Augustine's Wisdom on Impactful Preaching

My fellow laborer and servant in Christ,

Thank you for your kind words concerning my humble gift to God's Holy Church, De Doctrina Christiana. I feel all too keenly just how far short this humble volume falls away from the glory of Christ and the blessed Church that bears His name.

I am sincerely grateful to our Lord that this concise handbook for preachers has demonstrated usefulness in your ministry. This alone fulfills my purpose for having written it. I am both humbled and pleased to learn that you are striving to apply any wisdom that may be found for beneficial outcomes in your ministry.

Since you have written to ask how you might use this little volume to train others for the ministry of the holy scriptures, I here summarize my thoughts that they may be more easily apprehended by those you undertake to mentor.

First, I encourage every preacher to let Scripture shape his soul before it shapes his sermons. Teach them to immerse themselves in the Bible, not to gather bare facts, but to let its voice become theirs. Whether in the confession room, the parlor, or from the pulpit, their words should reflect a mind “soaked in the thoughts of God.”

Sermon preparation is a prayerful, meditative practice that nurtures the preacher's heart and mind. Please encourage them to linger over the text.

This occurs in private, through prayer, meditation, and wrestling with the text. They must learn to preach to themselves first, before they would presume to preach to others. Preaching to oneself occurs in study; we bathe our study in prayer, we meditate upon the words of scripture as we examine them, and we listen to the Holy Spirit as the text of scripture comes alive in our hearts and minds.

Second, they must make every effort to speak clearly and simply when they proclaim the Word. Wisdom and intelligibility are far more critical than rhetorical flair, which exposes the preacher to prideful thoughts when he is widely acclaimed as a powerful and entertaining preacher. The preacher's goal is never to dazzle or entertain. It is to be understood. Speak in such a way that the common people will understand and obey. But do not lean on your own skills to accomplish this. Instead, lean on prayer and the ministry of the Spirit to bridge the gap between your words and your listeners’ hearts.

Finally, insist that their sermons aim for transformation, not applause. The preacher must always press for one thing: to move listeners toward love for God and neighbor. Every sermon should point to this goal, whether from a psalm or a parable.

This places a great responsibility on you: you must know your people, walk with them, hear their struggles, and counsel their doubts. Teach those you mentor that their hands-on care for His flock will vitalize their preaching because they will know how to connect the text to their lives.

A transformed congregation, marked by greater love, is the true measure of your preaching’s success.

Let me close by restating: a preacher’s power lies in a life aligned with Scripture, a commitment to clarity, and a passion for transformation. Let this small wisdom be their guide, and God will use their words to build His church.

• Saturate yourself in Scripture: Spend time daily in the Word, letting it shape your heart before your sermons.

• Pray fervently: Seek God’s help to speak wisely and move your listeners toward love.

• Know your flock: Invest in relationships to make your preaching relevant and transformative.

In His Service, unto His Glory, I remain sincerely yours.

© 2025 All Rights Reserved Lavern Brown