I’ve actually been learning how to preach mainly by listening to great preachers and compare my sermons to their preaching. This is a little difficult because of different personalities, congregations and so on.

How can I grow if there is only “flat” critique like: “Give me more ‘practical’ steps to follow (not so much a God to worship)”, “You should wear a suit” and “You have too many ‘mmhs’ in your talk”?

Thank you for the encouraging words to a poor, young seminarian. Especially after the sermon I preached this morning! :|

Dustin

I have seen the truth of your word on critique displayed in a young pastor friend of mine. He has solicited regular critique from more than one source that I am aware of (and likely more that I am unaware of). He is accomplishing several things in this midst of this wisely humble endeavor - one of which is demonstrating wise humility to others whom he is mentoring.

The really interesting thing is he is an excellent preacher and he has honestly solicited critique from someone who is not. It seems to me that a wise man will realize that he will benefit from the additional vision of others - even from those who may not see quite as well as he does.

Not to put him out on front street but his message this week was awesome. Here is the link: http://www.fulkersonpark.com/muscular-christianity-philippians-31216

I too am a pastor, completing my second year of ministry. Here is what I am doing for getting feedback. I have 2 elders that are dear men who love God and both love me. I ask them to critique my sermons for content and style. Both of them are very different. One is a died in the wool, old school Christian Reformed elder. He tends to hit me real hard with theological critique but I know he loves me, so I can take it from him. The other is not as savvy theologically, but has a great pastor’s heart and so he tends to get me on the delivery method (style) and calls me to more gracious delivery, instead of always challenging and confronting. These two men are helping me hone significantly. Early on, it was hard to take the constant feedback, now it is a relief for I can tell a difference. I hope this might help you.

Thanks for a great post. As a pastor and preacher it is both humbling and necessary to have someone evaluate your preaching. This was a needed prompt for me to listen to my critics.

Do you have any questions or forms that you would be willing to share that we could provide to evaluators to encourage thoughtful critique? Also, any thought on how we can help people help us without them becoming constantly critical?

[a] Tape yourself, and listen to it - you’ll find bugs that not even a senior pastor could

[b] Avoid long quotes (I’m guilty as well, except I possibly got away with it b/c I was quoting C.S. Lewis)

[c] Learn Powerpoint - the discipline this will put into your preaching is unparalleled.

I just had a HORRIBLE outing a week ago & was critiqued within minutes from my wife!!!
Of course, I didn’t see it as a privilege in the moment. However, this helped me to realize how fortunate I am to have a wife who “critiques” with love!!!

Being critiqued in class in front of others is humbling to say the least, especially when others who have never preached do much better.

It is a hard lesson for me right now due to my pride… Lord forgive me and use this for your glory.

Paulie

I’m not sure how helpful it is for a new preacher to step behind the pulpit with the mentality that his preaching, at least for a while, will be categorically bad. Granted, his skills may not be as honed as they could be, but there is also a sense in which, if he has indeed been called into the ministry, he has been equipped and gifted by God to engage in preaching.

Having said that, I certainly encourage preachers to actively submit themselves to critique. There is a bit of a temptation, I think, particularly in Reformed churches, to assume that if you simply affirm and engage in the expository philosophy and model of preaching, that everything else in the church will work itself out. The art of communication is neglected and seen at times as inconsequential, as all that really matters is staying “faithful to the text”. In this view, the preacher has practically absolved himself of the responsibility of taking practical steps to sharpen his skills, especially as a communicator and therefore, the preacher never sees the need to seek out any criticism or critique.

I recently wrote a post about a similar topic at my own blog titled “Reformed Churches: Preaching as the “Magic Bullet” and the Neglect of Pastoral Care.” I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts.

http://www.theforemost.blogspot.com

Thanks for the good advice. I am thankful that I don’t regret anything I said in my first sermon, theologically. Methodologically is another story. The low point was reading a long, long, long Charles Hodge quote to a tiny band of saints in a small town of 311….dumb. Probably dumb anywhere, but really dumb there.

Ryan

Idea: let former students upload their sermons and have them critiqued (if they’d like) by current students studying preaching.

As for me… yikes. My first sermons were waaay too long. I think both clocked in around an hour, and I’m pretty sure I wasn’t that interesting. : )

Now, I’m probably somewhere around the “eh, pretty good” stage in preaching (although I’d say I’m probably closer to the “eh” part of that). If it’s not a great idea to ask for critique from my congregation, is there a place that I can upload my sermons to get critiqued? Possibly with video, too, as I think my downfall is mostly in my presentation?