As has been the case in my family’s life for many years, we attended our share of camp meetings during last summer. Sometimes I preached the camp, and other times I went to share in the blessings of such a wonderful atmosphere. To me, camp meetings bring some nostalgia as I think of the friendly reminders of the praying of God’s saints, the baking of fresh rolls, the playing of all the children, and the preaching of God’s Word. Did I say the preaching of God’s Word? Exactly! That is one reason I attend camp meeting—to hear God’s Word proclaimed with passion and persuasion.

Well, this past summer was no different. I needed the Word! As usual, I listened intently to the preaching of the Word. I needed to be fed! But upon leaving these camps my heart was troubled by this question: Was the Word proclaimed? Let me hasten to say that in some cases I was very challenged. In one of the camps, Rev. Daniel Stetler preached some of the best sermons I have heard in years. My heart was fed.

But in many camp services, I was fed a steady diet of discussions about personal convictions. In those cases the preacher simply chose a text and proceeded to preach his or someone else’s hobbyhorse. I knew this because I have heard the message repeatedly over the years. Each time I left those services, my heart was heavy, because I had come to grow; and growth only occurs through feasting on The Word—not a word. I challenge us as preachers to examine what we preach. Is it Biblical? Does it promote spiritual growth?

I also attended camps where holiness was rarely mentioned. In those camps I was fed a steady diet of the dangers of being non-relevant in today’s society. To me it seemed the preacher’s focus was to ridicule the crowd who held to any standard of righteous living. Again I left heavy hearted, because I needed the Word. I left those services asking myself why anyone would intentionally ridicule the more conservative elements of a denomination. Preacher, you never have to encourage people to stray away from God. That will happen without you pushing them along at a faster clip.

This experience has caused me to re-evaluate my own preaching.

1. I will be more expository in my preaching.
2. I will learn to work carefully with the Word by using tools to better my understanding of the Word.
3. I will spend more time in preparation so as to be true to the Word.
4. I will spend much more time in preparation so as to understand the Word.
5. I will preach from prepared materials so as not to ride my hobbyhorses.

PREACHER! DO YOU LEAD PEOPLE TOWARD CHRIST WITH THE WORD?

Dr. Mark Smith is the Vice President for Adult and Graduate Studies at Indiana Wesleyuan University, Marion, Indiana, and is a member of the Board of Trustees of God’s Bible School and College