As a pastor, I preach at least twice every week and often receive feedback from my hearers. With thousands of words tumbling out of my mouth week after week, you might think that I’d get some bad reviews.
But it’s actually the opposite. Nearly all the feedback is positive. What should I conclude from this? That I am a pretty good preacher—perhaps an exceptional one?
It’s blissful to entertain the thought, but a little sober reflection tells me to slow down. For one thing, most church members aren’t listening so that they can offer critiques but so that they can be edified. For this I am grateful! Yet also, most members are hesitant to voice negative feelings about preaching. And if they do have critical remarks, the pastor will likely be the last one to hear about them. Finally, anyone who is deeply uncomfortable with the pastor’s preaching will usually move on to another church rather than try to change him.
All this raises the question: if a pastor cannot, and perhaps should not, rely on his own people to supply constructive feedback, where will he get it?
One way I have supplied this need is by “swapping sermons” with
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