What we consider most important is often what we do least. The pastor is, above all, a preacher.
FREN· ← Back to the tool · the heart of ministry
Asked which area of ministry is most important, pastors overwhelmingly answer: preaching. Asked what takes most of their time, they answer just as clearly: administration. What we judge most important is what we do least. How tragic. Preaching is the pastor’s primary responsibility; nourishing the congregation through the Word comes before all else (1 Timothy 4:6).
“It is not the preacher’s job to convince or persuade. It is simply to relay God’s message to His people.” The preacher reminds people what Scripture says. He never uses sermon time only to entertain. And anyone who preaches the true Word deserves respect: God values all who do His work.
Rooted in the Bible. Scripture is neither decoration nor a mere springboard: it is the foundation, and that is where the power lies. God still speaks through His Word.
It helps people hear God. The preacher connects people with the voice of God. If the listener does not sense they are in God’s presence, the sermon has missed its aim.
It is easily understood. Some confuse complexity with depth; simple truths are the most profound. One idea, simply presented, to be received and applied.
It exalts Jesus Christ. Not every text is directly Christological, but every sermon should be.
“Good preaching integrates the person and presence of God with the person and presence of the preacher.” There lies the mystery: God and man work together. Hence the good pastor’s rule — much prayer before even opening the Word.
Preaching can be taught and improved with practice. “Either quit preaching or take the time to do it right.” A good preacher carries a clear vision, communicates forcefully, and reaches each person — down to the one at the back who thinks himself too flawed to hope.
The pastor is a preacher: he cannot flee the pulpit. Guest speakers are the exception, not the rule; he does not sit idle while others do his work. Flee the gimmicks, festivals and fads that replace the Word. Remember the prophets of old: when God sent Jonah, it was to carry a message, not to occupy a platform.