Everyone in the church is not always at the same level of reception during the preaching of the Word.  We know that everyone learns in different ways and at different paces.  However, it is easy for a preacher to become discouraged by his perceived lack of enthusiasm for the Word being brought forth. 

Consider this.  The congregation has successfully navigated another week and made it in, maybe by the skin of their teeth, to hear the Sunday morning message.   The church body goes through the motions of prayer requests, announcements, the music program, and so on.  A lot of the time they enter the church tired and beat down.  Many have physical ailments which hinder their involvement in the program.  

By the time the minister walks behind the podium with his fresh new Word from the Lord, he expects the attention and enthusiasm for the message that he has.  As the anointing flows through the speaker, he expects the anointing to miraculously stir the hearts of every believer until they arise to a heightened sense of excitement.  He feels like, “They aren’t getting this Word like I got it from God.  They should be more excited than this.”  Remember, folks are already tired. 

Preacher, as you are preaching up a whirlwind, pacing back and forth on the platform, shouting, jumping, and running, these folks are sitting in their seats listening.  Their blood isn’t flowing through them like it is you right now.  They mean well.  They are enjoying the message.  But they’re tired.  After an hour, or hour and a half, they’ve had enough.  Good as it was, enough is enough.  You’ve gone past the threshold for acceptance and entered the realm of resistance.  That’s not the point where you can say it’s all over but the shouting.  You already took care of that earlier.  Now, it’s time to just end it.  

But think about this.  What if you had attacked your point within the first, say, 10 minutes, and preached it good and hard for another 10 minutes?  Then attack your next point for 10 minutes and beginning the descent.  Bring it home with a lead up to the surrender and salvation portion of your message. If you can’t get it done in 40 minutes, you’ve already wasted too much time.  You don’t have to chase every rabbit that hops through your mind during the message.  Preach the Word, open the altar, pray, go home.  Easy peasy.