When I was a youth pastor in my early 20s, a student approached me after I had just finished a sermon. With an amused smile on her face, she triumphantly informed me, “You said the word ‘like’ 47 times in that sermon!” And on her notes she had the tally marks to prove it. I was so embarrassed by this eighth grader’s keen attentiveness to my verbal tics that I successfully eliminated the word ‘like’ from my preaching thereafter.

Few things are more inspiring than listening to a preacher who can share from a vulnerable place.

On Friday night, a couple goes to a movie. Afterwards they analyze it—he liked its subtle character development; she thought the plot moved too slowly. The next day the same couple attends a college basketball game at their alma mater. They scream themselves silly for two hours, willing their team to a narrow victory. On Sunday morning, they go to church. During the sermon, how should they engage? As consumers/critics of a movie, or as active participants desperately trying to influence the outcome of a basketball game? As the Body of Christ, we recognize that the power of God’s word preached depends not just on the one who preaches. When we pray before and during the sermon, God uses our intercession to free up, call out, and bring to birth the event of the Word.

Our life together is founded on the truth of gospel, that God loves his creation so much that he actually lived among us in order to restore it. The Scriptures teach us that when we let that truth settle in us, love will pervade our community. John's third letter gives us a glimpse of what this love looks like. . . .

Every preacher has had the sinking feeling in their gut that what they have to share is uninspiring. Sometimes preachers think they are not witty enough, or fresh enough, or intellectual enough. They may feel alone in their endeavor . . .

Jesus’ gospel deals not only with personal salvation, but also with systemic issues of race and class. Saint Paul writes, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female—for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” We see and hear in the Old and New Testament God’s great heart for those at the margins, especially the poor. For the sake of preaching the whole counsel of God, please pray that our churches would become increasingly more aware of these disparities. . . .

No single invitation from Jesus is more intimate or astounding than that we are meant to seek and ask God for what we need. This is remarkable. The notion that the God of the universe is willing, able, and ready to listen and respond to us may be so familiar to us that we might fail to absorb what a stunning thing that is. God, the One who brought the universe into being, listens to us, cares about us, and answers our prayers. We urge you to practice this privilege! To realize it is not presumptuous to come boldly to God in prayer, it is rather God’s invitation. Seek God for the ministry of preaching, that the preacher and the people alike, might hear God’s Word and live it out in the world. Prayer and preaching are integral to one another and neither can be what it is meant to be without the other.

What are we praying for when we pray for preaching? And why should we do so?

MY MASTER GOD, I am desired to preach today, but go weak and needy to my task; Yet I long that people might be edified with divine truth, that an honest testimony might be borne for thee; Give me assistance in preaching and prayer, with heart uplifted for grace and unction.