No one is, yes EVEN YOU.
When Disney puts together a movie, ever notice how many people are in the credits? HUNDRED's. When NFL coaches put together a game plan they gather a TEAM of coaches to do so. An offensive coordinator, a QB coach, a RB coach, etc. When your local news station puts together a news cast, several people work on the project - no one does solo stories.
Why? Because No One is creative enough, knowledgeable enough, aware enough, or good enough to do it alone...well, you cannot do it with EXCELLENCE alone.
However, most Sunday sermons are prepared, reviewed and delivered by one man ALONE. I have preached enough sermons and certainly heard enough sermons to know that all of us need help from other people in our preaching.
Two major obstacles stand in the way: EGO & LAZINESS.
As a part of the fraternity of sermon givers let me admit for all to hear (actually read) - Pastors have egos just like everyone else. We are often too hard headed, stuck in our ways, elitist, and arrogant to consider having a team of people assist us with our sermons. After all we have been to Seminary, we have preached hundreds and even thousands of sermons. We have had Greek and Hebrew unlike our peasant parishioners - how can they possibly help us with sermon preparation?
Well, they can whether we will admit it or not. We DO NOT have all the good ideas.
I am convinced that the greatest hindrance to effective ministry today, especially preaching is simply Laziness.
GET THIS: You can work 60 hours this week and still be LAZY! How? By doing the easy, small resistance pastoral work. As far as preaching goes it is EASY to open your bible, your commentaries and prepare a 40 minute exposition of scripture. Download a couple of stories and jokes and your good to go. Creativity, Innovation, Teamwork - yeah those require hard work. Getting 4 or 5 people together to examine your sermon and ideas is not only hard on your ego, but difficult to organize sometimes. It also means you have to work way in advance.
Being creative means thinking - sometimes working out of YOUR comfort zone.
Is it worth it? All the hard work - the change? (Yeah 15-30 years of doing it the same way could mean cramping your style) BUT is it worth it?
Disney thinks their message is that important...What about yours?
- Brad
(Next, I'll post tips on how to involve others in your preaching...It's called Team preaching)
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