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Michael Mercer: teacher. writer. father. husband. follower.

An Audience of One

7/25/2012

1 Comment

 
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Right now I'm sitting in a coffee shop, with my laptop, Bible, moleskin journal, a pen, and some books I've been reading.  I've only been a preacher for 4 months and I'm already a cliche.  I've been in ministry since 1996.  I've spoken countless messages over the years (mostly to adolescents) and I was reminded of something today that maybe I've always known and always practiced, but hasn't been at the forefront of my mind lately.  I don't just preach to the smiling mom in the front or the sleeping grandpa in the back or the talking teenager to my right.  I'm also preaching to myself.  When I spoke for years in youth ministry I would take the things that I learned in my own life and try to speak that wisdom to my students. This is why I think it is so important for youth ministers to have a healthy spiritual life and take time for themselves.

There is this tension I've been feeling every week when I preach.  How can I inspire or encourage a congregation to something bigger, something better, something more divine, if I myself have that same struggle?  Honestly, I've decided that I need to hear my own sermons.  I hope and I pray that taking that perspective won't create some kind of hypocritical stance, but rather this solidarity with the church.  I long to glean things from scripture and the word.  Let's face it, I will never be perfect enough in any area to preach as if they need it and I don't.  We need it.  So I will preach to myself and to my church for the sake of God and His kingdom.

I've been reading Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanley. Most of what I'm thinking is because of this book.  So here are some things I'm thinking about as I put together my sermon each week.

1.  How is this text/topic affecting me?  -am I living this way and what questions is it churning inside me?

2.  How will this text reach my audience? -What questions are we as people asking about this text/topic and about life in general?

3.  What can I share with the audience that can give us direction and help change lives?  This is truly a Holy Spirit movement of the sermon and the preparation of the sermon.  This is where the covering of prayer becomes crucial

We are moving together as a community of faith!  The entire worship service should be forming us into a type of community that is moving along the journey, joining God in the work he is already doing.

May God bless this cliche and the preaching of His word.

1 Comment
joseph
7/25/2012 11:44:43 am

So be it!

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    Michael Mercer

    I like to explore different things about theology and the life of the church.  You might also find things here about me and my family.

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