Every week church communities gather to worship. Worship includes singing; the vocalizing of praise and gratefulness, the words spoken to tune that can be declaration of rich theology and truth. People have varied emotions about singing but for the people of God singing has always been significant, powerful and formational. Songs can put words into our mouths that remind our hearts of WHO we serve! Songs can lead us to new understandings of what the Lord might be doing in our world. The words of the songs matter, just as does the words of the “secular songs” to which we listen.
And then there is the preaching/teaching of the Word. Nearly every pastor will experience having done their best to prepare and then feeling the message has… “gone flat”, or lost the passion and cutting of the heart. What do we do then?
Preaching has to do with a number of factors. One is how prepared are the people to hear “the Word of the Lord?” Are they tired from a late night out? Could their minds be trapped in worry or fear? Is the fun day ahead of them now capturing their imagination and transporting them out of the sanctuary to the afternoon of play?
The message may seem flat and the preacher/teacher may not even be aware of it! The factor that may be the most captivating to the people is the lack of passion. Passion is important in the communication of God’s Word. Communicating with passion can stir “ears” so that people listening wonder why this leader is so passionate about the talk.
However, the key factor in the effectiveness of preaching and teaching is not the passion of the communicator but the depth of the Word, the power of the Word. The scriptures repeatedly remind us the Word has power to cut to the core of our being down to the very depths of our soul, the very thoughts hidden from everyone. The Word has power to make alive, to build up and tear down. The Word has its own power far beyond the effectiveness of the communicator!
Of course, the world evaluates more on passion than depth. But when a preacher/teacher sits in the Word and speaks the truth of the Word then that Word has power. And even when the Sunday comes – and it sure seems like the message is flat – the truth still stands – the Word has power far beyond the passion of the speaker.
So, take courage all of you who teach on Sundays, teach youth and kids, disciple in groups and are called to communicate the Word. Far beyond your wisdom and insight is the power of the Spirit to take the Word of the Lord and plant it deep into the souls of people and, over time, those people become different and new, people of the King!
When the message falls flat, never fear for the Word is always powerful, transformational, healing and directional. Teach and preach knowing that your passion may come and go but His Word will always remain! When the passion of the speaker dissipates over the hours and days the power of the Word will not!
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