In your preparation of last Sunday’s sermon, did you ask for help from anyone? Was a phone call made to run an idea past a friend to get his or her thoughts? How about making it part of a lunch conversation to see if the response you were planning to ask for was on target? Did you discuss what you were preparing with your spouse? What about emailing a fellow minister for insights?
My belief is that most messages are crafted with little if any outside input. It’s still pretty much “the preacher and God team” that’s involved in the sermon-preparation process.
The Little Red Hen, of children’s-book fame, asked for help from others, but she was always turned down. So she not only did all the work on her own, she also ate the meal she made by herself. But it’s not as though she didn’t ask!
My belief is that the vast number of sermons created for last Sunday were put together, humanly speaking, exclusively by the person who preached them. And that same truth will probably be true for Sundays long into the future.
Will you be the exception? Will you know the stimulation of another’s ideas who not only is open to helping, but would enjoy doing so?
I believe my listeners always have a lot to bring to the table. Truth be told, congregation members know more than their pastor does about what their needs are and what kind of sermon subjects will be most helpful to them. So why not invite their involvement?
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Please click here to visit David Mains’ Sermon-Coach.com website.
You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Please click here.
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