As you sit down to worship, you have a goal to connect with God. Yet despite this desire, your mind races – filling with thoughts of dirty dishes, TV air times, job tasks, kids’ schedules, and social media posts.
We have been programmed by the modern world to run at full speed, multitasking at every turn, but in church that doesn’t apply. Active listening during each sermon will bring you closer to the Lord and your congregation! So how should you be listening to sermons? These tips and tricks will help you unplug from reality and plug into his Word.
Set Aside Focus Time
Your ability to truly hear is impacted by the circumstances which surround you. For this reason, you must keep away from distractions such as work in the hours reserved for and surrounding worship.
Each Sunday morning should be reserved for church and family. A lack of routine or irregular attendance can impact your ability to focus on teachings and takeaways from the sermon. Likewise, early arrival is to your benefit! The feeling of being flustered and rushed can impede your ability to focus your mind on the Lord's word.
Listen to Learn & Share
Oftentimes, we might find ourselves listening without really hearing. During a lengthy sermon, you may find yourself simply nodding along without comprehending all you're being told. To focus the mind, think of each sermon as a lesson.
You should make the effort to learn and understand every part of each biblical story and insight. Listen as if the story were a topic you’d be teaching to a younger friend or family member later on – then actually share the knowledge. By sharing your findings from each sermon with others, you can deepen your understanding of each passage.
Eliminate Distractions
As you worship, you need mental clarity, not mental clutter. For this reason, it is best that you eliminate your phone from your routine. Rather than reading a virtual Bible, use a physical book. A book can’t send buzzes and alert badges that derail your thoughts. Much like driving productivity at work, you will need to unplug to be effective during church service. Silence your phone, making sure that setting won't allow even buzzes in your pocket.
Apply Each Sermon to Your Life
Your preacher may call out how a Bible story or teaching relates to each listener – but if they do not, you should take initiative to apply biblical findings on your own. Ask questions like “What is God trying to tell me with this?”, “What sin of mine has God revealed through these teachings?”, “How does this text change my relationship with Him?”, and “How can I better serve when armed with this knowledge?”
A pastor cannot introspect or make personal discoveries for you. However, a sermon when applied practically can enable you to become more honest and identify areas for growth. Use the words of each sermon to help you search within for anger, materialism, selfishness, and other behaviors and traits that do not follow our Lord’s teachings.
Take Notes Sparingly
Notes are fabulous for later reference and reflection, but the action of taking them can impede your ability to listen. Rather than recording points as if in lecture, try jotting down only the most impactful pieces of a sermon.
If you need an exact quote or statement from a sermon, ask the preacher for a transcription or recording later. Freeing your mind from the stresses of note-taking will let you better focus on the meaning behind the words you are hearing, as you hear them. Not only will this let you learn and retain more from a sermon in any given moment, but it will also enhance all moments that follow by widening the platform on which you build additional understanding.
Reflect on The Service
Sermon listening does not end with the sermon. Your learning should continue into the hours and days to follow. On Sunday night before you head to sleep, revisit the morning’s preaching in your mind. What points resonated with you? What does that reveal? What changes to your way of living can be made to enhance your relationship with the Lord and your church based on these teachings?
Reflection allows deeper understanding and enhances your ability to identify the personal impacts of pastors' teachings. Revisit a sermon multiple times throughout the week, always reconsidering their meaning and how they apply in your life.
Active listening to drive true understanding is a challenge across all facets of life. These tricks will help you better listen to and resonate with each Sunday's sermon, enabling you to more effectively grow from biblical teachings.
If you are a preacher or religious leader, you can take action to help your congregation actively listen to sermons. How? Offer transcriptions of your sermons by partnering with a service specializing in Christian religious transcriptions, like Intentional Reach. Contact us today to get started on transcribing your sermons to better reach your congregation.
