“Preaching is the great act of Christian worship, and it is the supreme place in which God shows himself. But the sacraments remind us that it is not the only place.”
Allen, The Preacher’s Catechism, p. 181
Comes With the Territory
“Every good preacher has been criticized, sometimes fiercely, and often unfairly.”
Allen, The Preacher’s Catechism, p. 175
If You Don’t, They Won’t Either
“Believe your own sermons.”
Allen, The Preacher’s Catechism, p. 167
And Neither Is the Preacher Safe
“No pulpit is safe when an idolater stands in it”
Allen, The Preacher’s Catechism, p. 155
True, Not New
If your sermon is dazzlingly original, it’s probably either heretical or terrible, or both
Allen, The Preacher’s Catechism, p. 151
As Opposed to Winging It in the Spirit
“I want to focus on one preaching sin, which is this: the sin of withholding time and energy from sermon prep instead of committing ourselves to the hard work, heart and soul”
Allen, The Preacher’s Catechism, p. 150
Not the Same
“Don’t rely on your sermon prep for your heart food”
Allen, The Preacher’s Catechism, p. 147
How’d I Do?
“The preacher who craves affirmation is an immature man who needs to go deeper into the gospel of unconditional acceptance”
Allen, The Preacher’s Catechism, p. 139
And Don’t Underestimate Odd Temptations
“Never go to the pulpit for your kicks” (Allen, The Preacher’s Catechism, p. 129).
As Uncomfortable As That May Be
“Preachers of Jesus must be like Jesus. No one will listen to a man to learn Christ if they cannot look at him and see Christ” (Allen, The Preacher’s Catechism, p. 109).