I Preached Last Sunday

It’s something I know how to do, and am comfortable doing, but I only do perhaps 2-4 times a year. For what it’s worth, here are some “now that I’m a pastor” musings on preaching:

• be sure you can read your Bible. The last time I preached, I discovered that recent vision changes precluded reading it at pulpit height. I interrupted the introduction to switch to one of our “pew” Bibles (we have chairs, but I’ve never heard of “chair Bibles”).
  
  
• Don’t forget your notes. I have a good memory for them, but listeners are better off if I have them.
  
  
• Hope the wireless microphone doesn’t wander. Unlike lapel mics which can be clipped to clothing, there’s no place to clip a “head mounted” microphone. (My nose is ideally located- the mic could hang down directly in front of the mouth. However, that would be visually distracting as well as probably uncomfortable) A marvel of optimistic design, it’s precariously perched over the ear, extending beside the mouth; hopefully someday a famous preacher experienced with these devices will enlighten me with their techniques for keeping it in place.
  
  
• What do you do if nature calls? I recently heard some well known preachers describe what they did. I don’t know if that will be of future help to me or not.
  
  
• Nothing in seminary taught me how to arrive a half hour late to teach a Sunday School class after oversleeping. I recommend setting 2 alarms (or 3) to avoid repeating before a sermon.
  
  
• Visit the rest room BEFORE putting on the microphone. Even if it’s always turned off. This paranoia is good. (I’ve heard of this, and that’s as close as I want to get).
  
  
• Somebody loves me whether I’m doing well or poorly. I’m grateful for the visually responsive listeners who encourage by their smiles and nods (and reminded I’m a poor listener and need to improve)

If you think I make too much fun, I suggest that God himself views preaching as one of His cosmic jokes at the expense of evil. Just as we enjoy the humor when a childish remark totally dumbfounds adults, so God “laughs” when his “weak things”, “the foolishness of preaching” “confounds the wise.” This isn’t justifying poor preparation or wrong heart; it rather recognizes that only He can make something of our deeply imperfect best efforts.

So how did I do? Not as well as I wish- I’ve got a list to work on for the next sermon and God expects me to grow. But I also did better than I know, because of His grace and the power of His Spirit. And I am humbled and encouraged.

Psalms 2:4; 1 Corinthians 1:21, 27.