Jay N Smith's Blog

As a bi-vocational, occasional preacher rather than a week-in, week-out preacher, I am familiar with both the added load of sermon preparation and the focused intensity of it.  I confess (happily) that I love the “burden” of preparing a message and really enjoy the pressure of it – as strange as that might sound.  I call it “the hunt” and I am focused and alert while I am on the hunt.

Fortunately, I have enough experience with the Scriptures and more importantly, with the grace of God to know that it will all come together even though I have had a few close calls. I like to study the text in Greek and read commentaries during the weeks before a message – although I occasionally get short notice.  Typically, I take Friday off of work (if I can) to dig deep and pull my study notes together.  I often spend Saturday reviewing, writing and doing at least one run-through.  I like having a pretty good idea of the amount of time it takes so I don’t have to worry about that while I am preaching.

I have admired preachers who seem to be totally at ease with the congregation before the service starts, catching up with people and even engaging in some light banter.  I have never felt that way.  Typically I am pretty focused and don’t really want anyone to talk to me.  The most recent time I preached felt different – praise God!  I was able to chat with people and it was fine.  Maybe it is a matter of experience.  I felt good about the sermon and was able to be “human” before the service.

I am perhaps most comfortable in the pulpit.  I know that seems odd to many people, but for an introvert like me, it is a very safe place.  It is safe because the preacher is the designated speaker – he is not trying to “get a word in edgewise”.  The congregation expects him to talk and has a reasonable expectation that he will say something important and or helpful.

Hershael York had some great advice: he said that we must be willing to be fools for Christ as we preach.  I thought I was a pretty expressive speaker, but people told me that it wasn’t coming across.  I have ramped it up the last two times that I have preached, and I think it is working.  I think that we have to be more animated than we think is appropriate for the situation and it will seem normal from the congregation’s perspective.

Steve Lawson said during a preaching seminar that preaching will take all that you have to give, and I agree.  There is something about giving myself fully to this great task that is exciting and exhausting – and I love it.