I spend less time now than I did earlier in my ministry. I used to spend about fifteen hours on a sermon, but now it is about eight or ten hours. Over the years of my ministry, I have accumulated more information, more knowledge of the Scriptures, and more Bible-study skills. These allow me to dig deeper into a text in ten hours than I could in fifteen hours earlier in my ministry.

The big challenge facing me now is not just in the area of interpretation, but in communication. I have been at the same church for more than thirty years, so I have to fight to keep from falling into a pattern of similarity. It is a challenge for me to be fresh, and not just say the same things over and over in the same way.

For an insider's look into John's pastoral heart, consider the audio series Insight into a Pastor's Heart, a rare opportunity to hear what makes him tick.