Welcome to Michael Leong the Pastor of Crosslife church in Asquith, NSW and a mentor with the Trust.
Integrity on display
“…in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.” – Titus 2:7-8, ESV
Titus 2:7-8 teaches not just that a Christian leader be a person of integrity, but also that their integrity should be on display to the world, and that it should be evident in their teaching. This is not “practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them” (Matthew 6:1); rather, it is more calling our people to “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).
How are Christian leaders to display their integrity in their preaching? I have three suggestions:
I believe this
The atheist Charles Templeton heard Billy Graham preach and remarked, “I don’t believe in your God, but I believe in your belief in God.” Christian teachers should elicit a similar response in their listeners, whether believers or unbelievers.
This can be done through a preacher’s manner and method – their truths can be spoken loudly and boldly, or in contrast, their words could display a quiet confidence and conviction. Filler words (“um”s and “ah”s) can send the message that a person is making up what they’re saying on the spot; avoiding such words shows that the speaker’s message comes from the practised, deep values of the heart. Words and phrases that mimic the Christian culture too closely can create the impression that the speaker is just echoing “the party line;” a preacher’s vocabulary should in many small ways be uniquely theirs, filtered through their own thoughts and experiences. The inclusion of small phrases like, “I believe…” or, “I am convinced that…” can also communicate that what is being preached is not just a job; it is deeply personal for the preacher.
I have experienced this
Over and above communicating, “I believe this is true,” a preacher may also send the message, “I have seen that this is real.” Preachers who share their pastoral experience of the reality of God’s Word can greatly encourage their people; in contrast, preachers who interact more with caricatures and stereotypes, often from the internet, show that they are out of step with reality.
For example, if the sermon is on how the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working (James 5:16), I’d want to hear about answered prayer in the preacher’s own life or in the lives of others. If the sermon is on the danger and immorality of false teachers (Titus 1:10-16), I’d want to hear about the heresies and heretics the preacher has encountered, and the disagreeable and deceptive tactics that they used. If the sermon is on joy in times of suffering (Romans 5:3-5), I’d want the preacher to show they know the sufferings that their congregation members are going through.
I do this
Finally, preachers should not be ashamed to share about how they put God’s Word into practice in their lives. In my own life, I’m indebted to others who’ve shared their habits with me; the list of prayer points that I keep in my Bible and work through everyday owes much to Paul Miller’s personal sharing in his book A Praying Life. My Bible reading each morning before breakfast owes a lot to David Cook sharing about his friend’s “No Bible, no breakfast” rule. The principles for our family’s financial giving to church and Christian ministry comes from examples I read in The Briefing journal and Yoel Frank’s The Barefoot Disciple.
It’s also important for preachers to convey the opposite – that they are moral failures, that they continue to sin, continue to be unworthy of the great treasures they’ve received from God, and walk with Jesus by His grace alone (1 John 1:8-10). This also sends the message, “I do this” – for we also lead our people in coming to God for forgiveness and restoration.
Conclusion: Living and active
The Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12) – and preachers of the Word are called to exhibit this truth, not just in their lives, but in their teaching. By communicating that we believe, experience, and do the very things we preach, we help our people to see the plausibility and reliability of the Word of God in our world.
Michael Leong