KneEmail - a devotional by Mike Benson associated with Forthright Magazine
Freshness
EVERY PROFESSION, NO matter what it is, has its distinct nuances that can only be understood by those in that profession...
For instance, I could not begin to comprehend the daily trails of an accountant, a doctor, or a farmer. But put two accountants in a room, two doctors, or two farmers and they could talk and understand each other even though they had never before met. Preaching is no different. There are daily and weekly challenges to preaching that many may not understand, but put two preachers in a room together, and it won't take long for them to find "common ground."
This past month, I sat talked with a fellow preacher who expressed several concerns and challenges that he was facing. To say that I could relate is an understatement. This article shares with you a small peek into some of the challenges to the job of preaching.
THE CHALLENGE OF FRESHNESS. I once had a person say that he thought it would be easy to preach, after all, you don't have to be creative because you have an endless supply of sermons in the Bible. Needless to say, this man had never preached on a weekly basis. Oh, he had preached a sermon here and there over the years, but not on a weekly basis. Friends, nearly anyone can come up with a sermon every now and then, but that isn't anything remotely similar to preaching every week. Certainly, the Bible contains all that needs to be said, but it demands a great deal of creativity to present the same truths, over and over again, in a way that is fresh and challenging. Preaching from week to week requires a great amount of preparation in meditation and reading. I heard one preacher who, after delivering an excellent sermon, was complimented by a member who asked, "how long did it take you to prepare that sermon?" The preacher thought a moment and said, "About 25 years." The preparation for a sermon is not week from week, but spans a lifetime of reading and study. (Steve Higginbotham)
KneEmail: "Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you" (1 Tim. 4:15-16).