I am preaching without a manuscript again. I've been doing more of that lately. Other than the reality that I was taught to preach that way, I am not sure why I have finally started to do it. Maybe it's just a glitch, a hiccup in what is usually a written expression for me. Who knows. But there it is.
I do have an outline of sorts available to me when I do this. You can follow the extended link to see what that's all about.
Have a great day.
"Follow the Change"
I. Change is in the air
- Presidential election
- Change! What kind of change?
- Who will lead such a change?
II. Matthew's Gospel is about change (9:9-26)
A. Wine skins
- How does the community navigate the change of the fallen Temple?
- "both are preserved" (9:17)
B. Who leads such a change
- a leader of the synagogue
- a young daughter
- a woman hemorrhaging for twelve years
The needy lead the change.
Jesus always follows the needy.
He leads by following. His is a ministry of following.
C. Change is led by the needs of Others
- this is often about companionship and not treatment (9:10)
- agency is in the faith of the needy (9:22)
III. What is our place then?
A. Ordination sermon "the anointing marks where the nails will go" - John Dally
B. We are to follow as Christ followed. God desires mercy and not sacrifice. The change we are called to will be led by the needy.
When you do prepare a script for your sermon, do you then read it out loud more or less verbatim to your congregation?
I imagine you stray from its exact phrasing, according to the opportunities of the moment. But how much?
Posted by: Megan at June 9, 2008 02:32 PMHey.
You know, I don't stray all that much...some, but I find it awkward for some reason. I get trapped behind the pulpit. I get trapped in the text. Getting away from a manuscript has been helpful. It's also upped the investment somehow. There's less distance between me and the Preached Word...and less distance between me and the congregation.
Well, that's my experience at least. I have received some interesting feedback from the congregation...mixed positive and negative...but usually about the same thing. Either the stepping away from the pulpit is engaging or it's distracting. It all depends on who you ask.
;-)
Posted by: Tripp at June 10, 2008 08:25 AM