Preaching is one of the most important things I do in my role as pastor. People are giving me the ultimate gift: their time and attention. I want to honor that gift. I see the sermon as the beginning of a conversation. My hope is that it begins a conversation between me and the congregation, or between two people in the pews, or between a person and God.
When I stand in the pulpit, I offer my words with the hope that they might be a prelude to a deeper, richer, more fulfilling experience of Scripture, God, and oneself.