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Sinning in the pulpit

How to repent and preach at the same time

Bill White

Bio

Have you ever given into anger while you're in the pulpit? Or how about vanity? Have you ever stretched the truth while you were preaching in order to drive a point home—but then, inconveniently, the Spirit convicted you of it on the spot? It's a heart-sinking moment when you see yourself stumble into unholiness while you're preaching the holy Word of a holy God. That realization not only can fog your brain and paralyze your tongue, it can also overwhelm you with guilt and drain your sermon of power.

As preachers, we know we're sinners like everyone else. But we face a unique problem with sin—sometimes we become aware of it while we're preaching God's Word.

Of course, we've all sinned in the pulpit without realizing it. Our faith has been too small or our ego has been too large. But mostly we overlook these things in the passion of the sermon. The real awkwardness comes in those moments in the pulpit when the veil is pulled back and the Lord shows us our sin. What do we do right ...