Preaching Without Feedback
What To Do When Nobody Is There To Help
When my wife and I first moved to central PA and began looking for houses, I discovered something frustrating. The local real estate agents in my rural town were complacent. A handful of agents handled most of the listings, and when you called, they seemed almost inconvenienced to show a property. The competition was minimal. People didn’t know better, so they settled. And the agents got lazy.
That changed when a young team of realtors opened an office and disrupted everything. They brought innovation, marketing, fresh systems, and most importantly, drive. Overnight, the market changed. The realtors had to adapt, or quit.
Real estate isn’t the only place this happens. In rural communities, business owners often get away with offering subpar experiences simply because their patrons have no other options. And sadly, churches aren’t immune to this phenomenon, especially in their pulpits.
In many rural churches, there’s little pressure to grow as a communicator. Expectations are low; people are gracious. And when you’re preaching in a small-town context, it can be easy to wonder, “Why put in the extra effort to grow?”
But while churches aren’t in competition with one another, we are competing with something: people’s time, their attention span, and a culture that is rapidly reshaping how they listen and how they learn.
This means we, as preachers, must continue to grow in our craft.
Before we obsess over skills or techniques, let’s not lose sight of this: the Scripture is sufficient. A preacher could step into the pulpit, read the Word aloud, sit down, and the Spirit of God do what only the Spirit can do.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
While we recognize the power is in the Word, the responsibility is still ours. Growing in our craft is not about seeking greater applause. It’s about honoring God with the call we’ve been given.
But for many rural pastors, the problem isn’t passion, it’s isolation. So, how do rural pastors become great preachers? How do they do it when no one is giving them feedback?
You give it to yourself.
Listen to your sermons.
If you’re bored, so is everyone else. If you’re lost, they are too. Be humble, be objective, be critical, and be honest. We all have room to grow, and while we know this, it can be hard to face it. Look for moments that drag, stories that wander, and points that don’t land. Then think about how you might fix them.
Be yourself.
Too many of us become someone else in the pulpit, talking like old-school preachers, only to get off the platform and sound like someone else entirely. Jesus didn’t call your favorite preacher to shepherd your people. He called you. Preach like the man your congregation knows, the one they’ve had coffee with, not the one you’ve imitated online. But preach as the you who has been set afire with a passion for the Gospel. Charles Spurgeon is often attributed with saying,
“Dash yourself with gasoline, strike a match, set yourself on fire, and people will come watch you burn.”
Study your craft.
If you’re not learning, you’re not honoring the call. We have more tools than any generation before us. Learn from pastors, comedians, TED speakers, actors, and journalists. Watch how YouTubers hold attention with nothing but a camera and clarity. Their message may not be sacred, but their delivery is sharp. People listen differently now. The message doesn’t change, but the method has.
“I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.”
Know your people.
Don’t preach abstract theology to a room full of real people with real pain. Preach the Word, but preach it like you know their struggles. The best sermons aren’t clever, they’re connected.
Phone a friend.
Reach out to another pastor and ask for honest feedback. Send them a sermon link and invite critique. Be humble enough to receive it. If you don’t have another pastor you’re connected with, consider reaching out to the Brainard Institute and explore starting an Equip group in your area. If you’re alone, it’s likely that other pastors in your area are too.
Be saturated in the Word.
You’ve walked with it, wept over it, lived it. The best preachers aren’t performers. They’re men who bleed Scripture.
I’ll never forget what my lead pastor told me during my residency:
“I don’t yet know if you’ve got the gift of leadership, but I assure you, if you work on your gift of preaching, you’ll attract gifted leaders.”
Rural communities are used to having subpar everything. Excellence is a forgotten art in many parts of rural areas, and sometimes, that’s part of its charm. But let us not grow complacent in preaching the Word. Let us commit to mastering the art of preaching,
Don’t let rural ministry become an excuse for mediocrity. Let it be a proving ground for faithfulness. In places where no one’s watching, preach like God is in rooms that feel small; speak to declare the riches of God to the sheep in your congregation. And when it feels like ‘good’ is good enough, keep growing anyway, because the God who called you is worthy of your very best.
Anthony Caiola
Anthony is a pastor, church planter, writer, and consultant who helps churches and leaders build healthy, mission-driven organizations. He serves as the Lead Pastor of Awaken 514 Church and works as a real estate entrepreneur and nonprofit leader, coaching teams to align values, systems, and culture for lasting impact. Originally from the New York Metro area, Anthony now lives in rural Pennsylvania with his wife and two children.
