Pointers for young preachers
Peter Mead recently offered a set of helpful hints. Preachers of all ages will, I think, find them thought-provoking. I have cast them somewhat into my own words:-
- Know God, not just about God.
- Let your ministry be defined by the Bible and its priorities, and not by your own (or others’) pet issues.
- Point to Christ, not yourself.
- Learn how to get and use helpful feedback (and learn what to do with indiscriminate praise and nasty criticism).
- Don’t let your ability to speak well get ahead of biblical and theological awareness.
- Don’t allow your ministerial responsibilities get ahead of your character.
- Be strategic, but not self-promotional.
- Read wisely (go for quality rather than quantity; widely rather than narrowly; selectively rather than indiscriminately).
- Don’t try to go it alone. You need people around who will support you, pray for you, counsel you.
- Spend time with God. Technical ability and theological insight count for nothing if the preacher has not meaningful relationship with God.