One preacher said to a group of preachers who were visiting together, “I preach and teach the Bible as it should be taught, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book.”

I know his intentions were pure, but his statement was misguided. He mistook the method for the message. The unintended result is that people begin to equate the two. Then, people think that when you change the method, you are also changing the message.

Through the years, I have encountered numerous people who have come to hear me preach and check out our Church. Afterward, they will tell someone, occasionally me, that they enjoyed the program but wanted to attend a Church that did more “Bible teaching.” When I ask questions about this statement, they inevitably respond with, “We need someone who preaches straight through Bible books.” When they say that, they are mistaking the method and the message.

More than once, I have irritated a colleague who boasts about their style of preaching by saying, “Oh, you preach straight through Bible books, just like Jesus and Paul did.”

Then, I share this information with them. There is a sermon from Jesus in Luke 4 where he reads two Bible verses from Isaiah 61, and then he uses a story from the life of Elijah and one from the life of Elisha. It is a topical sermon about God’s grace to everyone. In Acts 17, Paul is in Athens, and he preaches using their own statues and philosophers before telling them about the resurrection of Jesus. We have zero examples of them taking a Bible book and walking through it page by page.

I firmly believe my sermons are full of well-thought-out and correctly interpreted Bible and theology. In fact, I spend hours reading, praying, and preparing for each sermon. I attempt to give strong Biblical sermons every week, but I rarely preach straight through a book in the Bible.

The issue is that the message remains consistent with the word of God and not how it is presented. The message is far more important than the method, and the moment we cannot differentiate the two, we are setting ourselves up for ungodly attachment to a particular style as being better.

The most essential part of any Church is preaching the Bible as truth that reveals God to us and Jesus as our resurrected savior. If the way we present it aligns with the Biblical story, the method doesn’t matter. In fact, the method will keep changing from generation to generation – and that is completely acceptable.

I was reading through the Bible and thinking about my role as a preacher and leader of my local congregation. I realize that if I do my job really well, then there will be little evidence that I was here.

My job is not only to teach people the Bible but I am also called to show them how to read it and understand it themselves.

My job is to love people by showing them Jesus so that they can then love Jesus and not me.

My job is to equip the people in my congregation so that they can do ministry with their gifts and abilities. I am not called to do ministry for them but to equip them.

My job is not only to make disciples but to raise up a generation of disciple-makers.

My job is to help people live like Jesus, and they will make good choices on their own in the future.

If I am leading a Church the way God desires, then I am totally dispensable. I am only here to help the people become all God wants them to be as a community and individuals.

Perhaps one mark of a truly great leader in the Church is that no one misses them after they are gone.

Whenever someone tells the followers of Jesus about a tragedy, one of the most common responses is, “They will be in my thoughts and prayers.” Whoever says that simply means that they will be thinking about the situation, and sometimes, they will pray to God.

Quite often, this is the best we can do. We cannot go to the people who experienced this painful event and offer counseling or do anything to help them improve their situation.

I do wish that these same people, like me, would have an alternate statement. I think there should be an equal response of, “They will be in my prayers and actions.” Whenever someone is close to the situation or whenever there is practical help that we can provide, then I hope we, as Christians, are doing it.

While there are nonbelievers who say that offering thoughts and prayers is a worthless gesture, I would suggest that prayers are valuable and that the only thing that helps no one is the thoughts. Combining prayers and actions is a winning combination. Ask God to do the miraculous while we handle the ordinary work.

The first attempt at any endeavor rarely goes exactly as planned. Expect challenges, unexpected complications, and moments of partial success. Achieving perfection on the first try is the exception, not the rule.

This is true even when we attempt things for God. Your first time doing any ministry will be filled with disappointment and frustration, but that does not mean you should quit. After the initial action, you will know how to make it better the second time. The next time, you will prepare better, pray more, and listen closely to others’ advice. These lessons transform initial struggles into stepping stones of growth.

Whenever someone shares a story of a ministry effort that didn’t go as planned, I find hope rather than discouragement. I know that each attempt brings wisdom and that the next effort will be better. Actual failure in ministry isn’t found in imperfect first attempts but in giving up entirely.

God values your willingness to serve more than your perceived ability. Growth happens through perseverance, learning, and continuous effort. Your availability matters more than your initial ability.

Instead of arguing for your viewpoint, what would happen if you leaned into other people’s questions and asked more questions? Make it your goal to see what is behind the question.

For example, a coworker asks you how God could let some tragedy happen. What if you responded by asking, in a calm voice, about their views?

Things like, “What leads you to believe God allowed this to happen?” Possibly, “Why do you think God is the one most responsible for this?” This will help you to determine their view of God, how he acts, and their view on evil. Perhaps you ask them where they learned that God is supposed to behave in specific ways. Who told them about God, and was it based on the Bible? Maybe ask if they have ever read the scriptures or what stories they know that would shape their views.

I am encountering a world filled with people who are more than willing to argue about anything at any time, especially about God. These discussions are often heated and produce little light on a topic. I believe these times call for Christians to ask more questions about other people than to jump to conclusions.

To be clear, I think Christians need answers to questions about their faith. Also, know that before you can answer issues correctly, you must be willing to ask penetrating questions to understand what others genuinely think.

Sometimes, the biggest hindrance to faith is not the correct answers but the lack of our ability to ask the right questions.

I have several books on my shelf that sit unread. There are three reasons for this.

First, I received a lot of books for free. People were cleaning out their libraries, finding them on sale, or giving them to me as a gift. Others were sent to me by individual writers or companies for me to read and recommend to my Church. They are unread because I never planned to read them in the first place. They are always at the bottom of my list, and only the occasional one makes it into my hands.

Second, I enjoy purchasing books that are recommended to me by a handful of people. These books are unread, but I plan to read them.

Third, I have books that I started reading, got a couple of chapters into, and quit. Quite often, they have a great beginning and lay out some premise. Then, over the chapters, they keep saying the same thing or never develop what they promised. If, after three or four chapters, I am not hooked on reading or am not learning anything new, I put it on the shelf and quit. Not everything deserves my time.

One mistake I see several Christians make is reading a book that has no value to their spiritual life. They are like chewing gum for the soul. I want you to know that it is okay to shelve those books and spend your time reading things that are beneficial to your journey with God. I hate that you and I both wasted our money, but don’t make it worse by wasting your time.

When Church websites first appeared, they were places for Churches to convey information to their people. They were a connecting point with videos, lesson material, and links to various things.

Now, most people who visit Church websites are guests who want to look in the front window of the Church to see what is going on inside. It is now estimated that people will watch at least one sermon and as many as three before they visit.

This means a couple of essential things for the Church if the trend keeps going this way. First, websites need to be geared toward people who have never been in the doors of your Church building. The information is for people who might plan to visit the Church gatherings for worship. Second, the people who visit the Church have already decided they like the sermons and everything they have seen so far. What they want to check out is the people.

It is this interesting paradox. The more effective that a digital ministry becomes, the more significant it is for the congregation to be genuinely welcoming on Sunday morning. A high-quality website leads to a greater need for a friendly environment at worship.

The guests who join us this Sunday often already have a good feeling about the Church. Now, they are coming to see if their in-person experience also creates good vibes. As a pastor, I have little control over that, and I need all of you to show everyone who attends what the people who follow Jesus are really like.

The ability to understand and identify with someone else’s struggles is a real gift. And perhaps the most extraordinary form of empathy comes when you can say, “I know what you are going through.”

As a Christian, diversifying your faith community is essential. While having a few close confidants matters, it’s equally important to welcome people of different ages, intellects, economic situations, genders, and life experiences into your circle.

You will be surprised by what other people have gone through and how they are able to offer you empathy as you walk through various seasons. You will also have the opportunity to share your compassion and sympathy with them.

Everyone eventually needs someone who will listen and provide comfort. God may have specifically placed certain people in your path, either to support you or for you to support them. Sometimes, the most comforting words you can offer are simply, “I understand your struggle and would love to help.”

Every small group experience in Church is unique and nearly impossible to replicate. What truly makes these gatherings special isn’t the curriculum but the people themselves – their diverse backgrounds, willingness to share, current life circumstances, and how conversations naturally unfold. Each meeting creates its own distinct dynamic, even with the same leader and materials.

The main thing that I want group leaders to know is to embrace this natural variation. Don’t feel pressured to cover every point in your guide or force discussions in predetermined directions. Instead, create space for authentic sharing and knowledge exchange while guiding with thoughtful, spiritually centered questions.

On the other hand, I want people who attend small groups to understand that each small group will differ significantly from their previous experiences. If you disliked a past group, don’t let that deter you; your next experience could be transformative. Likewise, if you had a fantastic previous group, approach new ones with open expectations rather than direct comparisons.

At our Church, we envision everyone participating in both weekly large gatherings and smaller groups throughout the week. While the latter often causes hesitation due to past negative experiences, I encourage you to try again. The next group you join might profoundly impact your life. You will never know what God might teach you through fellow believers unless you show up with an open heart and mind.

My temptation is to say, “I am proud of who I have become.”  I have become a mature Christian and have overcome all my shortcomings. Then, I might tell you about all the sins that are now in my past and explain how I no longer struggle with them.

That is simply not true.

I know that as a Pastor, I should have my spiritual life in perfect order and no longer struggle with sin. The fact is that I still have issues, make mistakes, and live outside of God’s will each day.

Am I a better person than I was a few years ago? Definitely yes. I try to walk closer to the Lord with every passing day. I am proud of who I am becoming. But I am not finished yet.

Just like you, even Christian leaders are a work in progress.