Breaking Free from the Condemnation Trap.
Modern preaching is meant to proclaim good news — the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings freedom, hope, and new life. Yet, many pastors and teachers have noticed a troubling trend: sermons can slip into a condemnation trap, a pattern of communication that leaves hearers feeling judged and burdened rather than uplifted by grace. One writer describes this “spirit of condemnation” as what happens “when a minister regularly tears down and beats up a congregation,” motivating people with shame instead of grace. gracefountainoflifetm.com.
In other words, the pulpit can tragically turn into a place to vent frustration or belittle people rather than to feed and encourage them. The result? Congregants walk away feeling “beat up and condemned rather than inspired and encouraged,” as one observer put it. Over time, this pattern can poison a church’s atmosphere just as surely as toxins poison soil. Romans 8:1 – “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (NIV)
The tragedy of the condemnation trap is that it directly contradicts the heart of the Gospel. Scripture proclaims, “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” – enrichmentjournal.ag.org. Jesus did not come to condemn the world, but to save it (John 3:17). If preaching devolves into constant accusation, only telling people how sinful they are without offering the remedy of grace, it fails to communicate the very “Good News” that makes Christian preaching unique.
As an Assemblies of God publication noted, “If our only message is the horror of sin, then all we have to offer is death.” Sin does bring judgment, “but…there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” influencemagazine.com. God “calls the Church to be a school for sinners and a family for the forgiven. It must not feel like a platform for the perfect.”influencemagazine.com In other words, preaching must create an environment where broken people can find hope, not despair.
Why, then, do sincere ministers fall into the condemnation trap? Often, it’s not out of ill intent but from misguided zeal or personal struggle. A preacher burdened by unresolved anger or disappointment may unintentionally lash out in sermons (we’ll discuss later why preaching from personal anger is so dangerous).
Other times, a deep desire for holiness can morph into an overemphasis on human sinfulness without equally emphasising God’s redemptive power. Yes, faithfulness to Scripture requires addressing sin and calling for repentance. But biblical preaching doesn’t stop at “all have sinned” — it goes on to “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ!” (see Romans 7:25) and “no condemnation now in Christ” (Romans 8:1). A sermon that highlights humanity’s fallenness while neglecting God’s gracious rescue is incomplete at best, and spiritually crushing at worst influencemagazine.com.
Breaking free from this trap is essential for any pastor, teacher, or evangelist who truly cares for their flock. This chapter will explore four key shifts, a roadmap to move from condemning sermons to life-giving sermons filled with Gospel hope.
These four steps are:
1. Ground your sermons in stories rather than rigid points. (Learning from Jesus’ example of storytelling to convey truth.)
2. Spend more time engaging with people than just studying alone. (Letting pastoral connection and real-life insight inform your messages.)
3. Preach with empathy by imagining yourself as the hearer. (Shaping tone and content that speak to hearts as well as minds.)
4. Never preach from a place of unresolved anger or personal frustration. (Ensuring you speak out of a healed, loving heart, not out of bitterness.)
In the sections ahead, we’ll unpack each of these steps in depth. We’ll dive into Scripture, especially Paul’s powerful teaching in Romans 8:1–4 to see how the Gospel itself models a message of freedom over condemnation. We’ll hear insights from both Reformed theology and the Pentecostal tradition (Assemblies of God), showing that across the spectrum of Christian thought, there’s a shared call to preach grace and truth together. Along the way, we’ll consider illustrations from church life, both positive examples and cautionary tales, to bring these principles to life. Each major section will end with reflection questions for you (and perhaps your team or study group) to ponder as you apply these concepts to your own ministry context.
Before we dive in, take a moment to reflect on your own preaching or teaching experience. Have there been times you’ve leaned more on pointing out what’s wrong with people than on pointing them to what God has made right in Christ? If so, don’t be discouraged; by identifying the tendency, you’re already on the road to a solution. The Holy Spirit can help you recalibrate your preaching compass toward the true north of the Gospel, the message of mercy, reconciliation, and hope (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19).
Reflection and Discussion Questions – Introduction.
• Think of a sermon (yours or someone else’s) that left you feeling condemned or hopeless. What elements of that message contributed to that feeling?
• In contrast, recall a time when preaching left you feeling convicted but also inspired by God’s grace. What was different in that approach?
• Read Romans 8:1–4. How would you summarise the “good news” of this passage in your own words? Why must this message of “no condemnation” saturate our preaching?
No Condemnation – The Liberating Good News (Romans 8:1–4).
Before we look at practical steps, we must firmly grasp the theological core that drives life-giving preaching. Romans 8:1–4 declares the why behind our freedom to preach Good News instead of doom. In these verses the apostle Paul, coming off a raw admission of the struggle with sin in Romans 7, erupts with a triumphant conclusion: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). This single sentence encapsulates the gospel’s liberating heart.
What does “no condemnation” mean? In a legal sense, to be condemned is to be declared guilty and deserving of punishment. No condemnation, then, means that for those joined to Christ, there is no guilty verdict and no impending punishment from God. In Christ, the ultimate court has already convened and declared us justified – “not guilty” – because Jesus took our guilt on Himself. One Reformed preacher exulted that the Christian “can never be condemned; he can never come into a state of condemnation again…. being justified, he can never again come under condemnation. That is the meaning of ‘no. It means ‘Never.”
John Calvin similarly noted that all who are united to Jesus by the Spirit “are beyond the danger or the chance of condemnation, however burdened they may yet be with sins” studylight.org. In other words, our standing before God is secure not because we are sinless, but because Jesus’ righteousness covers us. We may still stumble and fight against sin, but as long as we are in Christ, “the believer is still justified” even when the internal conflict rages” spurgeon.org.
How is this possible? Paul explains in Romans 8:2–4 that what the law could not do (because our flesh was too weak to fulfil it), God did by sending His Son. Jesus bore our condemnation on the cross – “God… condemned sin in the flesh” of Christ (Romans 8:3). The condemnation that our sins deserved was exhausted on Jesus’ body at Calvary. He became our substitute. The great exchange took place, our sin was laid on Him, and in turn His righteousness is credited to us – enrichmentjournal.ag.org
This is what theologians (Reformed and otherwise) call substitutionary atonement and imputed righteousness. Because of this finished work, believers are not condemned – their sin has already been condemned in Christ’s flesh. What remains for us is not punishment, but new power, “the law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).
The Holy Spirit now empowers us to live in a way we never could before. Romans 8:4 says that God’s purpose was “that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” In other words, rather than fear of punishment producing holiness (a method that failed), God’s grace and Spirit produce a true righteousness in us from the inside out.
This profound truth must saturate our preaching. When we preach to people who are in Christ, we are addressing those whom God has cleared of condemnation and filled with His Spirit. Our tone and content should consistently reflect that reality. That means we do still speak against sin and urge repentance – but always as insiders to God’s grace, not outsiders under His wrath.
We address sin as a doctor addresses a treatable illness, not as a judge pronouncing a sentence. If we only rail against sin without reminding people of the cure, we leave them under a weight of guilt they cannot carry. Instead, we announce the cure – Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection have dealt with sin’s penalty, and His Spirit enables us to overcome sin’s power.
Both Reformed and Pentecostal voices emphasise this liberating focus. The Reformed tradition cherishes justification by faith alone – the assurance that we stand accepted because of Christ’s merit, not our own. For example, Charles Spurgeon rejoiced that even though the believer “has to do his utmost even to hold his ground” against sin, he can still say, “there is no condemnation to me, for I am in Christ Jesus.” spurgeon.org
Likewise, in the Assemblies of God, there is a strong emphasis on the fact that salvation is a work of God’s grace from start to finish, not our human striving. George O. Wood, a Pentecostal leader, illustrated this with a personal story – As a boy, he once faced a whipping for misbehaviour, but his older brother stepped in and offered to take the punishment for him. Wood reflects that if his father had accepted this offer, hearing his innocent brother sob under the strap would have marked him forever. He says the “memory of my brother’s suffering would be an antidote to misbehaviour” enrichmentjournal.ag.org – he would never want to commit that offense again, knowing the pain it caused his brother. In the end, the father did not allow the substitution, but in the story of the gospel, our Father did. God allowed His innocent Son to suffer in our place. If we truly grasp that, it breeds love and gratitude that make us desire to obey God. Grace, when rightly understood, “teaches us to say No to ungodliness” (Titus 2:12) far more effectively than threats do.
For the preacher, this means that every sermon should, at some point, shine a light on God’s redemptive power at work. We do not preach to condemn those in Christ; we preach to call them higher, to invite them to live out what Christ has already secured for them. Even when we speak to those who have not yet received Christ, our message is one of invitation, not simply accusation – we are heralds announcing that the prison door has been opened by Jesus. There is hope!
Paul’s exclamation in Romans 8:1, “no condemnation now,” should echo frequently in our preaching so that believers are constantly reminded of the joy and freedom of their standing in Christ. This provides a healthy context even for the hard truths; a sermon on a challenging moral issue, for example, must still somehow point back to God’s grace to forgive and transform, lest it become merely a rant on human depravity.
When this gospel foundation is clear in our own hearts, it transforms the way we communicate. Instead of using the Bible like a hammer to break people down, we use it as the key to open their shackles. We become more like the risen Jesus speaking to the downcast disciples on the Emmaus road, setting their hearts “burning within them” with hope, rather than like the Pharisees who “tie up heavy, cumbersome loads” of guilt and refuse to help lift them.
With this theology firmly in mind, we can now turn to the practical steps that help us avoid condemnation in our preaching.
The following four shifts in approach will help ensure that our tone remains redemptive and our content truly life-giving, in line with the glorious gospel of no condemnation.
Reflection and Discussion Questions – The Good News of No Condemnation.
• In your own words, what does it mean that there is “no condemnation” for those in Christ? How should this truth affect the way you preach about sin and grace?
• Why is it important to discuss sin and the need for repentance within the framework of the gospel (the finished work of Christ), rather than as separate from it?
• Think of a recent sermon or lesson you gave; did it clearly communicate the hope of “no condemnation” through Christ? If not, how could you more deliberately weave that assurance into your message?
1. Ground Sermons in Stories Rather Than Rigid Points.
There is a reason Jesus taught profound truths by telling stories. From the parable of the Prodigal Son to the Good Samaritan, our Lord’s primary mode of teaching was narrative, not a three-point outline. Why? Because stories engage the heart. They sneak past our defences and allow truth to unfold in a way that invites listeners in rather than shutting them down. In contrast, a sermon that is structured as a list of rigid points or moral directives can unintentionally take on a scolding tone. It may be theologically correct, yet it often fails to connect.
As one communication expert observes, “People remember stories more than points.” In fact, most people won’t recall your three sub-points 48 hours later, “but what people do remember is a compelling narrative. They remember great stories.” If our preaching is essentially an “instruction manual” of do’s and don’ts, it might inform people’s minds, but it likely won’t capture their imagination or stir their soul.
Grounding a sermon in story means we present truth in the context of real life, whether through biblical narratives, personal anecdotes, historical examples, or hypothetical scenarios that mirror the listener’s experience. For example, consider how the prophet Nathan confronted King David’s grievous sin (2 Samuel 12). Nathan didn’t begin by shouting, “You are an adulterer and murderer!” (though that was true). Instead, he told David a story about a rich man who stole a poor man’s beloved lamb. That story pierced David’s heart and prompted his repentance – then Nathan revealed, “You are the man!” The narrative paved the way for conviction without a spirit of condemnation. Similarly, when we address sin or challenge in our sermons today, wrapping the principle in a relatable story can soften hearts to receive the truth. It moves the hearer from feeling attacked to feeling understood and seen.
Both Reformed and Pentecostal traditions can appreciate this approach. The Reformed famed preacher C.H. Spurgeon was a master storyteller in the pulpit, often painting vivid word pictures and using illustrations from everyday life to illuminate doctrine. In Pentecostal and Assemblies of God circles, it’s common for preachers to share testimonies – real-life stories of God’s grace – during their messages. These testimonies aren’t just filler; they powerfully demonstrate the gospel in action. A story of a marriage restored or a life changed by Christ can communicate God’s mercy more persuasively than a dozen abstract statements about grace. Stories show rather than merely tell.
Importantly, grounding a sermon in the story doesn’t mean avoiding Scripture – it means embracing the narrative nature of Scripture itself. Much of the Bible is story. The gospel we preach is the story of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Rather than reducing the Christian life to a list of rules, we should help people see themselves in the grand story God is writing – creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. When people locate their own struggles and hopes within God’s redemptive story, they begin to sense that the message is for them, not just directed at them.
Practically, we can apply this by structuring our sermons more narratively. Try weaving your points into an ongoing illustration or journey throughout the sermon. For instance, instead of “Point 1, Point 2, Point 3,” you might introduce a central story or scenario at the beginning and revisit it as you unpack biblical truth. This way, the sermon feels like a voyage of discovery rather than a lecture. Even complex theological concepts can often be explained through analogy or story (Jesus himself explained the kingdom of God by saying, “It’s like a mustard seed…” etc.). By doing this, we reduce the sense of condemnation in our tone because we’re not merely pronouncing edicts from on high; we’re walking with our listeners through situations where truth becomes clear.
Additionally, storytelling in preaching conveys a tone of humility and empathy. When you share a personal story – perhaps about a mistake you made or a struggle you had – you humanise yourself. The congregation no longer sees a preacher who is “above” them pointing down in judgment, but a fellow traveller who has also needed God’s grace. This fosters a grace-filled atmosphere.
Contrast two approaches on a topic like prayerlessness: one preacher might give three points on “Why you fail at prayer” (which could easily make hearers feel guilty and condemned). Another might begin with a self-deprecating story about his own distracted prayer life, then narrate how he discovered a fresh approach to prayer through a relatable circumstance. The same biblical truths about prayer can be taught, but through story, the tone shifts from condemnation (“Shame on you for not praying”) to invitation (“I’ve struggled too; let’s grow in this together”).
So ground your next sermon in a story. Let the truth unfold in a narrative arc. Open with an illustration that mirrors your congregation’s questions or pain. Use the power of metaphor and image that God has laced throughout Scripture. As you do, you will likely find that people are more attentive, and their hearts are more open. They will see the Good News in action, not just hear about it in theory. And importantly, a story-wrapped message makes it harder for the listener to feel that the preacher is simply condemning them; instead, they are more apt to feel that God understands them and is inviting them into a journey of change.
Reflection and Discussion Questions – Storytelling in Preaching.
• Think of one of Jesus’ parables that has impacted you. What did you learn from the story that you might not have learned from a straightforward lecture on the topic?
• When you prepare sermons, do you tend to default to outlines and abstract points? How could you incorporate at least one strong narrative or illustration to reinforce your message?
• Recall a sermon or lesson where you used a personal story or testimony. How did the audience respond compared to a more point-by-point sermon? What does this tell you about the importance of storytelling?
2. Spend More Time Engaging with People than Studying Alone.
Sermon preparation involves more than books, commentaries, and closed-door study. It also involves people. While deep study of Scripture is non-negotiable for a faithful preacher, an equally important part of sermon prep happens outside the study – in living rooms, coffee shops, hospital rooms, and everyday conversations. Great preachers throughout history have understood that they must exegete their congregation as well as exegete the biblical text. In simple terms, this means learning the hearts of the people you serve, their struggles, questions, fears, and hopes. If we spend all our time isolated with our books and none with our flock, we risk delivering messages that are theologically rich but relationally poor – accurate in doctrine but misaimed in application.
Jesus himself modelled this “with the people” approach. He didn’t remain in the synagogue studying scrolls all day; He walked among the people, ate in their homes, attended their weddings and funerals, and listened to their stories. “When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). It was in seeing and interacting with people that Jesus’ heart went out to them. Likewise, when we as preachers truly see our people – when we know that Jim just lost his job, that Susan is battling depression, that the young couple in the third row is struggling with infertility – it changes how we preach. Our tone shifts from abstract rebuke to personal concern. We’re no longer preaching to caricatures; we’re preaching to friends we care about.
A pastor once wisely said that shepherds should smell like their sheep. In other words, if we’re really shepherding, we’ll be close enough to the people that we carry the “scent” of their everyday lives. Practically, this might mean prioritising time each week to be among your congregation in informal settings. Visit a family for dinner, hang out with the youth at their sports game, volunteer at a community event, or simply call a church member to ask how they’re doing.
These interactions are not distractions from the holy work of preaching; they are part of the holy work. As one church consultant noted, “People cannot be scolded into Christian service. They can be won with compassion and community.” – christianitytoday.com Engaging with people allows you to preach with your congregation, not at them. It fosters the compassion and community that opens hearts to the gospel.
Engaging with people also helps you tailor your messages so they truly meet the needs of the listeners. A sermon prepared in a vacuum might answer questions no one is asking. For example, a preacher could spend 10 hours crafting an eloquent discourse on a nuanced theological point, but if he hasn’t spent time to discover that his congregation is weary and anxious about real-life issues, he might miss the mark. On the other hand, a pastor who regularly listens to the flock might realise that many people are, say, anxious about an upcoming election, or confused about how to apply Christian forgiveness in family conflicts. Knowing this, the pastor can prayerfully shape sermons that speak directly to those concerns. The biblical text and the audience’s context connect. The result is preaching that “reads the mail” of the congregation, often leaving hearers feeling, “Wow, it’s like you were speaking right to me.” In truth, it’s the Holy Spirit using the preacher’s attentiveness to people’s lives to deliver a timely word.
In contrast, a preacher disconnected from his people might unintentionally preach over their heads or past their hearts. In such a scenario, it’s easy for frustration to creep in (“Why aren’t they getting this? Why aren’t they changing?”), leading to a tone that borders on condemnation. The remedy is connection. When you spend ample time with your people, you understand them better, you love them more, and your preaching takes on a gentle authority that commands attention without resorting to scolding.
In summary, engaging with people is a form of sermon preparation. It keeps our preaching grounded, compassionate, and targeted. It builds a bridge of trust, so that when we do challenge or exhort from the pulpit, people know it’s coming from a place of love, not irritation. By leaving the solitary confinement of our studies and stepping into the lives of our flock, we become shepherds who lead and feed the sheep rather than judges who berate them. Our sermons then become guided tours toward Christlikeness, not tirades from an ivory tower.
Reflection and Discussion Questions – Knowing Your People.
• How well do you know the specific struggles and questions of the people in your congregation or audience? What is one practical step you can take this week to listen to them better (e.g. a visit, a conversation)?
• Can you recall a time when an informal interaction or story from someone in your church directly influenced a sermon you preached? What was the outcome?
• Evaluate your recent sermons, do they reflect a deep understanding of your listeners’ lives, or could those messages have been preached the same way to a completely different audience? How might engaging more with people make your preaching more empathetic and targeted?
3. Preach with Empathy by Imagining Yourself as the Hearer.
The third shift is to consciously put yourself in your listeners’ shoes. Preaching with empathy means that as you prepare and deliver your message, you imagine how it would sound to someone sitting in the pews. Ask yourself: If I were listening to this, in the circumstances many of my people are in, how would it make me feel? Would I feel loved and guided toward God or simply attacked and discouraged? Empathy guards us from inadvertently becoming harsh or aloof. It causes us to choose words and examples that build up rather than beat down.
We’ve all heard the Golden Rule – “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31). In preaching, this translates to preach to others as you would have someone preach to you. If you were struggling with a certain sin or burden, how would you want a pastor to address it? Likely with honesty, yes, but also with understanding and hope. No one wants to be yelled at or shamed; we all respond better to truth delivered in love. Scripture reinforces this: “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). Truth without love ceases to be fully true in its intent because it misrepresents the heart of God. James 3:17 reminds us that the wisdom from above is not only pure but also “peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy.” That’s a beautiful description of an empathetic approach to sharing God’s Word.
Practically, preaching with empathy involves listening to your own sermon with the ears of various listeners. As you prepare, think about the different people who will hear you, the new believer who is insecure about their failures, the long-time church member who might be growing complacent, the teenager who’s sceptical, the single parent hanging on by a thread, the person who isn’t a Christian at all. Then, tailor your tone and content to speak to those hearts. For example, if you’re preaching on holiness, the complacent might need a firmer challenge, but the insecure new believer might need reassurance that God is patient and at work in them. Your sermon can address both, but only if you’ve empathised with both. You might say to the struggling believer, “God isn’t condemning you – He’s helping you get back up,” while still urging the need for growth. The same message carries different nuances of grace for different hearers.
One effective exercise is to preach the message to yourself first. Let it search your own heart. If you find it doesn’t apply to you at all, maybe it’s coming more from a place of personal bias or frustration rather than from God’s heart. But when it does apply, let it humble and correct you, and also encourage you with the gospel. As the Puritans used to advise, “Preach first to your own heart.” When you’ve been convicted by the Word and comforted by the Word in private, you’ll come to the pulpit with a compassionate authority. You won’t sound like an angry judge; you’ll sound like a fellow sinner saved by grace, inviting others to find the grace you’ve found. Listeners can tell the difference. They lean in when they sense the preacher empathises with their weakness because he has tasted his own and found God’s strength.
Empathy in preaching also means avoiding unnecessary hurt. Sometimes, a phrase or joke that seems fine to us could deeply wound someone in the crowd if we’re not careful. For instance, making a light remark about “typical family dynamics” might accidentally sting those from broken homes. Or using an illustration that assumes everyone has children could make a childless couple feel overlooked. An empathetic preacher scans his words for these unintended barbs. This doesn’t mean tiptoeing around truth – it means delivering truth in a way that people know we care. If a spiritual “surgery” is needed, we still perform it, but we use anaesthesia. In preaching, empathy is that anaesthesia – it softens the blow so that the truth can be received, not rejected in pain.
Jesus is our model. Think of how tenderly He spoke to the woman caught in adultery, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” He neither condoned her sin nor crushed her spirit. Or consider His approach to the fallen Peter after the resurrection – Jesus didn’t berate Peter for denying Him; He gently restored him (“Do you love me? … Feed my sheep”). Christ shows us that empathy and holiness are not opposites; in fact, empathy is often the path to holiness. People are far more likely to open their lives to correction when they sense the one correcting them is for them and understands them.
A lack of empathy in preaching was one of Jesus’ chief criticisms of the religious leaders of His day. They tied up heavy burdens of law on people’s backs but wouldn’t lift a finger to help (Matthew 23:4). They had truth (in a sense) but no compassion, and Jesus denounced that approach in the strongest terms. We must not fall into the same trap. If we thunder about moral laws but do nothing to help people walk in them, or if our preaching makes wounded people feel despair instead of hope, we are not reflecting our Saviour’s heart. On the contrary, God says of the Messiah, “A bruised reed He will not break, and a smouldering wick He will not snuff out” (Isaiah 42:3). Are our sermons gentle enough that they won’t break the bruised reeds in the audience?
When we preach with empathy, we create a safe space for conviction. People are more willing to let the Word expose their sin when they are confident the preacher (and ultimately God) isn’t out to humiliate them but to heal them. Empathy does not mean watering down truth; it means delivering the full truth with a full heart. This transforms the atmosphere from one of condemnation to one of invitation – “Taste and see that the Lord is good; He understands your weakness and offers grace to help you in time of need.”
Reflection and Discussion Questions – Empathetic Preaching.
• Think of a time you felt particularly understood by a sermon or Bible lesson. What did the speaker do or say that made you think, “They really get what I’m going through”?
• When crafting a message, how intentionally do you consider the perspectives of different listeners (e.g. new Christians, mature believers, sceptics, people in pain)? What is one step you could take to incorporate those perspectives more?
• Review one of your recent sermons for tone. If you were the listener, would you feel guided or bludgeoned? What might you change in wording or approach to increase the empathy factor without compromising truth?
4. Never Preach from Unresolved Anger or Personal Frustration.
This final step is a heart-check – ensure that when you step into the pulpit, you are not carrying unresolved anger, bitterness, or personal frustration that will seep into your message. Few things can derail a sermon’s grace-filled impact more than the preacher’s own unchecked anger. An angry preacher may hardly realise it, but their tone and words can start sounding like a verbal beating. One pastor described the tragic shift: “The pulpit becomes a place to vent, to accuse, to belittle… He beats the sheep instead of feeding them.” – joemckeever.com. If we find ourselves frequently yelling at or berating our congregation, it’s time to pause and ask: What’s going on in my heart?
The Bible is clear that human anger is dangerous in ministry. “Man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires,” says James 1:20. We might justify our anger as “righteous indignation,” and indeed there is a proper anger toward sin and injustice that a preacher can express at times. But even righteous anger must be carefully controlled and rare. Much of our anger, if we’re honest, is not truly righteous – it’s mixed with our ego, impatience, or hurt. That kind of anger in the pulpit produces spiritual harm, not righteousness. It often stems from frustration – maybe the church isn’t growing as we hoped, or people aren’t responding to our leadership, or we feel disrespected. If we don’t deal with those feelings before God, they will leak out as scolding, sarcasm, or harsh jabs during sermons.
So, what to do? Never preach while your spirit is hot with anger. If something or someone has made you mad, take it to prayer (and perhaps a wise confidant) before you take it to the pulpit. It’s better to adjust your sermon or even postpone addressing a contentious issue than to unleash from a place of rage. Ephesians 4:26 says, “In your anger do not sin” and “do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.” In practice, that means resolving anger quickly. If you had a conflict on Saturday, don’t carry it into Sunday’s message. Preach from a place of peace as much as possible.
One helpful habit is to pray specifically for love for your congregation before you preach – especially if you’re about to tackle a topic that frustrates you. Ask God to search your heart for any vindictiveness or bitterness. Sometimes, simply acknowledging to God (and yourself), “Lord, I’m upset about this situation; please help me not to take it out on the people,” can diffuse the intensity. Remember, your task is to speak for God, not to use God’s platform to air your personal grievances.
It’s also wise to differentiate personal frustration from a true prophetic burden. A prophetic burden (like an urge to address a sin in the church) will still be motivated by love and a desire to see repentance and healing. Personal frustration tends to be more about us – our wounded pride or annoyance. For example, say attendance has been low and you feel hurt by it. Preaching an angry sermon on “not forsaking the assembly” while secretly lashing out at those who skipped church is likely to backfire. Your message will carry a resentful subtext and people will sense it. By contrast, if your heart is truly burdened by love for those drifting away, you’ll approach the topic much differently, maybe through gentle exhortation and sincere concern rather than shame and guilt-tripping.
Anger also often generalises and escalates. If a pastor is angry at one church ministry team leader or one gossiping individual, preaching in that state can lead to throwing haymakers at the whole congregation – vague rebukes like “some of you are so unfaithful…” The 90% who are innocent get bruised, and the actual offender might not even realise they were the target. This breeds resentment and fear. People may start to feel the church is a minefield where any misstep could get them publicly shamed from the pulpit. That is the opposite of a grace atmosphere. It’s spiritual abuse, even if unintentional.
On the flip side, preaching from a healed and peaceful heart exudes mercy and strength. When a preacher is secure in God’s love and has released anger through forgiveness, their words can be firm but life-giving. They can address sin honestly without that toxic edge. The congregation senses the difference, they feel corrected by God’s Word, not attacked by the preacher. Even hard truths are received more readily when conveyed by someone who clearly isn’t out to hurt. As Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” A gentle spirit in the preacher can help turn away the potential anger or defensiveness of the listeners, too.
Moreover, maintaining emotional self-control is part of walking in the Spirit. One Assemblies of God writer pointed out that anger is not a fruit of the Spirit, but self-control isinfluencemagazine.com. Those led by the Spirit will keep their anger in check. A preacher under the Spirit’s influence might still speak passionately or even forcefully when needed but will not descend into fleshly vitriol.
Ultimately, our goal is to preach from a heart of love. Love for God, love for His Word, and love for His people. Even when we hate the sin that is harming our flock, we must be like a doctor who hates the disease but deeply cares for the patient. Before preaching, it’s worth asking: Is my heart tender toward these people? Do I earnestly desire their good, or am I just itching to vent my frustration? If the latter, pause and seek the Lord for a heart change. Let Him remind you of His love for them (and for you).
When you preach from a place of peace and love, the authority of your message actually increases. People can accept even tough exhortations from you because they trust your heart. You become, as someone once said, a “wounded healer” rather than an “angry judge.” By refusing to preach from unresolved anger, you close the door to condemnation in your preaching and open it wide to God’s redemptive power at work.
Reflection and Discussion Questions – Anger and the Pulpit.
• Have you ever preached or taught while you were angry or very frustrated? How did it affect your message and the listeners? In hindsight, what could you have done to address your heart first?
• What practical habits can help you guard against bringing personal anger into the pulpit (for example, a pre-sermon prayer checklist or having a fellow leader give feedback on your tone)?
• How can you tell the difference between a righteous passion in your preaching and a flesh-driven anger? What “red flags” in your preparation or delivery indicate your heart may need attention?
Conclusion: From Condemnation to Liberation.
The message of the Gospel is, at its core, one of liberation – God’s power redeeming us from sin and death, lifting us out of condemnation into the light of His love. As preachers and teachers of that Gospel, we are called to make sure our preaching aligns with this good news. By grounding our sermons in relatable stories, by knowing and loving our people, by speaking with genuine empathy, and by purging our hearts of unrighteous anger, we can break free from the condemnation trap. In doing so, we mirror the Apostle Paul’s triumph in Romans 8 – moving from the struggle of chapter 7 to the victory song: “There is now no condemnation in Christ!”
This doesn’t mean our preaching becomes soft or that we shy away from speaking about sin. Rather, it means we frame sin in the larger context of God’s redemptive plan. Yes, all have sinned – but Christ has made a way of rescue. Yes, we call out the sickness – but only so we can offer the cure. When our sermons consistently exalt God’s grace and transformative power above human depravity, something beautiful happens. People start to actually believe the good news applies to them. They hear not just what they must turn from, but also what (and Who) they get to turn toward. Hope takes root where shame once reigned. Conviction comes, but it is the Holy Spirit’s sweet conviction that leads to repentance, not the crushing condemnation that leads to despair.
Think of the potential in your church or community if every sermon left people keenly aware of God’s redemptive power at work. Instead of walking out feeling “I am condemned and can never measure up,” they would say, “I am challenged, but I see that God is with me and will help me overcome.” Such preaching inspires true change. It motivates from the inside out, as hearts respond to love rather than fear. It produces disciples who obey God not to avoid damnation but because they are grateful for salvation.
As you implement these shifts in your preaching, be patient with yourself. It’s a journey of growth. Ask the Lord each step of the way to mould you into a communicator of grace and truth. He is more than willing to help. After all, He cares even more than we do about His people hearing the Good News in all its liberating glory. Preach Christ, preach the cross and the resurrection, preach the Spirit’s power to transform – and do it as a storyteller, a shepherd, a fellow sinner saved by grace, and a channel of God’s loving truth.
In doing so, you will create an atmosphere in your church where no one cowers under condemnation’s weight, but instead, all are drawn upward by the light of Christ. The Gospel will shine in your preaching as truly “Good News of great joy.” And that, ultimately, is what every congregation and every lost soul needs to hear. May we all preach in such a way that our listeners can break free from the condemnation trap and run freely toward the open arms of our gracious God.
God Bless You as you continue in your service to Christ and your journey of faith.
Albert
www.worldwidechristianministries.org
www.youtube.com/c/AlbertMMartinWWCM
https://youtu.be/am58wEgmbEI?si=IK-WvPgPLThC9fKl