It is rare that I ever shout or yell during a sermon. Recently, I made an off-the-cuff funny comment during my first sermon and then tried to replicate it during our second program, but people told me that I came off as “angry” instead of funny. It broke my heart that people thought I was mad.

Then, last week, I preached on a topic that was highly emotional to me. I was completely into the sermon, and some people misunderstood my passion and excitement for anger.

Some preachers thrive on shouting at their congregations. Their faces get red, the volume is high, and their words are critical every week. Church members feel like the preacher has not done his job unless people “get their toes stepped on.”

This reminds me that there is more than one way to preach. Just like there is more than one instrument in a band, there must be a multitude of voices speaking for Jesus, with each one striking a different note. Some preachers are bass drums, always loud and dominant, while others are rhythm guitars, helping people stay on time week after week. Some speakers are specialized, like a hammer dulcimer, and others are quiet, like the woodwind section. Every preacher has a place in the kingdom of God.

My fear has always been that people will think of the way I speak as the norm for Christian behavior. If I am angry, then people believe that following Jesus is about being upset all the time and confronting everything of which we disapprove. The congregation will think that loud and aggressive is the way the followers of Jesus act in every situation. Even worse, people may come to view God as angry and judgmental as well.

I want people to value the Bible, solid exegesis and interpretation, relatable illustrations, and practical application. I want people to think the Bible is for them, and they are able to do it and understand it without me. I hope they will see that every passage has some point of application, and the goal is to call people to Christian living.

Some preachers may be angry and shout all the time, but I hope no one views me that way. I dream that people will forget me altogether when the sermon is done and say, “I know the God of the Bible better because I was in Church this Sunday.”