10 Things that make a Sermon Boring

[Northern lass]

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[When the person giving the sermon wanders all over the place and you lose the impact of the message or text he was speaking on. Stick to the main theme!!

I agree with this! When there are random thoughts with no connection and no dynamism! Random thoughts are great when they are Spirit led and coming from the personal experience of the speaker, but when they're not and there is no connection and no theme I find it hard to concentrate!

[BurningBush]

Will Do!

[apothanein kerdos]

How sad that we are getting pointers on how not to make a sermon boring instead of how to make a sermon true.

Look, if what you prepare is in the Spirit, well researched, and from the Bible, then you shouldn't have to add whistles and gimmicks in order to get people to listen to it. If your congregation won't listen to your sermons, even if they are relevant and powerful, then you have deeper issues to cover - such as spiritual apathy and hedonism.

I think the list should not be adhered to. I REALLY hope you are not a pastor, or else I fear your congregation might be suffering from spiritual malnourishment.

[Guest Biblicist]

Sorry Biblicist but I just have to ask, "What is satan doing sitting on your shoulder in church to begin with?" From the moment I awake, I ask God to come into my day and spirit and immediately begin laughing at perhaps the most recent thing I enjoyed before I went to bed on the previous night. I had to learn never to set myself up for failure for the day. As we get older and set in our routine, we tend to forget the "gift" of change that God allows each of us. I never want to be the same "negative" "depressed" person I was years ago. Besides, life's too short. And one will find him/herself saying in the end. Where did I really contribute to life and for God? Who's life did I actually make brighter. Whom did I affect today? I've noticed far too many people today are only focused on themselves and their own lives, situations and crosses. That's why I enjoy being here around people like you and Inj , and Bille, and Marie and the hundreds of other who contribute and focus on evreyone else. What we say here is the most important part of what we contribute to those in need. So we have to be the "LIGHT" and "BEACON" for God's knowledge because the rest of God's people; many of whom are just becoming awake to HIS "LIGHT," are so hungry and desperate to be contented, happy, and have a solid foundation to base their lives on. I see that in many like YOU and the many that post here on a regular basis. That's why I'm always taken back when I hear someone take "satan's" attacks into any church of God. I guess I shouldn't be surprised though since satan can be so cunning and conceiling and the fact that satan can even be working in that very moment in that pastor, preacher or priest, as we sit and get very bored? I've felt what many feel at times and I'm hear to tell you , "If you ever feel that feeling that that leader is not working for YOU for too very long of a time , Weeks, months , whatever" LEAVE! And test others out , until you find the one you ARE searching for! But don't stay in a Church of Christ, where you are not being LED or FEELING the Law of God affecting your soul/spirit for too very long. THAT'S NOT HEALTHY AND IT'S PROBABLY GOD TELLING YOU SOMETHING ABOUT THAT FEELING!

Sorry Biblicist I used your spot . Hope you realized I was just "being in the moment? But I've noticed too many behaving that way in My local church and when people are led to get involved and participate or the preacher doesn't have the knowledge to "produce" good fruit, I'm afraid that leader either has to take a good look at his future, and make modifications or consider that he made a mistake. But this should be about the "people" not the "preacher." It should be about praising God and not ourselves. So I thank YOU for bringing up that take on "satan" being on your shoulder in church. But honestly, it tells me more about the preacher/priest/or leader, of that sermon than the individual.

Blessings

Cajunboy

Cajun~

Thank you for your kind words.

We spent many years searching for a church and pastor that was more interested in teaching than putting people in the pews. Finally we settled on a man we have known our entire lives, we trust him and believe he is totally lead by the Holy Spirit. He preaches past 12 every Sunday, and no one complains about it. The only thing I think when he is finished is, "MORE". We have a fellowship time just before service with donuts and drinks so we don't get the grumbellies.

I think when people are "young" Christians they tend to think more about what the Church can do for them, and as we mature we tend to think, what can I do for the church. When I was young church was totally boring. I didn't understand preparing myself for worship. If Pastor ever talked about it, I didn't listen. Is that his fault? No it was mine. Mine because I didn't hunger and thirst for the Word. I allowed Satan to influence my time in the worship service. Now I do not.

Believe me, I have seen those in a worship service where Satan was sitting on their shoulder, whispering into their ears. I bet you've seen it too, people who snicker at what the Pastor is saying, writing notes to each other, rolling their eyes at something poingnent. It had NOTHING whatsoever to do with the Pastor. It had to do with their relationship with the Lord. If you don't long for the time with the People of God and to hear the preaching of His Word, then there is something wrong with your relationship with God, it is not the fault of anyone else.

[Iryssa]

Personally, I like big words that no one uses in everyday life. If I don't already know what they mean, I write them down and look them up later. I find it weirdly exciting

My name is Iryssa, and I am a nerd.

[TreyM]

Biblicist,

Thanks for your opinion. You obviously gave a lot of thought to your post.

Blessings

[Iryssa]

One thing I do have to point out is that people wouldn't need Power Point or object lessons if they weren't just so used to seeing them. We don't even have an overhead projector at our church, nevermind Power Point, and I'm never bored during the sermons. I think it's just a matter of the way we train our minds. If we come to expect the Power Point to hold our attention, then, yes, we WILL find things boring without it for the first little while. However, once we spend some time without it, our brains will get used to focusing on the speaker's words without it.

Besides...I think some pastors fall back on things like that a little too much. I don't have a problem with it in general, but it should be a tool, not something the sermon depends on. What if the projector breaks down? If it's a good sermon, I should be able to focus on it just fine without the visual aid.

[WarMonkeyMan]

Being boring is the least of your worries.

If you're boring, but remain true to Christ, there will be someone who hears you and grows from it.

It's better to have one soul mature than to have 100 go off saying how great you were and not remember a word you said.

[Iryssa]

I'd have to agree, to a certain extent. I do think that one should make their best effort to write a good, coherent sermon, but sometimes people will be bored anyway. As a young believer it was hard to focus on every point in my old pastor's sermons, but he did a good job of applying some parts to those who were young in the faith as well as more mature believers. That's really the ideal, in my mind. I don't expect everyone to hit it every time, but I do expect an effort.

Really, it's gotta come from both parties: the pastor has a duty to do his/her best write something that people will listen to, and it's the congregation's duty to listen. To an adult who is always bored in church despite good efforts made by the pastor, I say this:

If you've come to church to be entertained, there are Sunday school classes in the classrooms. Go have fun.

[Guest Biblicist]

Biblicist,

Thanks for your opinion. You obviously gave a lot of thought to your post.

Blessings

You are welcome Trey.

I much appreciate your reading my post.

Worship begins in the heart.

Isaiah 29:13 The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.

Bib,