Preaching on the Run
Written by Mark Van Steenwyk : June 8, 2005
I just thought I’d post something today in addition to my week-long Batman posts. I direct your attention to the blog of Chris Eerdman and Alan Roxburgh, who have a post about "preaching on the run." I decided to take this sort of plunge two weeks ago, so when I read their blog, I felt very encouraged. Read this snippet, then check out the full post:
Preaching is something lived. It comes out of who we are. Our task
is simply to stay close to the text, stay close to who we are as a
witnesses to Jesus Christ (in all of our unique and God-breathed
mystery and strength and necessity), and stay close to my people among
whom I am send to host this text week in and week out. I can do that on
the run. And if I do, it’s always good–even if the message won’t ever
appear in "Preaching Today." I’ve come to believe that maybe it’s good
precisely because my sermon won’t be printed in a book or recorded on a
CD.Now when my students ask, "How long does your sermon preparation take?" I answer, "A lifetime. No less, no more."
If you struggle with sermon preparation, check out the full post…I promise you’ll enjoy it.
for further reading . . .
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I think it’s indicative that the early Christians had nothing that we could put into the category “preaching” in the sense of one person getting up in front of everyone else and giving an exposition. They had teaching, which was somewhat similar to our preaching, but it was given in a completely different way than we give sermons. I think it’s because of exactly what Chris and Alan are saying: preaching is your life.