Comments on: 114355789445852040

By: Brady

Brady — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 09:37:00 +0000

I think you should become a third day Adventist minister.

Or, practice on Sunday, write the book on Monday.

By: cwinwc

cwinwc — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 05:51:00 +0000

Randy – Steve has a good point about the advantage teachers have in improving the same lesson as each class comes and goes. Maybe that’s an idea for our churches? We can split (we’re really good at this in our heritage)them up into groups and give each member a schedule such as:
1st Period – Fellowship
2nd Period – Sermon
3rd Period – Sunday School
4th Period – Small Group

We could rotate the groups and thus give us (you preachers) the advantage that we enjoy in secondary school.

As for your last 2 questions I’d answer:
1. Probably not.
2. I’m not sure but I hope so.

By: meowmix

meowmix — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 20:42:00 +0000

Steve, you took the words right out of my mouth! As one who listens to you guys, I think I would appreciate knowing whomever was in the pulpit had these thoughts so much on his heart that he felt he needed to say more. I think it would grab my attention, maybe even more than the first time.

By: Thurman8er

Thurman8er — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 20:35:00 +0000

I’d respond to this, but I can’t get the thought of that batting cage out of my head.

(Shaking head like an etch-a-sketch)

Okay, that’s better.

First of all, one of the things you would love about teaching is the chance to improve your lesson with each new period. The first time you teach any lesson is always the worst. By the time you’ve got it down, you’re tired of it and ready to move on.

I can’t help but wonder what it would be like if you tried this sometime.

“I know I preached on this last Sunday, but I couldn’t get it out of my head and there are some things I’d like to add, some things I’d like to change. So here’s my second attempt:”

It’s a real lesson on how God’s Word works on us, stays with us, matures us.

By: waterlover

waterlover — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 19:16:00 +0000

Those of us who listen to your messages wonder how they could get any better!

By: Stoogelover

Stoogelover — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 18:57:00 +0000

Thanks, guys! I thought this was unique to me! That a sermon stays in your head and you rehash it and refine it after the fact, I think, shows you really care about the people and the message you intended to give them. I don’t know of a solution other than not caring and that’s a bad option!

By: Randy

Randy — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 18:40:00 +0000

John, thanks for the comment.

I have the same thing happen to me as well. I proclaim it the worst sermon I’ve ever preached and someone will say how much that sermon helped them. I proclaim the next one the best one I’ve ever preached and someone (usually my wife whom I love and trust greatly) will say “eeh, it was ok.”

By: John Roberts

John Roberts — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 18:35:00 +0000

As callers often say to Rush, “longtime listener, first time caller.” Your post really resonated. I always wish I could deliver as well as I write, and I will often continue thinking of how some point could or should have been made. But I have also come to firmly believe in “unction” – that the Holy Spirit is using my words far beyond my skills or eloquence to communicate. And I’ve had that demonstrated many times over the years by people who commented on how a particular sermon helped them, when I was convinced that same sermon was the worst I’d ever preached. I’m not sure Paul was being completely rhetorical when he said, “…I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.” Thanks for the great thoughts.