by Drew Brattrud
Three friends were each trying to convince a fourth friend who was looking for a church to check out their church.
The first friend started in, “you will never hear a more powerful, dynamic preacher than my pastor. Every week I am on the edge of my seat. I cry, I shake with fear; it is like he is talking to my soul. You’ve got to come and be challenged by this powerful preaching!”
“Don’t listen to him, that’s too serious,” argued the second friend. “Come to my church. My pastor is hilarious. You cannot help but learn God’s word. His sense of humor has us rolling every week. He could have been a comedian, trust me, you will love him!”
After a brief pause the fourth friend wondered why the third friend did not say anything about his pastor’s preaching. “What about your pastor?” he asked.
“My pastor is not eloquent nor is he funny,” said the third friend. “He is unassuming and rather boring. But he believes in the 5 B’s of preaching and he lives by them.”
“Well what are those?” asked the friend who was looking for a church, “I have never heard of the 5 B’s.”
“Be Brief Brother, Be Brief…He never exceeds 20 minutes and I am home every week in time for the game.”
And with that the fourth friend made up his mind. He joined the third friend in his appreciation of the 5 Bs of preaching at his church!
Here’s the lesson from this humorous story:
When it comes to preaching, be powerful!
If you can’t be powerful, be funny.
If you can’t be funny, be brief!
Drew Brattrud is Lead Pastor of Riverside Christian Assembly in Riverside, California.
