Preparing to Preach
Recently I was asked by a colleague to describe my process of how I prepare to preach. A lot of people have asked me this and I thought I might let you in on some trade secrets with the hope it might help you in relating to scripture.
First of all I see my role as a preacher is to be a scout, an explorer. I live my life out on the spiritual edge and bring back weekly reports. If I'm not pushing the boundaries I'm not doing my job.
I start working on a sermon about 8-10 weeks ahead. I pray over the scriptures for the day. Find what piques my interest or aggravates me or even angers me, and then focus on that passage or sentence or word. It's the grain of sand in the oyster that makes the pearl. I preach toward my own salvation.
I start working on an outline and then attune myself to all I hear and see around me and start plugging in examples from the world around me - news, magazine articles, blogs, television, movies, conversations - everything is grist for the mill.
I bounce ideas of colleagues in text study groups. I belong to two, one that meets weekly and one that meets twice a month. This is invaluable because they often point out flaws or gaps in my thoughts or resources I should look at.
I draft the sermon, still in outline form, the week ahead, plugging in and moving around pieces and throwing out bits that distract from the main point. I want the sermon to be able to be expressed in one big idea; one simple, easy to carry, take home sentence. If an 8 year old of average intelligence can't get that basic thesis I've probably failed.
I prayerfully read over the outline in quiet solitude Sunday morning before I get bombarded by everyone, then I throw the outline away.
I pray with my liturgist and give myself over to the worshipping community. I try not to think about the sermon after this point until I preach. Often there are little changes in the sermon based on what I hear in the prayers of the community.
I pray this prayer before I start any sermon - "Eternal God, be as the farmer and our hearts the earth. Open up our hard hearts with your plow called 'truth' and plant there within the seed which is your Word. And over time, over seasons of sun and rain and frost and snow, may our hearts bear forth a harvest of your love. Amen." Why? Because I always do it, that's why. It's important for me to have something that grounds me before I launch into the sermon and this prayer has proven to be it over the years.
I preach.
I try to maintain eye contact.
I try to have no notes. Occasionally, if there is a long passage or poem or quote I want to make sure to quote directly, I will have that with me, but that is rare.
I move and try to use the space to help tell the sermon. Often if I making a distinction I will physically make one space represent one person, area, idea, way of being, and another the counter-example. For example: if I'm preaching on Judah and Israel I might make the left part of the sanctuary represent Judah, and the right represent Israel.
I have a conversation. If I ask questions I try not to make them rhetorical questions but actually include and incorporate the congregation into the sermon.
I have fun. If I'm not enjoying the sermon you probably aren't either.
I debrief with someone I trust, usually my kids. I ask what they heard, what they saw. I ask them to summarize the sermon for me.
Obviously this process means I'm working on 8-10 sermons at the same time. That's how I roll. As of the middle of August I'm just starting to look at November and I've got my topics picked through the end of October. This can be disconcerting for some people but it's exhilarating for me.
So, that's how I prepare. Now you know.