Integrity and Self-Discipline in Christian Preaching

"Practice what you preach" has become an adage so overused that it is in danger of becoming a cliché. Yet now more than ever, preachers need to recognize the importance of walking the walk, not just talking the talk. When the preacher's lifestyle and comportment correspond with the substantive content of his sermons, he acts with integrity and thereby ensures the trust of the community. In Preaching That Changes Lives, Fabarez (2002) discusses the ways preachers change lives, starting with their own. Vines and Shaddix (1999) dedicate an entire section of Power in the Pulpit to how preachers can develop their bodies, minds, and souls. Likewise, Lloyd-Jones (2011) argues that integrity needs to be reintroduced to the role and function of the preacher. Preachers must embody the principles of Christian living and Christian virtues in order to accomplish the goals of their mission.

The process of self-preparation for a preacher is ongoing. Rather than being a one-time learning experience, becoming a preacher is a matter of lifelong personal, spiritual, social, and psychological development. The preacher continually engages in an honest process of self-reflection, accomplished through deep meditation on scripture and how scripture relates to one's own life, by soliciting and listening to the advice of others, and by reflecting on one's own sermons. These and related practices of self-reflection encourage self-awareness through the act of humility, a central tenet of Jesus's teaching. "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2). If a preacher is to put into practice and embody biblical teachings, he must remain "completely humble and gentle," willing to make necessary changes to lifestyle and behavior to better reflect the principles he proclaims.

Pride is the opposite of humility. As Fabarez (2002) points out, "Jesus reveals what may be the single most important insight into why some preachers don't practice what they preach. It is pride" (p. 27). Preparing to preach means setting aside pride and recognizing that while the word of God is infallible, the preacher is not.

"We are imperfect beings," and to recognize this is an important part of cultivating humility (Vines & Shaddix, 1999, p. 106). When considering the importance of lifestyle and behavior to preaching, the preacher also needs to retain the humility required to acknowledge his own sin and to take action to change. After all, the preacher aims to deliver life-changing sermons; those same sermons need to change the preacher's life too. The preacher can aim for perfection as an idealized goal, but perfection is neither possible nor expected; command of the Bible is. The preacher's primary objective is to deliver the Word of God in a serious and expository manner.

When preparing to preach, it is also important to focus far more on the content and meaning of a sermon than on some imaginary ideal of perfect delivery. Lloyd-Jones (2011) warns preachers to be far less concerned with showmanship or "ceremonial form and ritual" and more concerned with accuracy and biblical truth (p. 24). Similarly, Vines and Shaddix (1999) show how the preacher's sermon is not an informal conversation but a formal discourse. Even though preaching is about the pure, objective delivery of God's word in the form of an expository sermon, the preacher nevertheless needs to put the word of God into direct action. There are both theological and practical reasons why the preacher should cultivate the right state of mind, body, and soul.

Integrity is a cornerstone of Christian ethics. Jesus preached extensively on integrity, as demonstrated by his exposure of hypocrisy among the Pharisees. Matthew 23 remains the definitive scriptural passage showcasing the theological imperative for practicing what one preaches. Jesus recognized and then exposed the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, something that inspired many of his own sermons and garnered his initial following. A preacher can learn from this by exposing hypocrisy while being careful not to mistake the message for the messenger. Jesus did not object to the content of the Pharisees' instruction, but to the fact that they were hypocritical—preaching the law while disobeying it. Jesus offered a new framework for moral integrity, subverting the hypocrisy of the old order in order to deliver a new moral code based on truth and justice.

Fabarez (2002) points to the lesser-known book of Ezra to substantiate the theological underpinnings of preacher preparation. "For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel" (Ezra 7:10). The word "observance" is the keyword here; the preacher is not merely a mouthpiece, but an exemplar. A preacher is ethically obliged to observe the word of God.

While many earnest preachers may come to believe their sermons are for other people, the wise and humble preacher dedicated to lifelong learning understands that the sermon exists as much for him as for the congregation. When preparing a sermon, a preacher operates on several different levels at once. First, the preacher applies the principle of faith in the spiritual preparation that welcomes the Holy Spirit—the anointing that can only come from faith and grace (Lloyd-Jones, 2011). Simultaneously, the preacher develops the sermon on the intellectual level. Drawing on what he already knows of scripture and on his training and practice in biblical scholarship, the sermon takes shape as a clear, academic, expository work that is transmitted to the congregation through language. Finally, the preacher functions on the emotional level while preparing the sermon. By reflecting on universal human experiences—the pain and suffering of the world, the struggles of individuals in the community, or the simple reality of sin and distance from God—the preacher brings heartfelt power to his message, reaching individuals in the audience and creating the potential to transform lives.

These mutually reinforcing levels of sermon preparation are personally transformative for the preacher, even before they are communicated to the congregation. If the sermon does not affect the preacher first, it may need to be revised and revitalized until it makes that meaningful impression. The preacher must internalize the message of the sermon as part of his work.

Preachers can also use their sermons—as well as the sermons of others—to learn ways to improve and to better represent Christ on earth. To reflect on the sermon is to practice humility and to build strength of character. "The importance of submitting yourself to the principles you teach cannot be overstated," (Fabarez, 2002, p. 27). Reflecting on the sermon is a distinct act from self-reflection; it is reflecting on the Bible in order to deepen dependence on God. Self-reflection remains important as well. When preparing sermons, the preacher can use the opportunity to look inward and discern ways to become a better person as well as a better preacher.

Sermon preparation begins and ends with scripture, but from there the preacher can reflect not only on the hermeneutics of textual correspondences but also on the conscious application of scripture to daily life. Some of this self-reflection occurs at the pulpit; at other times the preacher must reflect alone. Outside of a purely expository context, an earnest preacher can offer the congregation personal anecdotes that illustrate and humanize core concepts. By showing the congregation how biblical teaching can be applied to daily life, the preacher helps cultivate the humility and honesty required for effective Christian ministry. After all, the goal of the sermon is to invoke change in the world, and that change begins with the self. The preacher should therefore be prepared to apply the principles of the sermon to his own life. How can a preacher expect members of the congregation to react and respond to scripture if he has not done the same?

The somewhat sarcastic saying, "Do what I say, not what I do," may work for the lackadaisical parent, but not for the preacher. Jesus offers the strongest advice for the most astute of Christians: "So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach" (Matthew 23:3). To a degree, members of a congregation understand that the substantive content of a sermon is the word of God and that what the preacher does in his personal life is a separate matter. Even so, the preacher makes a grave error in assuming that his personal comportment has no bearing on the quality of his sermons or their effect on the community.

Not all members of the congregation are able to distinguish clearly between a preacher's words and his deeds. Especially for young and impressionable members, actions speak much louder than words. Adults may more easily ignore, tolerate, or forgive transgressions committed by a preacher who exhibits faults and failings. Young people often see right through the thin veneer of a preacher pretending to be what he is not. Preachers working with a substantial young population must remain especially vigilant about walking the walk.