I knew from the beginning that I was not like them, nor could I ever be like them

I have not been reading a book on preaching annually for some time. I cannot remember when I stopped. I suppose it must have been during the time of my burnout. Anyway, I can no longer remember when I first started this annual practice.

I was passionate about preaching. It was my calling, my love, my pursuit. I wanted to be the best preacher that I can be. I knew I could never be as good as others, but I wanted to improve, to hone my craft, to develop the gift God has given me.

I loved the preaching of Reinhart Bonkke. It fired me up. It filled me with amen and amen. I loved his profound simplicity. Everyone could clearly understand his message. Although simple to grasp, it had profound insights that energised me.

I laughed when Paul Yonggi Cho preached about his failures and victories. Straight away, I could relate to what he preached, and by the end of his message, my tired arms and weary legs were strengthened, and I found myself encouraged with the hope that things would get better.

The gentle yet anointed verse-by-verse teaching of Brian Bailey had a way of holding my attention. I took copious notes of his Bible teaching and took them seriously. I diligently referred to them and incorporated many of his practical applications into my life. The truths had spiritual power, and they changed me.

However, I knew from the beginning that I was not like them, nor could I ever be like them. I could only be myself, seeking to improve by God’s anointing, diligent study, application, and teaching of God’s word. The verse that guided my ministry in the formative years was this: “For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel” (Ezra 7:10 NIV).

Therefore, for many years, I read and studied the scriptures to seek their wisdom, apply it to my daily life and ministry. Out of the insights gained from this spiritual discipline, I taught the word of God in a way people could relate to and identify with.

As I wanted to be my best preaching self, I studied the craft of preaching. Unfortunately, I had no sermon mentor to turn to. My mentors were authors of books, mostly pastors, preachers, and professors of homiletics. I read many books about preaching from the library of Trinity Theological College, as well as the books I had bought. On average, I believe I read about two or three books a year for a good thirty years. I read them to look for insights and ideas that I could apply in my preaching. I reflected on what worked and what did not. This helped me grow in the craft.

Some of the better books that helped me

These are some of the more helpful books I have read on preaching:

Between Two Worlds by John Stott

A Primer For Preachers by Ian Pitt-Watson

Learning To Preach Like Jesus by Ralph & Greg Lewis

The Modern Preacher and the Ancient Text by Sidney Greidanus

Preaching For the Contemporary Service by Joseph M. Webb

Preaching Without Notes by Joseph M. Webb

Preaching From the Soul by E. J. Kalas

Biblical Preaching by Haddon Robinson

Setting Word on Fire by Paul Scott Robinson

Preaching With Freshness by Bruce Mawhinney

Christ-Centered Preaching by Bryan Chappell

Preaching Verse by Verse by Ronald J. Allen

Preaching Christ in All of Scripture by Edmund P. Clowney

Black Preaching by Henry H. Mitchell

Homiletic: Moves and Structures by David G. Buttrick

The Ministry of God’s Word by Watchman Nee

Preaching from Memory to Hope by Thomas G. Long

Preaching and Teaching with Imagination by Warren Wiersbe

Patterns of Preaching by Ronald J. Allen

The Homiletical Plot by Eugene L. Lowry

At the Judgment Seat of Christ, I would love to hear the Lord say, “Well done, Kenny, you have faithfully developed and deployed the spiritual gift I have entrusted to you. Enter into my eternal joy.”

We all have different spiritual gifts and callings. We have various roles and placements in the Body of Christ. No need for comparison or competition. Seek to faithfully discover, develop and deploy the gifts God has given each of us and fulfil his calling on our lives.

Learning to preach was hard work. Developing the gift is even more challenging as there are numerous other demands on your time. However, the gift comes with the desire and power to grow as a person and in the craft. We are graced and geared to grow in preaching. It is a Spirit-given motivation. If we lack this desire, ask for it.

If you find this content helpful, follow me in my new WhatsApp channel: BLOGPASTOR or my Telegram channel: t.me/blogpastor. It will keep you informed of my latest post. Thank you for your support.