[i’m going to try to do a writing series. this is something i haven’t done before, but this is the first part of a series On Preaching]
On Preaching pt.1
Not an Expert
I will be the first to say that I am no expert on preaching. To which you might say, then why am I reading this? That is a great question. And I will answer it with another question, who truly is an expert on preaching? And here’s another question for preachers, are you an expert on everything you talk about on a Sunday morning?
No.
You are not an expert on everything that you talk about in your sermon.
You are not an expert on
. . . parenting
. . . marriage
. . . money
. . . sex
. . . theology
. . . ____________
The challenge with being a preacher is that we get up on the platform every week and we are expected to be the expert on whatever we are talking about. For the most part that expectation is our own fault. We want to do come across as smart, educated and prepared on whatever topic we have to work through.
But how can we possible be experts on so many things? Honestly? How can we be experts on so many different topics?
This is a typical schedule for most preachers.
Sunday – Preach a sermon (one, two, three, even four times)
Monday – Recover from Sunday and get read for next weeks sermon
Meet with three staff members
Evening – Pre-marriage counseling
Tuesday – Morning – Staff meeting 9-11 (could go longer than that)
Afternoon – Work on sermon research and writing
Wednesday – Morning meet with missionary
Lunch Meet with some small group leaders
Afternoon – Meet with creative team.
Thursday – Morning – Prepreach sermon notes
before lunch – revise notes. Go over them again
Afternoon – meet with a couple whose marriage is falling apart
Friday – Sabbath – Don’t work (Funerals and Weddings still happen on these days)
Saturday – See Friday (days off are good)
That’s a typical week. That’s generous for amount of time that could actually be set aside for most pastors and their sermon preparation.
So let’s be honest preachers, we are not experts. I am not an expert on preaching, and neither are you. At best we are all on various stages of studentship when it comes to preaching. We are all learning along the way. Are we okay with that? Are we okay with being honest with ourselves to say that we are learning as we go? Are we okay with saying, that not every sermon is going to be the best sermon that we ever preached? Are we okay with getting in front of our congregation and saying, you know what, I’m not an expert at this topic for this sunday, but here is what the Bible says, and here is how I read this and these are some applications that I think God wants me to say to you.
Are we okay with that? Are we okay with not being experts?
JasonDeuman.com 