preaching

This passage from Calvin's Institutes was very strengthening to me. Congregants often oppose their pastor by saying things like, "It's your job to preach, but you need to let the Holy Spirit do the convicting." Well, yes, of course, it is the Holy Spirit that will do the convicting, no doubt about that. But the issue is never really about whether or not the Holy Spirit has the ability to convict men. Instead, the challenge is simply a thinly-veiled attempt to silence a pastor who is speaking directly to your conscience.

But that's precisely what a pastor is supposed to do.

Book 4, Chapter 1, Section 6:

In our own day there has been great controversy over the efficacy of the ministry. Some exaggerate its dignity beyond measure. Others contend that what belongs to the Holy Spirit is wrongly transferred to mortal men-if we suppose that ministers and teachers penetrate into minds and hearts and so correct both blindness of mind and hardness of heart. We must therefore correctly assess this controversy.