Preaching
September 6, 2007
I have a problem - I forgot how to preach. It’s been over a year and a half since my Princeton preaching courses - and I haven’t preached since then. Besides, I don’t know how well they prepared me for the type of preaching I’d like to do. So. I have to preach this Sunday - and I have my texts (Deuteronomy 30.15-20 and James 1.19-25) and a few pages of stream of consciousness thoughts - but I don’t know what to do with them. Sarah reminded me that it’s good I have this chance to practice before I preach in Miller Chapel in December - but…still - this is embarrassing. I should know how to preach…
Tags: Preaching, Sermons
Posted in 
Adam Walker Cleaveland: I am a 28 yr old 
September 6th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
I subscribe to a lot of sermon podcasts — the Peachtree ones are really nice. Maybe listen to a few of those, and then see if you can rock the pulpit like that.
September 6th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
The only way to preach is to just get in there and do it.
Here are a couple words of advice from someone who’s not necessarily a great preacher, but a preacher nonetheless.
1. Keep it simple — don’t try to do too much
2. Take a look at your two texts and unless they’re both going in exactly the same direction, just pick one of them to work with.
3. Look at the text and discern one basic theme to go with. Too often we try to take on too many ideas at once.
4. Be yourself!
You could check out The Text This Week for some ideas — and even check some blogs with sermons to get ideas — mine isn’t fancy but it’s at http://parsonbob.blogspot.com
enjoy the experience!!!
September 6th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
I’ll second Bob. My preaching prof had a mantra: if a church member called you at 2am, you should be able to tell them what your sermon is about in a sentence. I don’t think anyone yet has discovered THE secret to preaching.
Here’s the link to the site Bob mentioned: Text Week.
September 6th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Wish I could give you some good advice since I’ve been preaching every week for almost 2 years now, but alas . . . I still use more or less the Tom Long 11-step exegetical process. Still, I’ll be praying…
And regarding preaching in Miller Chapel…I did that on a Communion Friday, and the week of and up to the moment I stood in the pulpit I thought, “what the heck was I thinking when months ago I signed up to do this?” But when I looked out at the gathering, I didn’t see profs and administrators and classmates judging me on how good a preacher I was. I simply saw brothers and sisters in Christ who came to worshp together. I ended up being so very glad that I did it! And as one of my friends told me, if anyone is there to judge you they are there for the wrong reasons! It’s advice I remember Sunday after Sunday…
September 6th, 2007 at 11:02 pm
The Long approach is great for exegesis. Do you still have the hand out from preaching? I also like the Wilson four page approach when I’m in a pinch…even if you don’t use it, it helps reign in the thoughts.
Trouble in the text
Trouble in the world
Grace/God’s movement in the text
Grace/God’s movement in the world
from there you can fill in the blanks and totally re-work. but, it helps with getting a first draft together.
all best!
September 8th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
Well - if all else fails - you can always lead them in the 23rd Psalm — teehee :-)
September 15th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
i’d have to go with the “get up there and do it” sentiment.
REVOLUTION