Think about the difference between a fireworks show and a campfire.

Fireworks are impressive. They explode in the sky with dazzling colors and booming noises. Wow! Everyone looks up in awe. But it’s all over in a few minutes. And when the last rocket fades, you’re left in the dark, with a little smoke in the air and a sore neck. It was impressive, but it didn’t change you.

Now, think about a campfire on a cold night. It’s not a big spectacle. It’s simple, quiet. But you can get close to it. It gives you warmth. It gives you light to see your friends’ faces. Stories are told around it, hearts are shared, memories are made. The campfire isn’t as impressive, but it’s incredibly important. It warms you, brings you together, and lights your way.

For those of us who serve from a pulpit, the temptation to offer fireworks every Sunday is huge. We want our sermons to be impressive. We search for the cleverest illustration, the most memorable phrase, the most eloquent structure. We want people to say “Wow!” at the end.

There’s nothing wrong with excellence. But we run the risk that the pursuit of impressiveness makes us forget what’s important. What’s important isn’t the messenger’s eloquence; it’s the transformative truth of the Message. What’s important isn’t that people admire our wisdom; it’s that they encounter the power of God.

• Impressiveness comes from our talent and preparation. Importance comes from our time on our knees.
• Impressiveness can fill notebooks. Importance can change hearts.
• Impressiveness can win applause. Importance can rescue souls.

Paul understood this. He told the Corinthian church, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.” He chose the campfire instead of the fireworks.

So, fellow preacher, fellow teacher, don’t obsess over being impressive. Obsess over being faithful. Spend more time in God’s presence than polishing your phrases. Offer simple, nourishing bread of life, instead of the cotton candy of human eloquence. Because at the end of the night, people don’t need a show that leaves them in the dark. They need a campfire that warms them and lights their way home.

1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (NIV): “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”

If this message has touched your life, please share it with someone else who might need it! You can do so by email or through your social media. Also, I invite you to subscribe to this blog so you’ll receive a notification every time a new message is published.