Sunday is Not a Surprise: How to Actually Prepare Your Sermon

Some years ago, I had an encounter with a fellow preacher who, after listening to one of my sermons, came up to me with an earnest look in his eyes. "Pastor," he said, "I was truly moved by the Holy Spirit through your sermon. It was powerful, but I also noticed how structured and organized it was. How do you prepare for your messages?"

I smiled, eager to share my insights on the process. But before I could get to the crux of my prep-process, he leaned in and, with a slightly defensive tone, said, "Well, I personally don’t do much preparation. I trust the Holy Spirit to reveal to me on Sunday morning what I should say."

At that moment, I had two conflicting thoughts. The first was a humble, pastoral response: “Ah, my dear brother, we all rely on the Spirit’s leading.” The second, less holy thought that crossed my mind was, “Bro, this looks to me like a spiritual-sounding excuse for lack of preparation.” Of course, I didn’t say that out loud. But think about it, if we truly trusted the Holy Spirit, wouldn't we trust Him during the preparation process just as much as we trust Him in the pulpit? After all, the same Holy Spirit who speaks to us while we preach is also willing to guide us as we study!

For the record, this wasn’t the first time I had heard this reasoning. Over the years, I’ve had multiple conversations with pastors who share the same sentiment. Many sincerely believe that preparing a sermon in detail might somehow "stifle" the Holy Spirit. They speak as if sermon prep and Spirit-led preaching are bitter rivals, locked in an eternal struggle. But this is a false dichotomy! It’s not an "either-or"; it’s a "both-and. 

Think of it this way: Imagine ordering an Uber, and just as you're about to hop in, the driver turns to you and asks, “For this journey, which wheels do you prefer, the front tires or the back ones?" The obvious answer? "Brother, please, I need all four! Otherwise, we’re not going anywhere."

Likewise, preaching is not a choice between preparation or Spirit-dependence. It requires both. To neglect either is to hinder the work of God.

HOLY GHOST + HARD WORK: WHY SERMON PREPARATION MATTERS

Scripture consistently shows us that God’s work is done with both divine dependence and human diligence. 

• Paul’s Life: In 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul exhorts Timothy, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." Notice he didn’t say, "Just wait until Sunday morning and let it flow." He calls for effort, study, and rightly handling the Word.

• Ezra’s Dedication: In Ezra 7:10, the Bible says, "For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach His statutes and rules in Israel." Ezra didn’t wing it, he studied the Scriptures diligently before teaching them.

• Jesus’ Example: Jesus Himself, though filled with the Holy Spirit, constantly referenced Scripture in His preaching (Luke 4:17-21). From His childhood, He was found in the temple "listening and asking questions" (Luke 2:46), demonstrating a pattern of deep study.

God’s servants, whether prophets, kings, apostles or pastors, were never called to wing it or show up unprepared in ministry. They prepared, studied, and were diligent in their tasks. So why should preaching be any different?

For those who might be tempted to quote Jesus’ words in Luke 12:11-12, where He tells His disciples not to worry about what to say because "the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say," let’s be clear: Jesus was referring to moments of persecution, not Sunday morning sermons that you knew were coming all week! If you had the luxury of time to prepare but still show up with nothing, that’s not faith, that’s negligence.

And yet, this casual approach to preaching is just one of many challenges facing the Nigerian church today.

MOTIVATIONAL SPEECHES OR THE GOSPEL? THE CRISIS IN NIGERIAN PREACHING

Now, an honest assessment of preaching in Nigerian churches reveals some sobering realities. While Nigeria has been blessed at various times with powerful preachers who faithfully proclaim the Word, we must also confront the pressing concerns and significant challenges that many pulpits face today.

• Emotion Without Depth:

Many sermons in our churches today are designed to stir emotions rather than transform lives. While preaching should engage the heart, it should not sacrifice theological depth for mere excitement. Some preachers have become more like motivational speakers than heralds of the gospel, as a result, people leave feeling "blessed" but not necessarily built up in the Word.  

• Twisting Scripture for Personal Opinions:

Too many preachers today use one verse as a launching pad for personal opinions, rather than carefully explaining what the passage actually teaches. Misinterpretation is rampant, leading to shallow or outright false doctrines. Example: Jeremiah 29:11 ("For I know the plans I have for you…") is often misused to promise prosperity, ignoring that it was written to Israelites in exile, teaching them about God’s faithfulness in suffering rather than a guaranteed escape from hardship.

• Overemphasis on Prosperity and Breakthrough Messages:

It is undeniable that God blesses His people, but in many Nigerian pulpits today, the true gospel of Christ has been replaced with the gospel of financial breakthrough. Sermons focus on material prosperity, success, and miracles while neglecting core biblical themes such as sin, repentance, holiness, and the cost of discipleship. Instead of being shaped by Scripture, many believers have been conditioned to see faith as a financial transaction; give to God so He can give to you. The cross is rarely mentioned; Christ is often presented as a means to success rather than the Savior who redeems us from sin. But true biblical preaching must proclaim Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2), not just promises of wealth and promotion.

• The "Rhema Over Logos" Mentality:

There is a another growing trend where preachers prioritize "personal revelations" (rhema) over the written Word of God (logos). While the Holy Spirit speaks to believers, any claimed revelation must be tested by Scripture (1 John 4:1). Unfortunately, some preachers have weaponized "God told me…" as an excuse for spiritual manipulation. Have you heard something like this before? "God told me that everyone here must sow a prophetic seed of N100,000 for a special breakthrough!" This mentality has led to spiritual abuse, where pastors claim divine authority that cannot be questioned. The danger? Congregants become more loyal to a pastor’s words than to the Bible itself. True preaching does not elevate the preacher’s voice over God’s Word; it anchors people in Scripture and helps them discern truth from error (Acts 17:11).

• The Rise of Personality-Driven Churches:

In some churches, the pastor has become the brand. The focus is no longer on the message but on the man. Instead of worshipping Christ, many congregations idolize their pastor, his words carry more authority than Scripture, and his image is more prominent than the cross. This unhealthy celebrity culture in the pulpit leads to spiritual manipulation, control, and a departure from Christ-centered preaching. A church should never be built around the charisma of one man, but on the unshakable foundation of God's Word (1 Corinthians 3:11).

Preaching is not a side hustle; it is a high and holy calling. James 3:1 warns, "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness." This means that pastors who take the pulpit lightly or erroneously are putting themselves in spiritual danger!

The church in Nigeria desperately needs preachers who will proclaim the full counsel of God, preachers who will balance the anointing of the Spirit with the discipline of study.

PREACHING WITH PURPOSE: HOW PASTORS DECIDE WHAT TO TEACH

Now that we have established why preaching is a sacred duty, let’s move on to a crucial question: How do pastors decide what to preach? Let’s explore six biblical principles and practical wisdom for sermon selection.

1. Start with Prayer and the Holy Spirit’s Guidance

The first and most important step in choosing what to preach is seeking God in prayer. The apostles understood this clearly when they devoted themselves to “prayer and the ministry of the Word” (Acts 6:4). Jesus Himself set the example, He often withdrew to pray before ministering to the people (Mark 1:35-39).

A pastor must never assume he knows what the people need simply based on experience, intellect, or trends. The Holy Spirit is the one who truly knows the spiritual condition of a congregation, and He alone convicts, guides, and speaks (John 16:13).

Practical Steps:

• Pray daily for God’s direction on what to preach.

• Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit: He may impress a specific passage or burden on your heart.

• Combine prayer with study: As you immerse yourself in Scripture, God will illuminate messages He wants you to deliver.

2. Preach What You Are Personally Learning in the Word

Before feeding others, you must be fed yourself. A preacher should not only study the Bible for sermon preparation but for personal growth. Many great sermons are born from what God is teaching the preacher personally. If a passage has deeply impacted you, chances are it will also impact your congregation.

This is known as the topical/textual approach, where the preacher selects a biblical topic or theme based on what they have been studying. This method allows for relevant, Spirit-led messages without neglecting proper exegesis (rightly dividing the Word).

Questions to Consider:

• What passage has convicted or encouraged you in your own quiet time?

• What truths has God been impressing on your heart lately?

• Is there a biblical topic (e.g., faith, spiritual warfare, stewardship) that you sense God leading you to explore?

However, personal study alone should not be the sole determinant of what you preach. A shepherd must also discern the needs of the flock.

3. Consider the Spiritual Needs of Your Congregation

A wise pastor is like a good chef, he doesn’t serve the same meal every week. He discerns what his flock needs and prepares a well-balanced spiritual diet.

Every congregation has unique struggles, questions, and seasons. A young church may need foundational teaching on salvation and discipleship. A struggling church may need encouragement and hope. A thriving church may need to be more generous. A congregation dealing with division may need messages on unity and forgiveness.

Ways to Discern Your Congregation’s Needs:

• Observe patterns in counselling and discipleship. Are people struggling with fear? Anxiety? Marriage?

• Listen to what members are saying, both their spoken concerns and unspoken struggles.

• Consider past messages. Have you preached enough on the Gospel? Holiness? Stewardship? Relationships?

• Be aware of cultural and societal issues. What is happening in the nation that the church needs a biblical perspective on?

4. Teach Through Books of the Bible (Expository Preaching)

One of the most powerful ways to preach is by teaching through an entire book of the Bible (expository preaching). This approach ensures biblical balance, you don’t just pick and choose favourite topics but allow Scripture to speak in its full context. It also protects against personal bias, ensuring the congregation hears all of God’s counsel (Acts 20:27).

Benefits of Preaching Through Books of the Bible:

• It provides depth: People gain a fuller understanding of Scripture rather than hearing random, disconnected messages.

• It builds biblical literacy: Members learn how to read and interpret Scripture in context.

• It helps avoid favouritism: It forces the preacher to address challenging topics that might otherwise be avoided.

For example, a pastor may preach through:

• The book of Romans to teach foundational doctrine.

• The book of James for practical Christian living.

• The Gospels to focus on the life and teachings of Christ.

5. Be Strategic in Planning a Preaching Calendar

Effective preaching is not just reactive; it is intentional. While the Holy Spirit may lead you week by week, it is also wise to plan sermons in advance. This doesn’t mean rigidly sticking to a script, but having a general roadmap of where God is leading your church.

Key Questions to Consider in Sermon Planning:

• What have you already preached? Avoid repeating the same messages too frequently.

• Are you balancing the Old and New Testament? Have you preached from the Psalms, Prophets, Epistles, and Gospels?

• Are you covering essential doctrines? (Salvation, holiness, grace, faith, spiritual warfare, etc.)

• Are there upcoming seasons to prepare for? (Easter, Christmas, national events, etc.)

• Is there a season when couples tend to have more babies in your church, or more weddings (perhaps leverage those seasons to preach on parenting and relationships).

 6. “Borrowing” Sermons (When and How to Do It Right)

There may be occasions when another preacher’s sermon deeply impacts you, and you feel led to share it with your congregation. That’s fine. However, this should not be a regular habit.

If you feel compelled to preach another minister’s sermon:

• Ask for permission first, if possible.

• Give FULL credit to the original preacher.

• Ensure it aligns with your congregation’s needs.

• Do not depend solely on borrowed sermons. A pastor should have his own walk with God from which to flow preaching insights.

Choosing what to preach is a sacred responsibility. James 3:1 reminds us that teachers of God’s Word will be judged more strictly, because their words shape lives, influence hearts, and impact eternity. For this reason, a pastor must not take this responsibility lightly. Sermons should not be selected based on convenience, trends, or crowd-pleasing topics. They should be prayerfully discerned, biblically grounded, and Spirit-led.

THE 3-STEP APPROACH TO PREPARING YOUR SERMON

Once a pastor has settled on what to preach, the next challenge is how to structure the message. And this is where the brain sometimes malfunctions. Either it goes into overdrive, flooding you with so many ideas that you feel like you’re trying to drink from a fire hydrant, or it completely shuts down, leaving you staring at your Bible like a student facing an unexpected exam question.

This is why having a systematic approach to studying the Bible is critical. Sermon preparation isn’t about throwing random thoughts together like a pot of jollof rice and hoping something good comes out. It’s about building a solid foundation before ever stepping into the pulpit. Think of this stage as assembling the skeleton of the sermon—the framework that will later be fleshed out with depth, application, and delivery. And yes, this process should happen long before Sunday morning, not while the choir is singing the last stanza of the worship song!

To ensure your sermon is biblically sound, structured, and engaging, here’s a practical three-step method for studying the Bible effectively: Observation, Interpretation, and Application.

STEP 1: OBSERVATION – WHAT DOES THE PASSAGE SAY?

Before you start interpreting or applying a passage, slow down and actually see what it says, not what you think it says, not what you hope it says, and definitely not what you want it to say to make your sermon easier!

One of the biggest mistakes preachers make is rushing to application before fully understanding the passage in its historical, cultural, and literary context. It’s like trying to cook a meal without first checking the recipe, you might get lucky, but chances are, you’ll end up with a theological disaster. 

Think of yourself as a spiritual detective investigating the text. Your job is to gather evidence, not force conclusions. This is where you put on your investigative glasses and ask the right questions:

• Who is speaking or writing, and to whom?

• What is being said? Are there commands, promises, warnings, or prophecies?

• When was this written? What was happening historically at the time?

• Where is this taking place? Is geography significant?

• Why is this being written? What issue is being addressed?

• How does the author develop his argument or narrative?

At this stage, you are not making conclusions or jumping to deep revelations. You are simply observing. You wouldn’t walk into a crime scene and start telling the police what you think happened without looking at the evidence first. Likewise, don’t approach the Bible with assumptions, let the text speak for itself!

As you read, take note of repeated words, contrasts, patterns, and key themes. Does the author emphasize a particular idea? Are there literary devices like metaphors, parallelism, or irony?

For Example: “Touch Not the Lord’s Anointed” (Psalm 105:15). Many preachers and church leaders quote Psalm 105:15 (“Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm.”) to silence criticism or prevent accountability in leadership. The phrase is often misused to suggest that pastors, prophets, or church leaders are above correction and should never be questioned.

However, a careful observation of the passage in context shows that this verse is not about shielding leaders from critique. It refers to how God protected the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) and the people of Israel during their early wanderings. The “anointed ones” in this passage were the nation of Israel, not individual preachers in modern churches. Furthermore, Scripture is clear that leaders are accountable and should be held to high moral and doctrinal standards. Paul openly rebuked Peter (Galatians 2:11-14), and the Bereans were praised for examining Paul’s teachings against Scripture (Acts 17:11).

This verse does not mean pastors or prophets are beyond correction. True spiritual leadership embraces accountability and upholds the integrity of the Word. A preacher who misuses Scripture to avoid accountability is not “anointed”, he is abusing his position.

Scripture must always be read in context. A verse without its context is often a pretext for error. If possible, read the entire chapter or book before zooming in on a specific passage. For deeper study, use Bible tools like commentaries, cross-references, and word studies. Websites like BibleGateway.com and BlueLetterBible.org offer great resources.

STEP 2: INTERPRETATION – WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Now that you’ve gathered the evidence, it’s time to interpret it correctly. This is where many preachers get into trouble. Some treat the Bible like a spiritual horoscope, twisting verses to fit whatever they want to say. Others treat it like a fortune cookie, pulling out random lines without any context. But as a faithful preacher, your job is not to make the Bible say what you want, it’s to let the Bible speak for itself.

So how do you do that? Here are three key principles of sound interpretation:

1. Theological Interpretation: What Does This Reveal About God?

Before you start asking, “What does this mean for me?”, first ask, “What does this passage reveal about God?” The Bible is first and foremost about God, not about us. Many pastors are quick to turn every sermon into "Five Steps to Your Breakthrough", but if your interpretation does not start with God, it will always be man-centered instead of Christ-centered.

For example, Psalm 23 is not just about getting through hard times, it is primarily about who God is as our Shepherd. The story of David and Goliath is not about slaying your personal giants, it is about God’s power to deliver His people through His chosen servant.

Always ask:

• What does this passage reveal about God’s character?

• What does it show about His plans or His ways?

• How does it fit into God’s big picture from Genesis to Revelation?

2. Scripture Interprets Scripture: Let the Bible Explain Itself

The best way to interpret the Bible is with the Bible. No verse stands alone. If one verse confuses you, cross-reference it with other passages. For example, if you're preaching about faith, don’t build your entire theology from just one verse. Compare multiple Scriptures - Romans 3:28, Hebrews 11, James 2, so that you don’t accidentally preach half a truth.

Also, if your interpretation contradicts the overall message of Scripture, you’re wrong, not the Bible. If you have to twist a verse like a wet towel to squeeze out meaning, step back and check if you’re forcing the text to say something it doesn’t.

Bonus Tip: Different Bible translations can be your friend. If a passage seems difficult, compare it in KJV, ESV, and NIV. Sometimes, a clearer translation can save you from preaching accidental heresy!

3. Avoid Common Interpretation Errors

Here are some quick but dangerous mistakes many pastors make:

• Taking verses out of context: If a promise was meant for Israel, don’t claim it for your personal bank account! (Looking at you, Jeremiah 29:11 preachers.)

• Forcing a personal meaning onto the text:  It is called exegesis (drawing truth from the text), not eisegesis (forcing your own ideas into it). Don’t read yourself into every story.

• Ignoring historical and cultural background: If Jesus talks about a mustard seed, don’t assume He’s talking about Nigerian agriculture. Understand the setting!

• Basing doctrine on one obscure verse: If your entire theology hangs on a single, unclear passage, be very afraid. The whole counsel of God matters.

At the end of the day, interpretation is about faithfulness. A pastor who rightly handles the Word will not just preach a message that sounds good but one that is true to what God actually said. And that, my friend, is what real power in preaching looks like.

STEP 3: APPLICATION – HOW DOES THIS APPLY?

Congratulations! You’ve done the hard work of observing what the passage says and interpreting what it means. But if you stop there, you’ve only done Bible trivia, not preaching. The goal of a sermon is not just to inform but to transform. A sermon without application is like a doctor diagnosing an illness but never prescribing treatment, what’s the point?

Consider these three levels of Application:

1. Person Reflection: How Does This Shape My Own Walk with God?

Before you step into the pulpit to "fix" your congregation, make sure the passage has first worked on you. The preacher is not a spiritual referee blowing the whistle on everyone else’s sins, he is the first one under the authority of God’s Word.

• Ask yourself: Does this passage expose sin in my own life? Does it challenge me to grow? Am I just preaching theory, or am I living what I preach?

• If your sermon calls people to trust God, but you panic about your own life daily, something is off. If you preach about forgiveness but still have beef with the church treasurer, let’s fix that first!

2. Practical Living: What Should My Listeners Do?

A good sermon doesn’t just inspire people, it moves them to action. If people walk away saying, "Wow, that was deep!", but have no idea how to live it out, you’ve missed the mark.

•  Every passage demands a response. Ask the church:

• How does this passage change how you live?

• What does this mean for how you treat your spouses, raise your children, work, serve, or deal with conflict?

• Is there a command to obey? A sin to repent from? A promise to hold on to?

•  Be specific. Instead of saying, “We need to trust God more,” say, “This week, when you feel anxious about finances, instead of worrying, pray and meditate on Matthew 6:25-34.”

• Avoid vague, motivational-speech applications like, "Go and be your best self!" No sir, we’re called to die to self, not be our best self.

3. Gospel-Centered Focus: How Does This Point to Christ?

Every passage, whether from Genesis or Revelation, ultimately connects to Jesus Christ (Luke 24:27). If your sermon sounds like it could be preached in a mosque or a TED Talk, you’ve missed the gospel.

• Don’t just give moral lessons: “Dare to be a Daniel!” or “Be strong like David!” No, Daniel and David were pointing to Christ, not to you becoming a Bible superhero.

• Help your congregation see how the passage fits into the larger redemptive story, how Jesus fulfills the promises, resolves the tensions, and answers the longings of Scripture.

• End each sermon with a clear call to respond, whether through repentance, faith, or obedience.

Semon applications are the bridge between the text and real life. Without it, your sermon is just a well-organized speech. But when you apply Scripture faithfully, practically, and Christ-centeredly, you equip people to not just hear the Word but do it (James 1:22).

DELIVERING THE SERMON: PREACHING WITH POWER AND CLARITY

Here are two key elements that will bring your sermon to life:

• Use Visual Illustrations: Make Truth Stick

Jesus didn’t just tell people truth, He showed them. He engaged the senses to drive home His message, using objects, actions, and everyday experiences to make His teaching unforgettable. In the same way, a well-placed object lesson or illustration can help your listeners see what you are saying. Think about it, if you were preaching about Jesus feeding the 5,000, imagine setting up a small table on stage with a few loaves of bread and dried fish. Suddenly, the story isn’t just words—it’s visual, tangible, and real. It sticks.

Here are a few other simple yet powerful visual illustrations Nigerian pastors can use:

• Preaching on the power of the Gospel? Bring in a bright lamp and gradually turn it down as you talk about spiritual darkness, then switch it back on when you read John 8:12: “I am the light of the world.”

• Teaching about faith the size of a mustard seed? Instead of just quoting Matthew 17:20, hold up an actual mustard seed and compare it to something huge, so people see how something so small can have massive impact.

• Explaining spiritual armour? Find a Nigerian soldier’s uniform or a local security guard’s gear to illustrate Ephesians 6:11-17. Instead of just saying “the shield of faith,” hold up an actual shield!

• Talking about God’s refining fire? Show a piece of dirty gold and explain how it has to go through fire before it shines—just like God refines us in trials (1 Peter 1:7).

But let’s be clear: Illustrations should serve the message, not become the message. We are not called to turn Sunday sermons into a stage play or a comedy show. Some pastors have taken this to an extreme, like the one who brought an AK-47 to the pulpit (to illustrate what, exactly? We may never know).

Is It Wrong to Use Visuals? Before someone claims that using props or visual aids is a sin, let’s remember: Jesus did it first!

• When calling Peter and Andrew, He pointed to their fishing nets: “I will make you fishers of men”(Matthew 4:19).

• When teaching about humility, He placed a child in front of them and said, “Unless you become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 18:3).

• When speaking with the Samaritan woman, He used water as a metaphor: “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst” (John 4:14).

• After feeding the 5,000, He used that miracle to declare, “I am the Bread of Life” (John 6:35).

So, ask yourself as you prepare your sermon:

• Can I use an object, a demonstration, or a prop to reinforce my message?

• How can I help my audience visualize the truth I’m preaching?

The truth is, while our sermons should never be about entertainment, we live in a highly visual culture where people are conditioned to engage with content not just through words, but through images, stories, and experiences. The more you can speak to both their minds and their emotions, the more engaging and impactful your preaching will be.

• Tell Compelling Stories: Connect the Message to the Heart

Jesus loved storytelling. He used parables to illustrate deep truths in a simple way. People might forget bullet points, but they will remember a good story.

Examples of Jesus’ storytelling:

• The Good Samaritan taught the true meaning of loving your neighbour (Luke 10:25-37).

• The Rich Man and Lazarus warned about the dangers of ignoring eternity (Luke 16:19-31).

• The Persistent Widow showed the power of unwavering prayer (Luke 18:1-8).

A great story has the power to engage emotions, bring Scripture to life, and create lasting impact. When preparing your sermon, ask:

• Is there a real-life story (personal experience, testimony, or historical event) that reinforces my message? Is there a great Christian leader, or a figure in history, or even a movie character whose story would really resonate with people?

• Can I illustrate my point through a parable or analogy that my audience will relate to?

Stories bridge the gap between head knowledge and heart transformation. They draw people in and help them see how God’s truth applies to their daily lives.

• Preach With Passion: Awaken Souls

There’s a story of a preacher who, in the middle of his sermon, glanced at the congregation and noticed an elderly gentleman deep asleep under his eloquent sermon (or so he thought). Not wanting to embarrass the man, the preacher turned to the gentleman’s wife sitting beside him and whispered, "My sister, please wake your husband up so he can receive the Lord’s word." The wife, who was clearly also on the verge of dozing off, responded without missing a beat: "Wake him up yourself, you’re the one who put him to sleep!"

Now, pastor, I certainly hope this never happens to you! But let’s be honest, some sermons are so dry, so lifeless, and so monotone that staying awake feels like a spiritual battle in itself. If people are fighting sleep instead of fighting sin, then something has gone wrong.

That’s why passion matters in preaching. Listen, I certainly hope as a pastor, you’re passionate about your calling, because that passion should overflow in your preaching.

If you’ve ever been to a Nigerian market, you’ve probably met traders who are so convinced that their product will change your life that they don’t even ask if you want it. They just go: "Oga, na im be dis! I get your size!" That’s passion! If a shirt-seller in Agege can be so enthusiastic about selling button-up shirts, then surely, the eternal truth of the gospel deserves even more conviction from you.

• Your body language matters: Don’t preach like a statue. Use your hands, your face, and your posture to reinforce your message.

• Your tone matters: If you sound like you’re reading from a legal document, don’t expect your congregation to be engaged.

• Your eye contact matters: Look at people. Let them see the urgency and joy in your eyes.

• Your energy matters: Not "loud for loud sake," but let your voice reflect the importance of what you’re saying.

Oh, and if you’re feeling a strong sense of pushback on this point, let me just be honest: You’re probably a boring preacher. Sorry, but not sorry.

And yet, for all the passion, humour, and energy that goes into preaching, there is a sobering truth we must never forget. 

THE WEIGHT OF THE PULPIT: PREACHING WITH ETERNITY IN VIEW

Many times, after I’ve preached, a young man has come up to me, eyes filled with admiration, saying, "Pastor, I want to preach like you someday!" I smile, knowing that his desire is noble. After all, to shepherd God’s people and proclaim His Word is a high calling. But what he sees is the nodding heads, the laughter at the well-placed jokes, the "Amens" and "Preach, Pastor!" ringing through the sanctuary, and the handshakes and encouragements afterward.

What he does not see, what many do not consider, are the words of James 3:1: "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness." 

Brothers, let this sink in: You and I will be held to a higher standard of judgment when we stand before Christ’s throne. On that day, Jesus will not be grading our preaching on a curve, nor will He be handing out participation trophies. There will be no applause, no likes, no shares, only the unfiltered, piercing gaze of the One who called us to rightly handle His Word. And in that moment, we may realize just how serious this calling has always been.

Certainly, none of us will be perfect on that day. But perhaps, perhaps, we can at least stand before our Lord with the confidence that we did all due diligence, that we laboured in the Word, studied with discipline, preached with integrity, and never treated the pulpit as a stage for performance, but as a sacred desk from which God's truth was faithfully declared.

Someday, you and I will meet again, not at a pastor’s conference, not at a leadership retreat, but on the streets of heaven, after our preaching has been judged by the One who matters most. In that conversation, may we rejoice, not in how well we entertained, not in how many people shouted "fire," but in knowing that Jesus Himself celebrated and commended us for preaching His Word in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2), for feeding His sheep with truth, for standing before His people as approved workmen who did not need to be ashamed, because we rightly handled the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

May we preach now, so that we do not stand in regret then.

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