I've preached almost every Sunday for almost four years. And I've gotten in quite a groove-- or maybe rut is a better term. Someone once told me that a pastor's week is pretty much Sunday. Monday. Sunday. And it feels that way. Some weeks, the only reason I am able to spew out any words is because I know that Sunday is coming whether I'm ready or not. But at some point, I've gotten overly processed. Sermon writing has become more mechanical than I ever imagined it could be, and less joy-filled that I ever believed possible. For most of my pastorate, preaching and planning worship was by far my favorite part of the job.
Where has that joy and love and passion gone? I think my process is too streamlined-- as if I'm about efficency. When did writing a sermon become a question of "How quickly can I write it?". It isn't. And I'm beginning the process of saying no to offerly efficient sermons. I want to dwadle. I want to daydream. I want to listen longer than a few hours.
I want better for myself as a pastor-- I want to preach out of an overflow of thought and prayer and life. I want better for my people too. If I'm not passionate, how can I expect that anyone will be moved?
So this is my the start on my road to recovery. It's my place to sit with the text for as long as it takes.
No comments:
Post a Comment