Who Is a Bad Preacher?

1- The one who does not follow the rules of the art of preaching.
Preaching, as we say, is an art. This means that one does not preach just anyhow, but rather follows the established rules of the art.

2- The one who is not moved by their own preaching.
Some preachers spend their time searching for what to say to others without ever considering that the message applies to them first. One must live out their preaching before making others live by it.

3- The one who never listens to other preachers.
There are preachers who never take the time to listen to others preach. They believe that, because they are preachers, they have no need to hear someone else’s sermon. This is a serious mistake. A preacher who only gives without receiving will eventually run dry. Yet, they need to receive in order to enrich their knowledge and preaching. Only pride can prevent one from adopting such a humble attitude.

4- The one who does not cultivate themselves.
An ignorant preacher is dangerous. They are outdated and risk making anachronistic statements. A preacher must cultivate themselves to the point of becoming an experienced and wise person.

5- The one who is too full of themselves.
A preacher must be confident and proud of their calling, but within reason. They must avoid falling into the trap of narcissism.

6- The one who relies only on the Holy Spirit.
It is entirely normal to rely on the Holy Spirit, but we must not forget that God has given us human intelligence to help us persuade, as the apostle Paul mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:5.

7- The one who relies only on their own reasoning.
Reason is a great ability, but it is not all-powerful. It can be mistaken or go astray. It is imperfect and limited. This is why one should not rely solely on reason but should also seek the guidance of God’s Spirit—the Holy Spirit.

8- The one who tires out God’s people.
Preacher, you weary God’s people if you constantly preach on the same topic. If, from January 1st to December 31st, you only talk about sin, demons, or even blessings, you will find that God’s flock will stop listening to you.
The result? Murmuring and disinterest.
Oh Lord, grant me the wisdom not to exhaust Your flock. Amen!

9- The one who does not pray before, during, and after preaching.
A preacher who is appreciated by their audience whenever they preach is at risk. They may begin to forget that their strength lies in prayer.

10- The one who frequently repeats other people’s sermons.
A preacher is not a parrot to merely repeat someone else’s sermon. Doing so is a sign of either blatant and shameful laziness or a clear and repulsive weakness.

11- The one who preaches without considering religious contexts, Scripture, and the audience.
A preacher must not forget that they are a person speaking to people in specific situations, drawing from a contextualized message.
They must therefore rise to the occasion, bridging the gap between their own context, the scriptural context, and the audience’s context in a meaningful way…

This text is an excerpt from the book “THE PREACHER AND PREACHING“ by Dr. Eric ADEROMOU.

We invite you to read the following article: “THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BIBLICAL SERMONS“.