# What is the proper response to a compliment on your sermon?



## Southern Presbyterian

Pastors / Elders / Teachers,

What is the proper response to someone who compliments you on your sermon?

I've never known quite what to say.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian

I just say, "to God be the glory" or "thank you" or politely nod depending on the situation.


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## Whitefield

"thank you"


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## SolaScriptura

If you're feeling confrontational, how about: "If you really think my sermon was good, then put it into practice!"


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## Herald

I can tell you what not to say. Don't say, "I'm glad you liked it. After all, I prepared it with you in mind."


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## Herald

Seriously. "Thank you" is fine.


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## Ivan

What Ben said.


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## Herald

Ivan said:


> What Ben said.



Better known as "How to Cut Your Church Membership in Half in just 30 days!" method.


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## raekwon

I usually say something like "thanks, I hope it's helpful to you" or "thanks... I need a nap after that."


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## Pergamum

Say,

"Oh it wasn't me, it was just the Holy Spirit working through me."

[BARF]


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## Scottish Lass

Herald said:


> Ivan said:
> 
> 
> 
> What Ben said.
> 
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> 
> 
> Better known as "How to Cut Your Church Membership in Half in just 30 days!" method.
Click to expand...

 
Unless he meant Ben "Backwoods" Glaser, rather than Ben/Sola Scriptura


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## Southern Presbyterian

Scottish Lass said:


> Herald said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ivan said:
> 
> 
> 
> What Ben said.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Better known as "How to Cut Your Church Membership in Half in just 30 days!" method.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Unless he meant Ben "Backwoods" Glaser, rather than Ben/Sola Scriptura
Click to expand...

 
Yes, I think we need some clarification here.


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## fredtgreco

I think an appropriate response is "Praise the Lord." Or "I am glad that you benefited from God's Word."


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## Contra_Mundum

Thank you.
Praise the Lord.
May the Lord bless it to your eternal profit.
You're words are a great encouragement to me in my calling.
It's my privilege to minister to you.


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## Skyler

Joshua said:


> "I know! Right?"


 
I think you have to have a certain kind of personality type to make that work, because I tried it and all I got was a weird look.


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## Michael

I complimented my pastor on his sermon this morning on Rom 8:18-25. He replied, "Thanks, I had some good material to work with."


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## Don Kistler

"Praise the Lord" is always my response to a compliment such as "Thank you for that fine sermon," or something similar.

If it is something along the lines of "That's the best sermon I've ever heard," I say something like, "Thank you for the kind words."


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## AThornquist

"The Devil whispered that in my ear just seconds ago."


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## KMK

How about this one: "Who are you to judge the merits of my sermon?"


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## Joseph Scibbe

The best way is to ask them the next week what they got out of it...usually thank you is best and "Well, yea of course I was awesome up there" is not the best.


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## Andres

i often compliment my pastor on his sermons. I do it for 2 reasons 1) I sincerely, genuinely appreciated it 2) I want him to be encouraged. When I compliment him I try to mention something specific about the sermon. (I also want him to know we're listening) He generally responds by engaging me in conversation about what I just mentioned.


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## Tim

Yes. If you have time, why not ask for a specific part that was helpful? If the church member benefited, then there would be an opportunity to take the conversation further, for even more benefit. This also puts the emphasis back on God's Word, rather than the pastor's "performance".


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## Wannabee

I usually say, "Praise God." Sometimes I say, "Thank you." There have been a few times when I knew it was a good sermon and when told so affirmed their observation with something like, "Yeah, I learned a lot in this study" or "Isn't that convicting?" or "Isn't that passage amazing?" On occasion I'll also ask them why they said it was a good sermon. I'm amazed sometimes at what grabs people. Quite often it's not even the point of the sermon, but something said during it that grabbed their hearts and wouldn't let go. Now that's humbling.


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## SolaScriptura

Personally, I prefer it when someone comments on a particular point or something I said - it makes me feel like they were listening. Just saying "that was a good sermon" sounds too generic - like they're just being polite.


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## jason d

"praise God for that"

or

"Soli Deo Glora!"


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## JennyG

Was it Spurgeon who is supposed to have responded to a compliment along the lines Andrew suggested, "thank you, madam,. the devil has told me that already"?


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## Andres

JennyG said:


> Was it Spurgeon who is supposed to have responded to a compliment along the lines Andrew suggested, "thank you, madam,. the devil has told me that already"?


 
that Spurgeon! What are we going to do with him?


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## JennyG

Andres said:


> JennyG said:
> 
> 
> 
> Was it Spurgeon who is supposed to have responded to a compliment along the lines Andrew suggested, "thank you, madam,. the devil has told me that already"?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> that Spurgeon! What are we going to do with him?
Click to expand...

well, to be fair, I'm not totally sure it *was* him - it could have been someone else entirely

---------- Post added at 01:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:31 PM ----------

I forgot there were 2 Andrews on - it was Andrew with the bananas that I was quoting


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## py3ak

fredtgreco said:


> I think an appropriate response is "Praise the Lord." Or "I am glad that you benefited from God's Word."


 
My pastor typically says, "I trust the Lord will bless it" or "I'm glad the Lord blessed".


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## Rev. Todd Ruddell

I try to respond in a way that would engender discussion, and also thank them for encouraging their pastor.


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## Jack K

"Thank you. It's so encouraging to me for you to say that."

That seems to work pretty well. But it's still awkward for me every time it happens. Probably because my heart remains oh-so-hungry for man's approval.


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## Semper Fidelis

I think its helpful to realize that people probably struggle with the correct way to express that they benefited from a sermon probably more than you struggle with how to respond to a compliment. I think some are probably moved by a sermon and know only to say "great job". I think, if pressed, they understand it is of God but they're thanking the person whom God used as an instrument.

I'll typically respond with a warm "Thank you for the encouragement".

I've met R.C. Sproul a few times at Conferences several years ago. As newly Reformed, I felt (and still feel) a special affinity for the man. Sure, I understood now as I understood then, that it's not ultimately the man but God behind the man's work. Nevertheless, he has been faithful to his call over the years to prepare for his work and the Lord has been powerful through that preparation. I'm eternally grateful to him. He's a natural introvert and I could tell it was awkward for him but I've thanked him a number of times for his service to Christ's Church.

When a woman gave me flowers yesterday after exhorting at the Korean Church, I said "Thank you" to her. I might have said something profound about how only God can cause flowers to grow and, ultimately, her gift of selecting flowers and her consideration to give me flowers to take home, were gifts of God as well. But I thanked her because I knew she had spent not a little time doing something to bless me and I was very grateful for it.


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## Romans922

What to say? I'd go with, "praise God!", "praise the Lord!", "I hope you are blessed to live for Christ this week because of His great Word.". The following week I might ask, "how did it go this past week doing A, or trusting in Him, etc.?"


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## SolaScriptura

Actually, this is the type of thing that makes me roll my eyes and be grateful I minister where I do - the church's pc posturing that it requires of ministers. Why all the fretting over how to respond? Because if you say the wrong thing you'll seem either unappreciative or boasting. Both are things a church doesn't want in a minister.

Why can't a minister just say, "Thanks, I really worked my tail off on that all week, and I felt like everything clicked. It's good to know that the Lord used it to teach you."
Why can't he acknowledge the hard work he put into it? Did he not? Anyway, it is things like this that makes me enjoy the relative freedom I have to in my present position to be me.


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## Gesetveemet

"May the Lord give the application"






lay-person


.


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## TomVols

My response? "Good....remember that come next budget year when you vote on my salary." 


One Sunday at the conclusion of the service, the pastor was saying good bye to the exiting worshippers. An elderly deacon walked up and said "Good sermon, preacher." The pastor's reply was quick: "Well, it wasn't me, it was the Lord!" The deacon's reply was just as quick: "Hold on preacher....the sermon wasn't _that_ good!"


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## AThornquist

SolaScriptura said:


> Actually, this is the type of thing that makes me roll my eyes and be grateful I minister where I do - the church's pc posturing that it requires of ministers. Why all the fretting over how to respond? Because if you say the wrong thing you'll seem either unappreciative or boasting. Both are things a church doesn't want in a minister.
> 
> Why can't a minister just say, "Thanks, I really worked my tail off on that all week, and I felt like everything clicked. It's good to know that the Lord used it to teach you."
> Why can't he acknowledge the hard work he put into it? Did he not? Anyway, it is things like this that makes me enjoy the relative freedom I have to in my present position to be me.




I agree. Sometimes the desire to be humble is wrongly manifested by self-deprecation.


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## KMK

SolaScriptura said:


> Actually, this is the type of thing that makes me roll my eyes and be grateful I minister where I do - the church's pc posturing that it requires of ministers. Why all the fretting over how to respond? Because if you say the wrong thing you'll seem either unappreciative or boasting. Both are things a church doesn't want in a minister.
> 
> Why can't a minister just say, "Thanks, I really worked my tail off on that all week, and I felt like everything clicked. It's good to know that the Lord used it to teach you."
> Why can't he acknowledge the hard work he put into it? Did he not? Anyway, it is things like this that makes me enjoy the relative freedom I have to in my present position to be me.


 
I'm with you. You can't walk around on eggshells all the time.

I say nothing, but simply point to the sky and walk back to the dugout to high five the elders.


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