Status Updates From Pastoral Theology: The Past...

The fact cannot be concealed from the people when their pastor is habitually negligent in his preparation. They will see it, and feel it, even though they may never glance inside the study. They will perceive in the crudeness of his discourses, and in the repetition of the same thoughts, scripture quotations, stories and illustrations month after month. Many minister should to this as the cause of their unpopularity

To see a man preaching as a mere thing of rote is a very sad sight. There is nothing more heartless or repulsive. It is scarcely possible for such preaching to do any good or not to disgust. But when the preacher keeps his own case before him then he must be interested and consequently interest others. He is not patronizing, but enters with them into all their troubles for sin and into all their joys for deliverance.

“The heart which is elevated by communion with Christ will show itself on the countenance and in daily conversations with others. Hence, whatever character we would bear with our fellow men we must attain to in the depths of our own hearts. Whatever standing we would maintain before the world we must first reach in our secret devotion with God.”