The Bunny Trail Trap!
Preaching That Makes a Difference – Part 3
In this 6-part series, Preaching That Makes a Difference, I will explore some very simple and practical steps you can take to become a more effective preacher. Today, we are going to talk about how to avoid the pitfalls of taking a theological bunny trail which can confuse rather than clarify God’s word to your congregation.
#1 – Don’t Preach Commentaries
Last week I was at my 2nd home in Montana and quickly recognized I had a ground squirrel problem. Something had to be done or it would get worse. Because I don’t like killing things, I decided I would embark on a relocation project. As a result, I bought a couple of live traps, baited them with peanut butter, and caught 51 ground squirrels over five days. How did I do it so quickly? Peanut Butter! Ground squirrels can’t resist peanut butter and when you use it as bait, they will take it every time.
The same temptation can be true for preachers who enjoy studying theological truths. Like peanut butter, they enjoy studying commentaries that explain the history, background, grammar, and theological meaning of every word in a verse. This, in and of itself, is not a problem unless you include it all in your sermon. Most theological commentaries are not written with a big idea in mind so if you include a lot of the information it provides, your sermon will be scattered and often boring. Yes, you may help someone better understand a Greek word and its origin, but they won’t understand why it’s important for their everyday life. Therefore, even though you may enjoy this type of study and get excited about sharing it, don’t take the bait and include it all in your sermon unless it has a life application. The rule of thumb, that I use to help avoid this trap, is “When in doubt, leave it out”.
#2 – Stick to Your Outline Topic
Depending on the type of outline you use to format your messages, the key is to stick to it and don’t deviate! For illustration purposes, we will use a popular sermon outline model. This model has three parts: define, prove, and apply. This type of outline can be used for both inductive and deductive sermons and essentially states: 1). “Explain” the meaning of the verse you are teaching to derive your point. 2) “Prove” your point with an illustration from everyday life. 3) “Apply” the truth to everyday life by providing specific steps your congregation can take. Therefore, it becomes critically important that during the “explaining” phase of your sermon that you only include that which specifically relates to your point and nothing more.
This is the area where preachers often have the most difficulty because we don’t like to leave anything out. We like to share all that we’ve learned and feel the necessity to hold nothing back. The problem with this approach is when we take these bunny trails that divert from our outline, we confuse our audience rather than help them. Remember, when it comes to oral clarity and a memorable message, “less is more”. I believe it was Chuck Swindoll who said, “When it comes to the study, a preacher should leave more behind than they take into the pulpit”.
So do your congregation a favor. Double-check your bunny trails this week and make sure you don’t fall into the trap. Next time we will discuss the power of an illustration and how they can be used to make your sermons come alive.
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I’ve devoted my life to the practice and art of preaching. I’ve been at it for almost 30 years, received my doctorate in preaching, and coached pastors around the country to help them become better communicators. If you would like to take your preaching to a new level, contact me and we can discuss some customized ways for you to be the best you can be!