Behind The Scenes
A few people have remarked that they would enjoy more 'behind the scenes' pictures of the life of a pastor. Scary! However this morning, as I sit in a hotel in SC (bringing my girls back to NH from their stay in FL), I have the perfect behind the scenes experience to share with you - sermon searching.
For almost 10 years now, I have planned my preaching calendar well in advance. Usually in October and November I will take a week or two and dedicate them to prayerfully outlining a list of messages for the coming year. What this means is that I very rarely have a week approach that I do not know in advance what I will share. Ah, but, there are a few rare exceptions.
This weekend, for instance, I simply wrote 'post Namibia trip service' in the outline. My mind has been spinning all week - What should I preach? Not so much in the sense of having nothing in mind, but more in the sense of having too much in mind - How do I decide which text/message to use? Because I usually follow a predetermined outline, approaching Sundays like this makes me very nervous. So what am I doing to decide?
I am praying... for you. I find that as I pray through the congregation I gain a bit of clarity on where your life and mine intersect, or where our experiences are similar - and this leads me to think about what I am really needing to consider of our God. Then I am reading... His word. I find myself running back to texts that I have considered the last couple of weeks in my devotions, or in conversations with others - asking myself 'What has God been showing me?' Then finally I am observing... life around me. I am looking for those things ordinary and extraordinary that seem to be glimpses of God's glory. All of this, I trust, will lead me to have something ready to say on Sunday morning. Lastly, I pray again... this time for God - to show up and do as He promises He will - make His word effectual as it is shared. In reality, it matters not what I say. If He doesn't speak, we're all just in for 25 minutes of hot air.
So, will you join me in praying?
For almost 10 years now, I have planned my preaching calendar well in advance. Usually in October and November I will take a week or two and dedicate them to prayerfully outlining a list of messages for the coming year. What this means is that I very rarely have a week approach that I do not know in advance what I will share. Ah, but, there are a few rare exceptions.
This weekend, for instance, I simply wrote 'post Namibia trip service' in the outline. My mind has been spinning all week - What should I preach? Not so much in the sense of having nothing in mind, but more in the sense of having too much in mind - How do I decide which text/message to use? Because I usually follow a predetermined outline, approaching Sundays like this makes me very nervous. So what am I doing to decide?
I am praying... for you. I find that as I pray through the congregation I gain a bit of clarity on where your life and mine intersect, or where our experiences are similar - and this leads me to think about what I am really needing to consider of our God. Then I am reading... His word. I find myself running back to texts that I have considered the last couple of weeks in my devotions, or in conversations with others - asking myself 'What has God been showing me?' Then finally I am observing... life around me. I am looking for those things ordinary and extraordinary that seem to be glimpses of God's glory. All of this, I trust, will lead me to have something ready to say on Sunday morning. Lastly, I pray again... this time for God - to show up and do as He promises He will - make His word effectual as it is shared. In reality, it matters not what I say. If He doesn't speak, we're all just in for 25 minutes of hot air.
So, will you join me in praying?
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