Pastor Mark Shumaker is a church planting missionary sent out of the Emmanuel Baptist Church of Belmont, Mississippi and serving with Macedonia World Baptist Missions. He is currently the pastor of Faith Baptist Church of Ralston, Nebraska. Brother Mark enjoys serving the Lord, and he has a tender spot for fellow preachers. This series of posts are straight from Pastor Shumaker’s heart to yours. Feel free to visit his CHURCH WEBSITE and BLOG!
Listed below are 25 Tips To Better Your Ministry
1. True preaching is running out of your ability and running into His. Any preaching, other than that, is a loud, boisterous Bible lesson.
2. It is God that moves on the heart of the preacher. Without that touch there will be no awakening!
3. Listen for the Holy Ghost to lead you in other ways than your outline, and be obedient to follow if need be.
4. If God has burned a message in your heart, then there is no need to find another message. If not, then be sensitive to the Holy Ghost.
5. God cannot make your heart sensitive unless your prayer life is in subordination.
6. You must trust God at ALL times. Without that trust you will never follow His leadership.
7. Put your trust in Him and never lean on your own thoughts or actions.
8. God cannot move, but upon what’s within. Know your Bible, so God can use you to preach the whole council of His Word.
9. God’s mind is on the preaching… so should the preacher’s mind be on the preaching, and not upon etiquette, or upon “great” Bible knowledge.
10. Talk with God enough that you will know it when he speaks to you.
11. If you do not soak your sermon in the Holy Ghost, then He will not speak to hearts through the Holy Ghost.
12. Knowing that you do not know how to preach is the first step in preaching.
13. With much years, comes much knowledge, but many times with many years, comes much pride. Allow God to humble your heart, and kill the pride.
14. Always be true with who you really are.
15. Never be afraid of offending someone. The love of a true God breathed Bible sermon will cover many (thought to be) offenses.
16. If you stop falling asleep in your prayer time, others will stop falling asleep during your preaching.
17. You must touch heaven with your prayers if you want God to touch hearts with your preaching.
18. If you are sincere and steady about learning God’s Word, then He will use what you know without you knowing it all.
19. Communion with God is essential! No fellowship, no fire!
20. Stubbornness and rebellion are born of the same nature. You can say you are not rebellious to God, but your stubbornness behind the pulpit shows differently.
21. We deceive our hearts about the sermon to preach, when we know our sermon was never born in prayer.
22. The reality of the message will not be clear, if the revelation of the message is not clear. Speak in a way that others can relate with, and be to the point.
23. The miracle of the message is more or less a direct result of the mirror of the man. A pure image before people conducts a confidence toward the message, and an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to work.
24. Failure is an option for those who fail to prepare, pray, or preach with passion.
25. You will never preach a message that you fully believe until it is birthed in your heart. After it is birthed in your heart, then and only then can it be delivered to the people.
Conclusion
These are valuable axioms for every preacher to consider. If this post was an encouragement to you, then please EMAILPastor Shumaker and let him know about it! Check back soon for more great thoughts from Pastor Mark Shumaker.
Would You Consider Purchasing…
 |
The Preacher and His Preaching |
By A.P. Gibbs / ECS Ministries
This present books brings Gibb’s encyclopedic knowledge of the subject within our reach. Gibb’s seriousness, thoroughness, energy, and urgency breath from this book. First entitled A Primer on Preaching, as Gibbs matured so his study of the sacred art of preaching grew. His final edition was completed just months before his sudden homecall in an auto accident enroute to Hamilton, Ontario, for a two week series of Gospel meetings.
