Required reading
Lectures to my students by Charles Spurgeon (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 6 (On the choice of a text).
My summary
Today Spurgeon discusses choosing a text to preach on.
Spurgeon advises us to:
(i) consider what sins appear to be most rife in the church and congregation;
(ii) consider what your previous topics have been;
(iii) read good suggestive books;
(iv) always be in training for text-getting and sermon-making.
What grabbed me
Although I disagreed with Spurgeon's comments on systematically working through a book of the Bible, I did appreciate his advice on remembering who we are preaching to: 'Consider the condition of your hearers. Reflect upon their spiritual state as a whole and as individuals, and prescribe the medicine adapted to the current disease, or prepare the food suitable for the prevailing necessity. Let me caution you, however, against considering the whims of your hearers, or the peculiarities of the wealthy and influential. Do not give too much weight to the gentleman and lady who sit in the green pew, if you are so unfortunate as to possess such an abominable place of distinction in a house where all are on a level. Let the large contributor be considered by all means as much as others, and let not his spiritual infirmities be neglected; but he is not everybody, and you will grieve the Holy Spirit if you think him to be so. '
A good preacher knows his hearers.
Next week's reading
Read Chapter 7 (On spiritualizing).
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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