Preaching is hard work.
To those sitting in the pews, preaching can look relatively effortless—especially when it’s done well. But don’t be fooled. Preaching exhausts the body and soul in ways incommensurate with its duration. I could work in the yard all day in 90-degree heat and (somehow) feel less exhausted than preaching two services.
But it’s not just the physical and spiritual toll that preaching takes. The complexity of the task is what makes it difficult. Just standing up and talking for 30 minutes (and making any sense at all) is tough enough for most folks. But on top of this challenge preachers have to navigate a complicated passage, balance sensitive doctrines, weave together a coherent message, apply the message to people’s lives, and do it all in a manner that’s compelling, engaging, winsome, and never boring or dull.
No wonder James said, “Not many of you should become teachers” (James 3:1).
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Lightstock
Given the complexities of preaching, there are a number of pitfalls all preachers (especially aspiring ones) risk falling into. Here are seven I’ve noticed over the years:

1. Confusing ‘expository’ preaching with running commentary.

Somewhere along the way, some pastors have became convinced that the “expository” part of preaching means a sermon must sound like a commentary. They see it as a strictly chronological, running list of observations about the text.