It Won't Kill You!

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth,” 2 Timothy 2:15. More times than not, if you want to improve, it will require intentional effort. My grandson is a good example. He wanted to improve at golf. So, day after day, windy or calm, humid or not, hot or mild, on a golf course or in their yard, he’s practicing his swing. Hard? Yes. But guess what? He’s getting better. Like he says, “Best hits yet.” As a pastor, you also have a bag full of, forgive the term, “clubs”; administering the sacraments, visitation, Bible studies, counseling, discipleship training, equipping, confirmation. Allowing the Spirit to perfect your “swing” is a worthy prayer and practice pursuit.  Every swing is important. However, no time provides a greater moment of impact than Sunday morning. It’s your largest crowd. It’s the time, when even the seemingly uninterested will occasionally show up. Effectively preaching the Word is vital. Say, how’s your preaching? Biblically sound? Good. Heartfelt? Good. Life applicable? Good. Improving? Not so much. The golf pros even watch a video of their swing. For them it’s often painful to see, but helpful to watch. The equivalent for a pastor is listening to a tape or CD of his messages. Yes, it may be painful to hear, but helpful to listen. Could be the hardest thing to do each week, but just possibly the best. Don’t worry, if it didn’t kill any of your listeners, it won’t kill you. Why you may even hear the Spirit say, “Best impact yet!”