Preach the Word; 2 Timothy 4:1-5

I call it my "Blurb," and I post it on Facebook every Sunday morning. In fact, you're reading this week's blurb right now! I try to keep it short and encouraging and use it as a preview for the sermon I'll preach later in the morning. My goal is always that the blurb will stand on its own, but if I've done it right, it might whet your appetite for what I'll be serving up in the sermon. I was in a preaching class last summer when our professor posited that while we're all interested in learning to preach better, our listeners could benefit from an occasional message on how to hear a sermon—listen for our main points, follow the structure, recognize the power of illustration, and anticipate our conclusions. I thought it was a great idea and took it as a challenge, so today, on the first day of 2023, I'll be presenting the "How to Listen to a Sermon" sermon. I believe in preaching and take my calling seriously. I'm also aware that (to misappropriate an old quote) "Sermons are like sausages, no one should have to see how they're made!" It's a messy business, but today at Kansas Christian Church, we'll take a peek at how the sausage is made and see where we will be going with our messages in the coming months.