Rick Warren - Preaching On Purpose

RICKS THOUGHTS ON "PREACHING ON PURPOSE"

• Nothing is a more powerful force in your church than the preaching.
• God's purpose is to make us like Christ. (II Corinthians 3:18)
• God wants to bring conviction and change our conduct and character.
• "...that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.: II Timothy 3:16,17
• Teaching the Bible is not about is not ultimately producing maturity; it's about ministry and mission.
• Application is what is lacking in most teaching.
• Our preaching needs to "build bridges" from the scripture to life.

HOW TO PREPARE TO PREACH ON PURPOSE

1. Study the text. (observation)
2. Find the timeless truth. (interpretation)
3. Think of your audience. (contextualization)
4. Apply the truth to their situation (personalization)

10 THINGS I'VE LEARNED ABOUT PREACHING ON PURPOSE

1. All behavior is based on a belief. We do what we do (good or bad) because we believe something about the behavior.
2. When we sin we think that is the best decision in the moment. When you figure out the lie behind the behavior you will be a better preacher.
3. Change always starts in your mind.
4. To help people change we must change their beliefs first. The battle of sin always starts with helping people to see the lie they believe. You must expose the lie.
5. Trying to change people's behavior without changing their beliefs is a waste of time.
6. We need to lead people to repentance. Repentance is simply getting people to change their mind. Repentance is another term for a paradigm shift. "Metanoia" means to change your mind; it is not change you're behavior.
7. You don't change people's minds; the applied word of God does change their minds.
8. Changing the way I act is the result or fruit of repentance.
9. The "deepest" kind of preaching is preaching for repentance.
10. To produce lasting life change: enlighten the mind, engage the emotions, and challenge the will.