Ever heard a sermon that just about completely alienated you from your faith? I have. And I've wondered what makes for bad sermons. I've always thought preaching has to be one of the hardest things anyone tries to do -- so many different people in the audience in so many different places. Can you really say anything for all of them? One's heart is hardened, another's is broken. And what of the preacher's own heart?

I've actually delivered a couple of sermons and didn't find myself enjoying it much precisely because of these questions. Any one care to way in on this? Got any bad sermon stories to tell, or good ones. Anyone who's preaching learned anything about this whole process?