I have been told before that my preaching can sometimes sound more like a commentary than a sermon. A Bible commentary explains the meaning of a passage by focusing on the language, historical background, and theological framework of the text. Its goal is to show how Scripture fits together and what it teaches about God, faith, and life. While this kind of explanation is valuable, some people are looking for preaching that goes a step further by clearly answering the question, “How does this apply to my life today?” This desire is not wrong. 

Preaching should connect what is ancient and timeless in Scripture to what is current and relevant in our lives. However, I have noticed a growing trend among those who are academically trained or theologically astute, people who know the biblical languages, historical background, and theological framework, who become disinterested in preaching that revisits these foundations. Instead, they often wait for a fresh angle or a novel insight from the passage, something they have not considered before.

The other group is the congregant who is new to Christ, naturally simple, or who, like me at times, struggles with comprehension. For them, spending too much time on historical background or original languages can create distance, not because they are uninterested, but because they become overwhelmed and give up trying to follow what is being said. In this way, both the academically trained and the more simple listener can end up in the dark, though for very different reasons.

I have heard both perspectives, and at times it feels as though I am being pulled to choose one side over the other. People may not be asking that explicitly, but the tension is still there. My desire is to be an encouragement rather than a distraction, and to genuinely connect with those I minister to. Yet what matters most is remaining faithful to the task God has given me and being true to who I am. I may sound like a commentary at times, and I am aware that I am not the most polished or articulate speaker, and this is not a “woe is me” complaint. There are different levels of gifting, and I am not going to be John Piper, R. C. Sproul, or Charles Spurgeon. 

One problem today, however, is that many people compare their local pastor to podcast preachers or YouTube personalities they will never actually know or meet. That comparison can keep them in the dark, because it overlooks the reality that preaching is done by ordinary men. No matter how large or small the platform, it is only a footstool before the Lord, and we are all His servants. These issues create what I call potentially a new dark age.

Even so, the Dark Ages remind us that “darkness” does not mean the absence of truth or faith. After Rome’s collapse, learning and culture declined, yet the church preserved Scripture, protected wisdom, and carried the gospel forward through ordinary, faithful people. In the same way, faithfulness does not depend on polish, platforms, or novelty, but on ordinary servants stewarding God’s Word in their time and place, trusting that the Lord works through what seems small to sustain His people and advance His purposes.

I have found myself wanting to grow as a preacher, but I have also had to examine my motives. Is my desire to improve driven by a genuine aim to help people learn and be challenged, or is it rooted in issues of self-esteem? This is something I have to wrestle with whenever I consider reading a book on preaching or talking with other pastors about it. I need to keep in mind both the theological thinker and the person who thinks more practically. In the end, what matters most is faithfulness and being true to who I am. We should preach through our own personality and vulnerability, because God has uniquely wired each of us, and being ourselves is often the clearest and most meaningful way to present the truth to those we serve.

We will never be “good enough” in the sense that no amount of effort will bring our preaching to the level of Christ’s own teaching and presentation of truth. That reality is humbling for every preacher, but it is also freeing. No matter which side others may try to push us toward, striving to be faithful and authentic is what truly matters. Even if we never reach the level of the great preachers of history, faithfulness and authenticity place us in the same posture as they had. We are all students under the Master, the Lord of lords, who is Himself the Word and the very reason we preach.