If you have ever worked on a car or built a deck, you know the value of a good tool. With the right tool the work becomes easier and you see better results. The same is true for a pastor. We benefit from having good tools to help us.

Some of you may immediately think of tools like a good commentary or online study tools. These are great and we need those, but I’m thinking more along the lines of the ideas and questions we come across in our reading and study.

Sermon Tools

Over the years I have gathered many questions that I use regularly to help me better dig into the scripture I am preparing to preach. Referring to my pates of collected questions and processes has enhanced my sermon preparation. These are questions like:

1. What does it say?
2. What does it not say?
3. Could it mean what it says?

Sometimes I move through these three questions quickly, other times, if it is a difficult or controversial section of scripture, I tend to slow down and make sure these questions help clarify what God’s Word is truly saying.

One question that I have found helpful to me, especially because I am usually preaching to a congregation of all ages is:

4. “How will this sermon engage with a 12 – year – old boy?”

I want to preach to everyone, but if I can get a pre-teen boy to be engaged, I will most likely I will engage with the rest of the congregation as well.

Here are a sample of a few more questions:

1. How does this speak to unbelievers?
2. What is the audience’s thoughts, feelings, emotions, struggles, needs – relating to the big idea of this teaching segment or message?
3. What are some practical steps the listener can take?

One process I use is a diagram that helps me to move through a scripture passage in a way that moves my study from the text, to historical context, through the Biblical theology, to how it is fulfilled in Christ, and then to how we need to apply the scripture today. Following this process keeps me from taking a shortcut and miss an important step in clearly understanding what the scripture text is saying.

Prayer Tools

I have come across some great ideas for prayer, whether personal or corporate. In his book, The Hour that Changes the World, Dick Eastman suggests praying for an hour i12 periods of 5 minutes. I try to use this prayer plan about twice a week. The forms of prayer are: 1. Praise and worship 2. Waiting on the Lord 3. Confession 4. Praying scripture 5. Watching 6. Intercession 7. Petitions 8. Thanksgiving 9. Song 10. Meditation 11. Listening 12. Praise

I have used this one-hour prayer plan many times for myself as well as for a prayer group.

Pastoral Tools

One of the “tools” I need to remind myself of occasionally is to “move slowly through the crowd.” It is easy for me to have things on my mind and things to do, but there is benefit of moving slowly through the crowd prior to or after the Sunday morning service because it gives me opportunities to connect with people, or for them to stop me with a question or comment. It helps me to be more present in the moment and available to people.

I don’t know what tools you have gathered over the years that have helped equip you to improve your ministry and leadership, but I hope you have many. I would love to hear from you about the tools that help you. Send me an email to share some of your tools with me.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe