When you become a pastor you don’t get past the need to hear the Word of God preached. In fact preaching is just as much for the saved and it is for the sinner.
1. Preaching saves preachers.
Since God chose preaching as His method to save mankind, one must continually hear the word of God preached in order to stay saved. Preaching saves sinners and saints alike. Hearing one’s self preach is not enough to make that happen.
1 Cor 1:21
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
2. Preaching causes us to be accountable and to examine ourselves.
One of the dangers of only hearing yourself preach is never having anybody else correct you. You become in danger of being your only standard of right and wrong. Preachers need to hear the Truth just as much or more than anybody else.
When one hears another’s preaching, one is much more inclined to examine themselves under the light of God’s Word.
2 Corinthians 13:5
5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
3. Preaching connects us to the Power of God.
There is something uniquely special about the preached Word of God. Nothing can be compared to it. Something wonderful happens when the Truth of God’s Word is coupled together with the anointing of God’s Spirit upon the man/woman of God. God has ordained that this is how Salvation comes. When we become connected to the power of God through preaching, life transformation takes place.
1 Thess 1:5-6
5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
1 Cor 1:18
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
4. We need to hear preaching for our own spiritual growth.
The disciples continued in the Apostles Doctrine;
Acts 2:42
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Jesus instructed believers to continue in the Word;
John 8:31
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
The believers continued in the Word and Doctrine by listening to Jesus and the Apostles preach and teach. By listening to others preach, we fill the voids and gaps that exist in our own knowledge and thinking and continue to grow towards perfection in Christ.
5. Exposure to others preaching will enhance your own preaching.
It goes without saying that preachers must always be reading and studying the Word of God. We have to consume the Word in order to share the Word. Books, blogs, media and magazines all help expand our thinking and create ideas. Yet, upon hearing somebody else preach we sometimes realize that we have never heard it told like that before. The anointing of the Spirit can enlighten ones thinking during the course of a message. We can observe different methods and styles of preaching and how the congregation responds to it. We learn new illustrations and insights. All of this has the ability to enhance and empower our own preaching.
