Tag Archives: sermon preparation

Spurgeon on Spiritualizing

Have you ever been subjected to a sermon that was vulgar, perverted, or just plain unbiblical? Chances are, it was an example of bad spiritualizing. Today’s episode is about the chapter titled “On Spiritualizing” in Spurgeon’s book Lectures to My Students.  What is spiritualizing? It is applying a spiritual meaning to something – specifically for preachers, itContinue reading “Spurgeon on Spiritualizing”

The Minister as God’s Sword

Every craftsman must sharpen his tool so his labors will be effective, and every swordsman must whet his blade. This “sharpening” is the topic of the chapter titled “The Minister’s Self-Watch in Spurgeon’s book Lectures to My Students. Spurgeon said, “We are in a certain sense, our own tools, and therefore must keep ourselves in order.Continue reading “The Minister as God’s Sword”

On the Choice of a Text

There are over 31,000 verses in the Bible. How do you pick one for your sermon? Where do you start? For Spurgeon, the selection of the passage for the next sermon was a major part of sermon preparation. Indeed, it can be a herculean task – perhaps even more difficult than the actual writing ofContinue reading “On the Choice of a Text”

“What Should I Preach About?” – Spurgeon’s Answer

Today, I’ll discuss Spurgeon’s chapter titled “Sermons – Their Matter” by sharing the five lessons I learned that helped me become a better preacher. If you’ve ever done any preaching, you’ve probably had to wrestle with the basic question “What should I preach about?” By asking that I don’t mean, “What should my sermon topicContinue reading ““What Should I Preach About?” – Spurgeon’s Answer”

The Preacher’s Private Prayer

So begins Charles Spurgeon’s very convicting chapter titled “The Preacher’s Private Prayer” in his famous book Lectures to My Students. In this chapter, Spurgeon answers the question “how should a preacher pray in his own private prayer time?” His answer is simple: we should pray as ministers. Here’s what that means (four observations): First, It meansContinue reading “The Preacher’s Private Prayer”

Unbelievable Preaching

Few things are as dishonoring to Christ and His cause as boring sermons. Preaching should be heralding the riches of God’s glory, calling sinners to repentance, and edifying the saints. Instead, it is often the instrument by which God is portrayed as irrelevant, sinners are bored to tears, and the saints are afflicted with habitualContinue reading “Unbelievable Preaching”

The Easiest Way to Instantly Improve Your Preaching

The simplest way to improve your sermon delivery is to make eye contact with your audience. Some public speaking coaches will tell you to stare at the back wall to mitigate nervousness. Do not do this. It ruins your delivery.  Other preachers make the mistake of preaching at their pulpits with only the briefest ofContinue reading “The Easiest Way to Instantly Improve Your Preaching”

Public Places That Offer Solitude for Deep-Thinking

Cal Newport recently wrote about Simon Winchester’s writing barn. In his post, he discussed the benefits of location-boosted cognition, a term I think Newport may have coined. Location-boosted cognition is the idea that people who need to concentrate deeply should do so in places that lend themselves to deeply focused thinking. One commenter in theContinue reading “Public Places That Offer Solitude for Deep-Thinking”