Welcome back for the second half of my interview with Thabiti Anyabwile. You can read part one here.

Thabiti, what single piece of counsel (or constructive criticism) has most improved your preaching?

At Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Mark [Dever] held service reviews every Sunday night following the evening service. Prior to then, I don’t think I ever received much feedback other than the customary comments you receive at the church door after service. The first few times through those sessions were excruciating! On one level, just receiving feedback pointed out a lot of pride and an unhealthy lack of reflection on what I was doing as a preacher. Just taking and learning to take critique was a piece of counsel that has improved my preaching. I’m less ego-involved, I hope, and I’m benefiting from others.

But perhaps the most specific critique was that as a preacher I was less myself than in normal conversation. When I played ball 50 pounds ago, I played with great intensity and aggression. And I loved it! Put your game face on or go home!! Chump!

Turns out that doesn’t work as well in the pulpit! Yeah… something about a 6’ 2” brother yelling, “In yo’ face! You ain’t got nuttin’” just doesn’t communicate “gospel.” You know what I mean?

A couple people graciously observed that when preaching I preached with a flatter range of emotion, expression, color, etc. I’d hit a high intensity groove and never modulate. People helpfully pointed out that I was easier to listen to and information better transferred when I preached with wider expressive range, and was just more myself. That’s been really helpful and I’m still working on it. I think there is something to that definition of preaching (Lloyd-Jones, I think?) as truth mediated through personality. And, yet, I also think we need to be serious, sober, and passionate about these colossal truths that impact a person’s eternity.

What books on preaching, or examples of it, have you found most influential in your own preaching?

I’ve already mentioned Bridges’ The Christian Ministry. I really enjoy Lloyd-Jones Preaching and Preachers. The Bible is pretty helpful. The apostolic model of preaching ought to be observed, studied, and applied.

What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your effective use of time?

I don’t know, C.J. That’s a good question. I’ll have to think more about that. I think I’ve always been pretty good about working hard with the time the Lord gives me. Part of that is a sinful competitiveness. I want to produce. The Apostle Paul said he worked harder than them all. I wish that could be said of me.

But maybe it’s the encouragement I received from a pastor who said make sure you’re not spending all your times with people who are struggling with some problem or another. Be sure to spend time with people who are doing well, are fruitful in life and ministry. As I’ve done that, I’ve just been helped not to swing too far toward discouragement or exhaustion.

What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your leadership?

Don’t treat people as projects.

Where in ministry are you most regularly tempted to discouragement?

When marriages are in trouble or breaking up. I don’t think there is an issue in pastoral ministry that affects me more than that. The pain of breaking apart what God has put together simply isn’t calculable. I grieve deeply when marriages in my care are under assault. And when I am tempted to trust the presence or absence of visible fruit as evidence of God’s presence, power, and grace, then I’m tempted to discouragement.

Do you exercise? If so, what do you do? If not, why not? (Please be specific.)

You put this question here just for me, didn’t you?

I don’t exercise. I don’t have any good reason not to. At the least, I should find time to go downstairs to the gym beneath my office and shoot around a bit. I rationalize my lack of exercise on two grounds. And these are rationalizations, not real problems.

First, I prefer team and competitive forms of exercise. I hate treadmills. The lowest parts of Hades will be lined with treadmills with CNN and Oprah playing for all of eternity. I need competition to enjoy the exercise.

Second, I don’t want to be away from the family for another evening of the week. Now, that sounds all noble. But the truth is, we could walk together as a family. I could do more with the kids that would include exercise. And a hundred other things.

Bottom line: I need to take better care of my body.

Currently, what sport do you like to play and/or watch?

We don’t have a television with any channel reception. We mainly watch DVDs or movies we buy or rent. So, I’m not seeing much in the way of sports. And I’m not playing any either. If I were, it would be basketball.

What do you do for leisure?

Read. Nap. From time to time, hang out at the pool or the beach with the family. Watch a sci-fi film. Also play Civilization IV.

If you were not in ministry, what occupational path would you have chosen?

I thought I was headed toward teaching at the university level. But if I were doing anything after ministry it would either be owning/operating an independent bookstore or coaching high school basketball. Did both of those for a number of years, and after the ministry, they were the sweetest times of my life.

Thank you for your time, Thabiti!