Get More from Sermon Listening

by Kim Arthur

Over the years, I’ve found that two simple, yet essential, changes to my approach of listening have enabled me to be more engaged with every sermon no matter the teacher or the text. Most importantly, these practices have led to God’s Word impacting my life long after the 40 minutes of any sermon.

Listening as a Prayerer 

As obvious as this might sound, praying in faith has been the number one thing to dramatically change how I experience worship gatherings–and in particular, how I listen to sermons. I used to treat Sunday worship as a happy item to check off my list–something I simply assumed should be in my weekly rhythms without giving it much thought or preparation. Sunday looked like sleeping in a bit if I was lucky, getting dressed, heading over to church to fellowship with my friends, singing worship songs, listening to a sermon on a Bible passage (hopefully one I hadn’t heard taught multiple times before), and then, leaving without much more extended thought about what was sung or taught until the following Sunday. 

Planting a church years ago kickstarted my intentionality in praying before, during and after worship gatherings. I began praying for the gatherings themselves, for myself, for those sitting around me, for the worship leaders, for the preacher, for guests–for everyone, including me, to experience more of the Holy Spirit’s presence as we worshipped. I began praying that God would capture my mind’s attention and my heart’s affection as I heard the Word preached. I looked around the room and prayed that prayer for the individuals gathered with me. Becoming more prayerful helped me be more attentive, expectant and engaged no matter the topic, passage or preaching style. I realized that experiencing God through His Word isn’t as much about the personality or style of a preacher as much as it is about my intentionality to listen in faith and prayer.

I realized that experiencing God through His Word isn’t as much about the personality or style of a preacher as much as it is about my intentionality to listen in faith with prayer.

So as we head into Sunday worship, I am praying for you and me that:

“the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength.” Ephesians 1:17-19

Listening as a Disciple-Maker (Not Only to Learn but to Teach)

I once heard a passage taught three times in one week, and somehow it wasn’t monotonous! See, my pastor was also my boss as well as one of my seminary professors. This week, he had taught on the passage in Sunday Worship, elaborated more during our weekly staff meeting, and then proceeded to teach on it for my seminary class. My pastor-boss-professor jokingly acknowledged the hazardous potential for those of us on his church staff to be tempted to doze off thinking we already knew it all. That’s when he challenged us with something that continues to impact how I listen to sermons. 

He exorted us to listen to every single teaching not only as learners but as teachers. See, when we listen like a passive audience, we will have the tendency to let the teaching simply wash over us and go in one ear and out the other. On the other hand, if we listen actively as if we plan to re-teach the content to someone someday, we 1) are more likely to internalize the Word and 2) are more likely to engage the teaching as we consider how we can reshare this teaching? We consider how can I remember these points? How can I explain this to my unbelieving friend?

Even if you aren’t a minister or would ever consider yourself a Bible teacher, Jesus still calls you along with each of His disciples to be disciple-makers:

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.” –Matthew 28:19-20

Jesus’ commission isn’t reserved just for seminarians, missionaries, church staff, elder boards, Bible teachers…listening for ourselves and for others is an essential part of living out our calling as Christians. So, as we head into Sunday worship, I encourage you to join me in being prayerful throughout the gathering and to listen to the sermon with an intention to reteach the Word to others one day in some way.

Jesus’ commission isn’t reserved just for seminarians, missionaries, church staff, elder boards, Bible teachers…listening and learning for ourselves and for others is an essential part of living out our calling as Christians.