A disclaimer: I am not anti-intellectual or anti-scholastic, but realize God uses all types of personalities and people. I am not trained in what is called homiletics in seminaries and, though it is considered a what I like to call a no-no to read a sermon, unless you can read like Jonathan Edwards or the Senate chaplain Peter Marshall, I have witnessed the Spirit's unction regardless--it is the Spirit doing the work, not us.
The prophetic preacher knows how to make the comfortable feel ill at ease, and the needy and poor in spirit to get the good news of encouragement. There is something for everyone: that's why Jesus said to feed His sheep and His lambs. We never get tired of the milk of the Word, though only the mature can handle the meat. The preacher never gets tired of repeating things because even Paul didn't. It is good to shock the sheep out of their comfort zone and so they are challenged by the message, and not be satisfied only in an academic manner.
Only upon mastering his theology and honing it to perfection, being immersed in the Word and prepared by prayer can he communicate effectively (with illustrations that make you identify with the sermon) what God has laid on his heart and deliver the goods, having a purpose in his preaching.
Preaching is more a thing of the spiritual health of the preacher and not his intellect, though God uses what intellect he has (we are to love God with our whole mind), it is necessary, but not sufficient. "Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" (1 Cor. 1:20). Paul learned on Mars Hill (Acts 17) that he was to proclaim the gospel and not debate it, that it wasn't an intellectual thing: He then resolved to know nothing (i.e., keep the main thing the main thing and not to major in the minors), but Christ and Christ crucified (cf. 1 Cor. 2:2).
To say: "You are a great speaker!" (George Whitefield was known for his oratory, but he had the Spirit too) is not really a compliment, unless one has the concurrent or simultaneous unction of the Holy Spirit. Discern whether he has the Spirit, not whether he is a brain, or worse yet, an intellectual parading his learning Some parishioners are impressed with their preacher's brains, not their relationship with Christ or their wisdom--they are to be men of God. If he wants to be known for his brains, he should really be a prof in a seminary.
There is a difference between being spoon-fed the facts in an encyclopedic or systematic way and listening to a Spirit-led sermon--Jesus didn't lecture (you may get a lot of info, but nothing practical to apply), but preached and taught because the sheep don't need a lecture but a Savior. If an unbeliever can do it, such as lecturing, it is not preaching. The preacher should be able to assert divine inspiration or illumination to be "led by the Spirit" to expound on a message as a "word from the Lord" (if he doesn't recognize the leading of the Spirit he has no business in the pulpit and should at least wonder if that is his gift).
They can get strong impressions and illuminations or even feel a burden they can't resist sharing. People want to hear what God has been speaking to you about, not just what the so-called scholars have to say (they may be good to cross-reference, mention in passing, or footnote though)--the better we know our Lord the better we will be able to preach, but learning to depend on the unction or anointing of the Spirit is paramount to good, sound preaching.
We should never attempt to preach in the flesh or without God's leading ("As many as are led by the Spirit are sons of Gods," which implies to be "filled with the Spirit"). The good preacher knows his audience, class, or congregation and where they are spiritual. He doesn't preach over their heads, nor try to "wow" them with his scholarship and appear pedantic. He may have to condescend or reach down to their level, but not be patronizing or insulting to them. It is always a fine line to walk and he is bound to offend some no matter what.
Some preachers never preach well enough to get rejected and just gather crowds not families, which are bodies of Christ. The aim is not to be popular but to speak in the name of the Lord. He cannot please them all and even Christ didn't go for quantity, but quality! Only a man of God can say, "I was led by the Lord to expound on so-and-so or such-and-such." This doesn't mean he had some mystical experience, but that he knows the Lord well enough to recognize His leading and impressions created to do something about a subject matter.
Being called a gentleman and a scholar is not a spiritual complement, because the Pharisees were scholars and knew what the famous revered rabbis had to say too. On the other hand, Jesus spoke like no other man to His day and didn't footnote, but dared to claim His own authority (He would indirectly quote by saying, "You have heard it said...")--He didn't say, "Thus says the Lord," but "I say unto you." He dared to be different and broke the mold, thus raising the bar for preaching and prophesying. His listeners should be eager to hear "a word from the Lord." If he has the gift, he may even prophesy during the sermon. In the last days, a word from the LORD will be rare: See Amos 8:11. Soli Deo Gloria!
The prophetic preacher knows how to make the comfortable feel ill at ease, and the needy and poor in spirit to get the good news of encouragement. There is something for everyone: that's why Jesus said to feed His sheep and His lambs. We never get tired of the milk of the Word, though only the mature can handle the meat. The preacher never gets tired of repeating things because even Paul didn't. It is good to shock the sheep out of their comfort zone and so they are challenged by the message, and not be satisfied only in an academic manner.
Only upon mastering his theology and honing it to perfection, being immersed in the Word and prepared by prayer can he communicate effectively (with illustrations that make you identify with the sermon) what God has laid on his heart and deliver the goods, having a purpose in his preaching.
Preaching is more a thing of the spiritual health of the preacher and not his intellect, though God uses what intellect he has (we are to love God with our whole mind), it is necessary, but not sufficient. "Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" (1 Cor. 1:20). Paul learned on Mars Hill (Acts 17) that he was to proclaim the gospel and not debate it, that it wasn't an intellectual thing: He then resolved to know nothing (i.e., keep the main thing the main thing and not to major in the minors), but Christ and Christ crucified (cf. 1 Cor. 2:2).
To say: "You are a great speaker!" (George Whitefield was known for his oratory, but he had the Spirit too) is not really a compliment, unless one has the concurrent or simultaneous unction of the Holy Spirit. Discern whether he has the Spirit, not whether he is a brain, or worse yet, an intellectual parading his learning Some parishioners are impressed with their preacher's brains, not their relationship with Christ or their wisdom--they are to be men of God. If he wants to be known for his brains, he should really be a prof in a seminary.
There is a difference between being spoon-fed the facts in an encyclopedic or systematic way and listening to a Spirit-led sermon--Jesus didn't lecture (you may get a lot of info, but nothing practical to apply), but preached and taught because the sheep don't need a lecture but a Savior. If an unbeliever can do it, such as lecturing, it is not preaching. The preacher should be able to assert divine inspiration or illumination to be "led by the Spirit" to expound on a message as a "word from the Lord" (if he doesn't recognize the leading of the Spirit he has no business in the pulpit and should at least wonder if that is his gift).
They can get strong impressions and illuminations or even feel a burden they can't resist sharing. People want to hear what God has been speaking to you about, not just what the so-called scholars have to say (they may be good to cross-reference, mention in passing, or footnote though)--the better we know our Lord the better we will be able to preach, but learning to depend on the unction or anointing of the Spirit is paramount to good, sound preaching.
We should never attempt to preach in the flesh or without God's leading ("As many as are led by the Spirit are sons of Gods," which implies to be "filled with the Spirit"). The good preacher knows his audience, class, or congregation and where they are spiritual. He doesn't preach over their heads, nor try to "wow" them with his scholarship and appear pedantic. He may have to condescend or reach down to their level, but not be patronizing or insulting to them. It is always a fine line to walk and he is bound to offend some no matter what.
Some preachers never preach well enough to get rejected and just gather crowds not families, which are bodies of Christ. The aim is not to be popular but to speak in the name of the Lord. He cannot please them all and even Christ didn't go for quantity, but quality! Only a man of God can say, "I was led by the Lord to expound on so-and-so or such-and-such." This doesn't mean he had some mystical experience, but that he knows the Lord well enough to recognize His leading and impressions created to do something about a subject matter.
Being called a gentleman and a scholar is not a spiritual complement, because the Pharisees were scholars and knew what the famous revered rabbis had to say too. On the other hand, Jesus spoke like no other man to His day and didn't footnote, but dared to claim His own authority (He would indirectly quote by saying, "You have heard it said...")--He didn't say, "Thus says the Lord," but "I say unto you." He dared to be different and broke the mold, thus raising the bar for preaching and prophesying. His listeners should be eager to hear "a word from the Lord." If he has the gift, he may even prophesy during the sermon. In the last days, a word from the LORD will be rare: See Amos 8:11. Soli Deo Gloria!