Tips for Young Preachers
After ten years of observation and mistakes, here’s what I learned.
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This year, I’ll be approaching ten years of ministry in different parts of the world. I recently had a conversation with a few young pastors who asked me for some ‘tips of the trade.’ I found myself looking over old sermon notes, cringing, and thanking God that He is willing to use someone like me.
The following are some things I’ve learned over the last decade of ministry, some through observation and others through mistakes. I believe in you, young preacher, and if you’re reading this, know that it’s written with love and a sincere desire for you to succeed. This list is in no particular order.
Young preacher, it’s imperative that you:
Go and baptize. Remember why you’re in this work. Don’t dry out and forget.
Read obsessively. Prime the pump. Some of your best illustrations will come from places you’d least expect.
Pray alone in the sanctuary. Kneel. Walk from pew to pew and visualize your members sitting there. Pray for them in the house of God. This will work wonders for your mindset.
Remember that many of your members have more real-life experience with God than you do. It pays to listen.
Don’t be afraid of failure.
Write down all your baptisms in the front of your Bible and pray for them by name, systematically.
Find two or three mentors and call them often. Find one or two people to mentor and call them often.
You have no authority of yourself. Zero. God does. God’s Word does. The church body does. Act accordingly.
Utilize drive time. Listen to books. Call people at random and simply ask how they’re doing. Care about their physical and spiritual needs.
Never put your spouse in a position of conflict.
Schedule intentional time with your kids and keep that appointment.
Guard the pulpit. It’s not a political soapbox, a performance stage, or a boring lectern.
Work on your slides if you have time. If they aren’t professional-looking, it’s better not to use them at all.
Eat last at fellowship meals and help clean up afterward.
If possible, kneel when you pray before your sermon. It shows humility before God and before the people.
Love the youth. Everyone will love you for it, and they’ll keep you up to date.
Don’t try to be flashy with your messages. Be biblical and passionate.
Be fifteen minutes early to all church events and meetings. When members know you’re early and need to talk, they know where to find you. Sometimes you accomplish more in the parking lot than in the meeting hall.
Answer your phone or call back quickly.
Learn to read your audience. If you can tell you’re boring them, cut your losses. End it. Do better next time.
Never be annoyed by the noise of children during worship. If you see others acting annoyed, mention something from the pulpit to the effect of loving the sounds of young people in the church.
Be a person. Be approachable. Laugh with your people. Relate to them. Cry with them. Don’t be so stiff.
Love God well. He’ll help you love those who may appear unlovable.
In short, God has called fools to work for Him. The fact that we’ve been called is proof that God works miracles daily. Let Him lead you.
Garhett Morgan is a pastor in the Detroit Metropolitan area in the Michigan Conference. He is passionate about his family, ministry, and cohosting his podcast aimed towards young people, “The God Ink Podcast.”