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Preparation I've been wrestling with what it means to be prepared to minister-- esp as relates to preaching. Does it mean to have memorized your notes; to have mastered the material. That has mostly how I have thought of it in the past. But a great presentation just doesn't seem to cut it when you are speaking for God. To get it right just doesn't seem to measure up.
Here's how I'm presently thinking. Understand though-- I'm not talking about shoddy composition or trying to make any excuses for not doing the requisite research and study. But what is the real measure of preparation.
When the measure of our preparation is adoration and the substance of our intercession is love then our ministry (i.e. preaching, etc.) will happen in real time. . . . . in the live streaming of the presence of God.
What do you think of that?
Labels: theology
posted by John David Walt | at 1/28/2005 04:52:00 PM
Today...
2 Comments:
Hey JD - I think, not surprisingly, that first we should be rethinking what we mean by "preaching" and "ministry." What context was spiritual Teaching intended to occur in? How does it really work in the context of a faith community? Methinks we've jumped onto the bandwagon of preparation and lecture a long time ago and at this point we're simply riding that wagon without knowing why we got on in the first place.
So, then, the pressure involved in doing this huge study and preparation for sermons may not be so important. If we have a real, relational, intimate community life, the infusion of spiritual life from Teacher to student happens as a matter of course - as a matter of constant relaltional contact. I think the thoughts you have put out there about constant adoration and love is what I'm talking about. The important thing becomes out formation into the image of Christ (in the context of community like everyone else) and not our ability to craft a sermon.
OK, I'm done. One of these days we'll get together again. Pax vobiscum.
this is a great line of thinking AlanCreech.com seriously-- we have it in such a one-way delivery performance paradigm that we aren't even in the zone of the Spirit too much. In my usual sense of preparation it is far more about what I am going to do or what I am trying to get across--- instead of the kind of preparation that truly makes way for the Word of the Lord.
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