Tip: How to Preach Like You’ve Already Been in Ministry for 20 Years
If there is one elective subject that I absolutely wish I could have enrolled to while still in seminary, it would probably have been a course on how to preach with the wisdom of a seasoned pastor who has been in ministry for a considerable amount of time. Unfortunately, my seminary did not offer a course like this. In fact, I know of no seminary or ministerial academy that does. The reason should be obvious: it’s not possible to impart experience in a teaching course. An experienced pastor may succeed in sharing some nuggets of truth wisdom, hard-won through years off faithful toil and hard work, but it won’t be the same as the actual experience itself. However, it is this long-drawn experience of devoted service to Christ and his Church that enables a seasoned pastor to preach effectively and wisely. There simply is no short-cut. As I write this, I am one who has just been in ministry for a little over a decade. I still have much to go. Much more pains and hardships and trials to endure, by God’s grace. But as I look back I can say that all the difficulties that I have had to face and to go through in my twelve years as a church planter and pastor have contributed to who I am today. And who I am today is hopefully just a little bit wiser and more 'effective' today than when I graduated from seminary in 2011. So, my tip for young preachers is this: keep striving to be faithful to Christ and to the ministry he has called you to. You cannot rush wisdom and age. As Paul exhorted Archippus, by way of the Colossians,
‘See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.’ (Colossians 4:17 ESV)
Take heart, with God’s help you’ll eventually get to a point, too, where you (and I!) will one day be able to preach like a seasoned pastor who has already been in ministry for two decades. But there’s no short-cut to this. We just have to keep plodding on, enduring all adversities, and striving to be faithful to our faithful and merciful Lord.
