. But my sermon prep is usually closer to fifteen hours per week. I honestly think one hour of prayer is worth two hours of sermon prep.

I feel like I’m preaching a little bit more out of experience than out of study these days. This is going to sound heretical, but I think you can over-study. Sometimes I go into what I call the preaching forest and if I venture too far I can’t see the forest through the trees. I lose my perspective. I lose my point. My message can actually become muddled.

I’m more and more convinced that the best messages have one organizing metaphor. It is the law of scope–more is less and less is more. That is a huge challenge when I talk about chasing lions. I want to preach all 200 pages, but I really need to limit it to one dimension of lion chasing.

I think of it as the bed of nails principle. If you lay down on a bed of nails they won’t penetrate your skin because the pressure is diffused. That is what happens when we try to say too much. But one nail penetrates! That is why I believe in one-point preaching.

One more thought. I typically preach from a manuscript. The upside to a manuscript is that your words are measured. But it can come across as scripted. I think I’m continuing to grow in my sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Really trying to discern what the Spirit wants to say.

I always hope that what I say is timeless–based on the eternal truth. But I also want it to be timely–the right word at the right time. Nothing like someone coming up after a message with tears in their eyes saying, “That was for me.“

By the way, one of our staff members asked me today if I get nervous when I speak. All the time! I don’t get nervous at NCC, but I get serious butterflies everytime I speak someplace new. I think that nervousness keeps me relying on God.

One more thought. I still believe content is king. You’ve got to preach every sermon like it’s the last sermon you’ll ever preach!