How to Go to Church

by Pastor John Kim

A few weeks ago, we went over “How to Go to Church” and as we discussed the reality that every church is imperfect and needs to improve, one of the most significant things that we can do is to specifically and deliberately prepare to hear the sermon. John Piper’s article on “10 Practical Preparations for Hearing the Word of God on Sunday Morning” give a very helpful strategy that I think would transform people’s perspectives when it comes to the attitude you have as you hear the sermon begin. The impact of a sermon is really going to depend on how the individual prepared their heart attitude. I think this is something to so crucial yet so missing in most churches that it shouldn’t be a surprise that there is at most an apathetic response to the sermon all the way to scathing criticism.

But it goes beyond just preparing to listen. There must be a lifting up of prayer for the preacher as he prepares for the sermon. How many times can you say that you have prayed for your pastor as you opened your Bible Sunday morning to hear the sermon? Did you pray for his preparation during the week? Did you pray for the delivery of the message? Did you pray that other people might be impacted as well? Michael Fabarez has written a short booklet where the practice of praying for your pastor’s preparation and delivery of the sermon should be something that every church puts into practice as a regular ministry.

I would highly recommend for you go through the following outlines and consider how you can practically prepare your heart and your mind to receive the sermon. I trust that before you lift up a finger of criticism of the sermon that you will have first lifted up your hands in prayer for your pastor to be led by the Holy Spirit in preparation as well as in delivery so that people’s lives would be drawn to the cross of Jesus Christ.

Remember, the Sunday sermon is not just a nice self-help, inspirational time where people’s emotions are to be moved and left to that end. The Sunday sermon is meant to be a genuine interface with the living God as the Word of God is presented through the power of the Holy Spirit in all its authoritative sufficiency as the sword of the Spirit so that our very being would be pierced to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

Don’t just think about this! Do it! And as you apply these thoughts, trust that God will bring great blessing both to you and to your church family.

10 Practical Preparations for
Hearing the Word of God on Sunday Morning
by John Piper

Luke 8:18
18 Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.

  1. Pray that God would give you a good and honest heart (Ezekiel 26:36, Jeremiah 24:7)
  2. Meditate on the Word of God (Psalm 34:8, Psalm 1:1-3)
  3. Purify your mind by turning away from worldly entertainment (James 1:21, Philippians 4:8, Colossians 3:1-2)
  4. Trust in the truth you already have (Jeremiah 17:7-8, Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 119:41-42)
  5. Rest long enough Saturday night to be alert and hopeful Sunday morning (1 Corinthians 6:12)
  6. Forebear one another Sunday morning without grumbling and criticism (Psalm 106:25, 1 Corinthians 10:1-12, Philippians 2:14, James 1:19)
  7. Be meek and teachable when you come (James 1:21)
  8. Be still as you enter the room and focus your mind’s attention and heart’s affection on God (Psalm 46:10)
  9. Think earnestly about what is sung and prayed and preached (1 Corinthians 14:20, 2 Timothy 2:7)
  10. Desire the truth of God’s Word more than you desire riches or food (1 Peter 2:2, Psalm 19:10-11)

Praying for the Pastor and the Sermon
by Michael Fabarez

Colossians 4:3
3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—

A. Pray for the Crafting of the Sermon

  1. Pray that the message your pastor is preparing to preach would be an evident part of his own life.
  2. Pray for the protection of your pastor’s sermon preparation time.
  3. Pray that your pastor will be given grace and illumination to rightly divide God’s word.
  4. Pray that the words your pastor chooses to frame the outline would be effective and powerful tools for the Holy Spirit to employ.
  5. Pray that your pastor would have insight into the needs of the congregation as he prepares the sermon.

B. Pray for the Delivery of the Sermon

  1. Pray that people will attend the preaching event.
  2. Pray that the congregation would arrive in the right frame of mind.
  3. Pray that God would guard against preaching distractions.
  4. Pray for clarity and power in the pastor’s vocabulary.
  5. Pray that God will give understanding to all who hear this week’s sermon.
  6. Ask God for the most effective and fruitful sermon your pastor has ever preached.

C. Pray for the Response to the Sermon

  1. Pray that all, including yourself, will put the sermon into practice.
  2. Pray that the sermon will not be compartmentalized.
  3. Pray that the application of the sermon would be contagious.
  4. Pray that the sermon itself will be repeatedly delivered