Preparing more than one sermon per week puts a strain on one’s ability to deliver Spirit-empowered, life-transforming, God-exalting sermons. When a ministry requires the preparation of more than one sermon a week, what is a preacher to do? I have five suggestions. I offered two in last Tuesday’s post: (1) prioritize and spend most of your time on the primary sermon; and (2) feel free to recycle a good sermon in the appropriate time and manner for use in the secondary setting. I’m using the expression ‘primary sermon’ to refer to the one you preach in your main worship service(s). The ‘secondary sermon’ is the additional sermon you must prepare for another setting such as a Sunday night or mid-week service. Now, here are my final three suggestions.
Third, expand themes or material from your primary sermon for your sermon in the secondary setting. I heard Duane Litfin offer this sage advice several years ago. Usually, you’ll have more material than you can use when you’re done studying for your primary sermon. So, use it in your secondary sermon! For example, I preached last Sunday on Proverbs 3:1-12. If I had a secondary opportunity, I would pursue one of several options. I would preach on Hebrews 12:4-13 since it offers a ‘sermon’ on Proverbs 3:11-12! Or, I might develop the topic of God’s guidance which emerges from Proverbs 3:5-6. In my view, the last line of verse 6 promises something other than personal guidance – clarity on whom you should marry, where you should go to college, etc. So I would develop this issue in another sermon which, by the way, would have more of a topical/theological rather than an expositional flow.
Fourth, use the secondary setting to wrestle with application. In my opinion, North American Christianity does not devote enough time to this! That’s why some churches schedule a discussion forum after a worship service or during an Adult Education time. So devote the secondary setting to a brief re-cap of the sermon, and then let people ask questions or suggest what it will look like to flesh out the teaching of the text in everyday life situations. Urge people to think specifically. Vague application (“we need to be obedient at home, at school, at work, at play”) leads to vague Christian living!
Finally, use secondary settings to let others in the church exercise and develop their gifts! I miss Sunday evening services and mid-week services for this reason (although in our setting we have compelling reasons to pursue other forms). Reserve these opportunities for other pastoral staff members or for preachers-in-training.
Hopefully, by using one of these approaches or a combination of them, you can make the best use of the time you devote to preaching the Word. What insights can you offer other preachers who have to prepare more than one sermon a week?
Posted by Steve Mathewson at 6:35 AM on June 15, 2007
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It used to be common for a pastor to have four major preps a week: Sunday morning, Sunday School, Sunday evening, Wednesday night. I wonder how they managed it all - and what they think of us pastors today who only have one or two preps a week?
Posted by: Ray Fowler on June 18, 2007
I have at least 3 to 4 preparations each week. I work through a sermon plan. I teach an adult Sunday School class every week. Except for some holidays, I preach expository messages through a book of the Bible on Sunday Morning. My evening messages or usually either doctrinal, character study, or practical applications that are related in some way to the morning message. Occasionally on Sunday afternoons, I will do a leadership session. On Wednesday nights, I teach a Bible Study that is a more intensive approach, either exposition or doctrinal. On occasion, I also speak in other settings, such as youth gatherings. I was called to preach, and I enjoy that. It's the other stuff that makes life difficult. For example, I don't enjoy the committee meetings that accomplish so little for the time consumed.
Posted by: Gary Webb on June 20, 2007
I am sure all Pastors go through what is called sermon block, but their is a common mistake of depending to much on commentaries.I am not saying commentaries should not be used, but the best commentary on the Bible is the Bible. Hours of study must be met with hours of prayer and meditation, but most of all we should depend on the Holy Spirit to lead us in our sermon. In a homiletics class years ago I was told a Pastor should spend 20 hours on each sermon, before you shake your head I know we live in a day were many Pastors or Bi-vocational. Not only this but many are also furthering their education. Let me say this at closing you will be surprised how much time you will have to study if you cut your television off.
Posted by: Rev. Jeff Rice on June 20, 2007
thank God for the work done over there j would like to open up friendship with you
pastor and the church jam pastor Wilson living in Uganda Africa. God is using us to preach the gospel and people are accepting Jesus Christ as there savior
hoping to hear from you soon
l am
Pastor k, Wilson
Posted by: pr wilson on June 21, 2007
Some further thoughts . . .
RAY: Good observation! I think some did it well because they had the time or took the time to for extended study. Gary gets at this in his comment. Some, I suspect, did not do as quality a job as they would have with less preparations. I could do 4 major preps if I had to, but prefer pouring more time and effort into 1 or 2.
GARY: You're right! There are so many other responsibilities that can consume a pastor's time, and some of them must be avoided or delegated.
JEFF: Thanks for raising this issue! My reply to your concern turned into more than a few comments! So I've turned it into a blog post which will appear on Friday, June 29, 2007.
PASTOR WILSON: It's good to hear about the progress of the gospel in Uganda! How can I help you?
Posted by: Steve Mathewson on June 26, 2007