Living in Current Reality

An acquaintance talks frequently about the importance of living in what he calls “current reality” — not being in denial about the way things really are. A pastor recently told me how a video of his preaching shocked him into current reality. For years he had avoided viewing himself on Sunday morning. When he finally did, this is what he discovered:

—He frequently touched his face and head with his hands.
—His eyes scanned the room instead of pausing for a few seconds with each person.
—His delivery was not as forceful and strong as he thought.
—He belabored his points instead of making crisp transitions and moving on.
—He didn’t smile much.
—He didn’t use his arms for emphasis or interest.

The pastor told me, “What I saw about myself weakened my credibility as a preacher. If I had seen the same delivery in someone else, I would have had less confidence in that person as a leader.”

Standing up to deliver God’s Word is one of most critical aspects of leadership. And how God can use ordinary, sinful humans to speak the truth of the gospel is, in fact, one of the great mysteries of the Christian faith. Yet one thing is clear: preachers and leaders have a role in the process. Effective preaching involves hard work.

A new Web site I recently helped develop is committed to supporting preachers and teachers as they go about the task of preaching God’s Word. I’m excited about the vision of PreachingToday.com, which is to help Christian leaders communicate the gospel so it can be heard in all its richness and power. Published by CHRISTIANITY TODAY and LEADERSHIP magazines, PreachingToday.com provides three key features:

Weekly Illustration Update: Each week on Tuesday you’ll receive a notice from PreachingToday.com that links you to 10 new illustrations for that week.
The Journal: Each month you’ll receive an email notice that links you to all-new practical help and preaching ideas from people like PreachingToday.com senior editor Haddon Robinson and others.
Searchable Database of 4,500 illustrations: With PreachingToday.com, you’ll have access to more than 4,500 illustrations, which include those from LEADERSHIP Journal. Plus, each week, the 10 new illustrations at the site will be uploaded into the database.

For more information about your free month of access to PreachingToday.com, you can click the hyperlinks in this text or cut and paste the URL: http://www.PreachingToday.com. Living in current reality is perhaps the best way to change current reality. I’m confident PreachingToday.com will strengthen your preaching and thus your role in changing lives.

—Dave Goetz is editor of ChurchLeadership.Net and executive editor of PreachingToday.com. To comment on this article, email Newsletter@LeadershipJournal.net.