Preaching

After delivering a carefully prepared sermon, a certain visiting preacher stood outside the Church alongside the pastor. There he received the usual accolades from many of the people who were filing out. It was the sort of ritual that occurs every week in many Churches. The preacher preaches and the people line up when its over to shake his hand and say, “I enjoyed the sermon.” This is what was taking place, until that visiting preacher was confronted by a parishioner who said, “That was a terrible sermon.” The clergyman kept his composure, even as he watched the man get back into the line so that he could have another shot at him. When the man came up the second time he said, “The stories you told in your sermon were dull and boring. I’ve been hearing them since I was a little boy.” This time the host pastor tried to redeem the embarrassing situation. He called his guest aside and whispered into his ear,…