Preaching with Conviction Creates Passion

We are in a series of blog posts on preaching with passion. In the last post we saw that preaching with compassion creates passion. In this post we are going to explore how preaching with conviction creates passion in your preaching.

Preaching Without Conviction Creates Complacency

I remember the time I invited a seminary professor to preach in my church. This was someone who attended our church somewhat regularly, and so, when we had an open date, I thought of him as the guest. The message that he preached that Sunday evening would have worked well in a classroom. The message presented much information about the time in which the book of the Bible was written, and the preacher used several Hebrew references. Unfortunately, you could almost feel when he lost the audience–about 2 minutes in. There wasn’t much passion in the presentation. The presentation lacked passion. It was, basically, a lecture, a transfer of information. Interestingly, I remember nothing about the topic of that message or the passage on which it was based. I only remember the complacent way in which it was presented.

The theme of these posts is that preaching with passion will better engage your listeners, as well as being more memorable. One way to develop more passion in your preaching is to have conviction about what you are saying. Preaching with conviction creates passion in your delivery.

Defining Conviction That Creates Passion

The definition of Conviction (aside from the criminal context) is this:

a strong opinion or belief:

religious/moral convictions

deep/strong/lifelong conviction They share a deep/strong/lifelong conviction that you can do anything if you’re willing to work hard.

So, it’s a strong opinion or belief. If you believe in something strongly, you will speak of it with passion. I am writing this post during the presidential campaign here in the US in 2024. People are speaking with great conviction that their party is the solution to all the problems in the country. Their convictions are creating passion in the presentations. We can learn from this. Preaching with conviction creates passion in your presentation.

Developing Conviction That Will Create Passion

How do you experience more conviction in your preaching? Here are some suggestions that are given by Alex Montoya in his book, Preaching With Passion.

1. Major on the major themes of Scripture. In other words, focus on those parts of our faith that are vitally important for believers. What passages speak to your heart? Montoya suggests doing series of messages on Matthew, then Acts, then Romans, and then I Corinthians in your sermon schedule. This will help you focus on what is really important in the Gospel message. If you choose not to follow this schedule, remember the point. For public worship, you shouldn’t focus on obscure parts of our belief. Such things can be taught in a classroom setting or a small group Bible Study.

2. Preach the main thesis of the text. Don’t get lost in the background information that you find interesting in your study of the passage.

3. Preach the jugular text. Hit the main vein.

4. Preach the orthodox doctrines. These are the things that form Christian belief through centuries. Christians cling to such things through the challenges of life.

5. Minor on the minor themes. What are those?

– Historical background

– Ecclesiastical traditions

– extrabiblical themes

– unsettled theological disputes

– political controversies

What Practices Developing Conviction?

Several things I have found helpful. First of all, reflect on what things are really important to the hearers? What truths do they need to understand? I recently received an invited to preach in a church. The church had been through a tough 4 years without a pastor, and that many in the church had been through challenging times with their health. “Faith in the Furnace” was my theme, based on the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego defying Nebuchadnezzar and being through into the furnace. They demonstrated conviction that God was caring for them, even if they should die. While I prepared and read stories of people who had a similar conviction during difficult situations, I became excited, and was ready to preach the truth with passion that Jesus will never leave us and nothing can take us from his hand.

Secondly, do you feel conviction about the truth you are presenting in your message? Here is the truth: preaching with conviction creates passion in your presentation. Preach it well.

August 21, 2024/by Bruce Ballast