The Cost of Preaching

I preached this morning on "the church". Pretty broad, I know - I used 4 images found in scripture to describe the church:

1. People of God

2. Family of God

3. Living Stones

4. Holy Priesthood.

After preaching, I was exhausted - I mean I usually am a bit tired after a sermon - but this was something else. I could barely stand - and in fact sought out the help of a nearby chair.

Preaching is an activity that is taxing mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. I find there are not many activities like it.

It is mentally grueling, not necessarily during the act of preaching itself, but more in the preparation of it. I love writing and delivering sermon, but that doesn't mean that it is easy. In fact, most times I struggle to complete a sermon that I think will achieve its purpose.

The emotional toll comes about through the use of personal illustrations or the sheer passion that sometimes emerges when making a particularly salient point. I'm not a very demonstrative person, but have had to hold back the tears at times.

The physical cost comes through the delivery (what I am dealing with right now). As you give out so much adrenaline, there is a natural corresponding decline following the message. Which is often why I don't do much on Mondays - sort of hang around at home taking it easy.

The spiritual cost of preaching is hard to tell at first. I find it accompanies throughout the week, as I try to silent voices of discouragement that tempt to throw me off track. Often Sunday mornings I wake up with an unidentified physical pain somewhere in my body - usually in my legs. The moments before taking the pulpit can be particularly painful as I fight feelings of irritation and fear.

Preaching is tough, but there is no other activity within which I sense a deep intimacy with God. It is for this I was created. It is this for which I was gifted.

If you attend a church, take time out to pray for whomever it is takes the pulpit week after week. They need it - I know.

Note - I didn't write this to elicit sympathy or revel in some kind of weird pity party - jut thought you might want to know what preaching looks like through the life of a preacher.