Letter III – Study Before You Shout

Don’t be loud and wrong. Study before you shout.

A Call to Deep Preparation and Biblical Accuracy

Young preacher,

The pulpit is no place for a man who hasn’t opened his Bible with sweat on his brow and prayer in his heart.

Before you shout, you must study. Before you preach it, you must prove it. Before you declare, “Thus saith the Lord,” you must be sure the Lord actually said it.

We live in a time where many young preachers equate passion with power. If they can get a few amens, draw a tear, or shake the room, they believe they’ve preached. But noise is not nourishment. And borrowed convictions are not biblical authority.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” —2 Timothy 2:15

But What Is Study?

Let me be clear—study is not searching for support for what you already believe. That is confirmation bias, not biblical exegesis.

Study means approaching the text with open hands and a bowed heart. It means asking, “What does this passage say?” before asking, “How can I make it fit my outline?”

let me repeat that, Study means approaching the text with open hands and a bowed heart. It means asking, “What does this passage say?” before asking, “How can I make it fit my outline?”

Real study requires:

• Context — What did the writer mean to his original audience?

• Grammar — What do the words actually say?

• Cross-references — What does the rest of Scripture say about this?

• Theological soundness — How does this fit within the whole counsel of God?

  
  

Too many young preachers have never been taught to study. They’ve been indoctrinated, not instructed. They’ve been handed conclusions and taught to protect them, not examine them. As a result, their “study time” consists of finding illustrations that stir, phrases that stick, and verses that sound convincing when shouted.

This is not feeding the flock.This is entertaining the crowd.

What Happens When We Don’t Study?

When you don’t study deeply, a few things happen:

1. You preach error with confidence.You may sound convincing, but you’re leading people into confusion. Sincerity does not sanctify bad theology.

2. You rely on borrowed sermons.You may patch together things you’ve heard from others, but you’ll have no root in the Word yourself.

3. You fear being questioned.Without study, you are fragile. Someone who knows more than you can dismantle your sermon with a single question.

4. You become a performer, not a preacher.If you can’t rightly divide the Word, all you can do is stir emotion.

5. 
   

Let me say it again: Study is not looking for verses to back up what you already think. That’s what cults do. Study is submitting your thoughts to the authority of God’s Word—even when it confronts your tradition.

But I Don’t Know How to Study

That’s all right. You can learn. You must learn.

Start with the Bible. Read slowly. Ask honest questions. Take notes. Compare Scripture with Scripture. Use a concordance. Read good commentaries—but not to borrow sermons. Read to learn. Read to be sharpened. Don’t just listen to men who say what you already believe. Listen to men who make you think.

And above all—pray. The Holy Spirit is not a shortcut around study. He is the illuminator of truth. You cannot bypass the hard work of study and call it “Spirit-led.” The Spirit who inspired the text will also teach it to you—if you’re willing to labor in the Word and doctrine (1 Tim. 5:17).

If you’ve never been trained in how to rightly divide the Word—or you’re ready to deepen your understanding of biblical interpretation—I’d encourage you to take my full course on Biblical Hermeneutics. It’s available online through the Independent Baptist Online College and is designed specifically with preachers like you in mind.

▶️ Enroll here

It’s not just theory—it’s about learning to handle the Word of God with care, precision, and reverence.

Young preacher, it is no sin to be loud in the pulpit. But it is a tragedy to be loud and wrong.

The call of God on your life is not to be clever. Not to be impressive. Not even to be popular.

You are called to be faithful.

So open your Bible. Open your heart. And do the work. Study before you shout. Your people—and your God—deserve nothing less.