A Working Retreat

Today is Thursday and my first blog of the week. I suppose an excuse is in order.

I had a great opportunity to drive six hours to the Great Smokey Mountains and stay in the cabin pictured to the left.  I spent Monday evening, all day Tuesday, and Monday morning with 10 other ministers from Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky.  Not only were we from differing states, we were also from different areas of ministry.  So were full-time preaching ministers, some were youth ministers, a couple were bi-vocational ministers, and more than one entered ministry somewhat unplanned.  We had one key thing in common: A love for the Lord and His Church.  That is what brought us together, along with an email inviting us.

There was a special project that the host asked us to work on and I hope our input and efforts will continue to be of value to him.  But there was a side benefit or two.  We all went not knowing who would be there.  I was not sure I would know anyone except the host.  We went not knowing all the details but we went on faith.  While there old friendships grew and new ones formed.  our common bond in Christ provided great fellowship.  I could not help but think ho great heaven will be when we meet up with all the saints from years gone by and years to come.  I look forward to seeing you there.

Scott

Learning from a Teacher.

Let me introduce you to my favorite 1st Grade Teacher.  She was not my teacher when I was 6, nor did she teach my son's 1st Grade class (she was teaching 6th grade then).  We struck up one of our many conversations about teaching and preaching as we were returning from a "working vacation."  Yes, I am married to this teacher, I continual learn a lot from Amy's wisdom and insight even after almost 21 years of marriage.

Discussing how some of us who preach generally approach a topic or sometimes a situation within a congregation, she said that in the church we need to change from only using "spraying and praying" in our attempt to teach the truth. To "spray and pray" is an un-choked shotgun approach.  We do this when we preach a sermon or teach a class and hope that those who need to hear the message will get it.  We "spray" the message out and "pray" it reaches hearts.

Instead, she gave an alternative approach:  "Reaching and teaching."  This method is knowing the individuals of the congregation and reaching them with lessons to help them.  We can accomplish this is smaller classes aimed at particular age or social groups (singles, young marrieds, etc) and most effectively working with people on an individual level.

The more I thought about this the more I realized this is what Jesus did much of the time.  Consider how he taught the woman at the well, Nicodemus, Zacchaeus, and His apostles.  This is also the approach Aquila and Priscilla used to teach Apollos.

Thank you Amy, for reminding me how to be more effective as a preacher, teacher, and Christian who is concerned for the salvation of all.

The question is, "How can we best "reach and teach" instead of "spray and pray"?

What Do You Expect?

What follows is a list of common expectations that describe "The Perfect Preacher." Lists like this one circulate around and are funny only because they touch a nerve.  

1. The perfect preacher preaches exactly 10 minutes. 
2. He condemns sin roundly but never hurts anyone's feelings. 
3. He works from 8 AM until midnight and is also the church janitor. 
4. He makes $400 a week, wears good clothes, drives a good car, buys good books, and donates $300 a week to the church.
5. He is 32 years old and has 40 years experience. 
6. He never forgets a name and spends most of his time praying to God. He remembers everyone's birthdate and of course, their anniversary dates as well.
7. He also knows when somebody is sick and needs visitation even without anyone telling him about it. 
8. He loves to spend time with his family and the has no problem with you dropping in unexpectedly. 
9. He also spends most of his time in preparation to speak God's Word. 
10. Before and after services, he never fails to speak to each person present and will also take the time to listen to you for 15 minutes and pray for each person no less than 10 minutes after listening to them. 
11. The perfect preacher eats nutritiously, gets his rest, exercises daily, and is always there to listen to you night or day. 
12. He has a burning desire to work with teenagers, and he spends most of his time with the senior citizens. 
13. He smiles all the time with a straight face because he has a sense of humor that keeps him seriously dedicated to his church. 
14. He makes 15 home visits a day, is always in his office to be handy when needed and is always busy evangelizing the unchurched. 
15. He spends all day each Saturday preparing the Sunday sermon, and he focuses on his family too. 

Now for a serious question: What do you expect from the preacher where you worship?  Preachers, how well are you doing as a servant of God and His people?


Leave your comments!


Scott

Passing the Torch

Monday I read more than a few blogs concerning preachers whose influence is ongoing:
Chris writes about Dowel Flatt.
While Brian writes about Mike Tanaro.
Paul writes about her Dad.
Lisa writes about her Dad too.
And John writes about Richard Travis and others.

Today, I join the effort in Passing the Torch.

There are a lot of preachers in my life.  Many of them from my childhood and the congregations we attended.  Some of those who impacted my life were: John Bird, Jim Wisdom, and Ron Missildine.  These three were preachers where I attended.  Brother John Bird was the preacher when I obeyed the gospel at Leonard Street in Pensacola, FL.  He was one of the most kind hearted and tender men I had the privilege of knowing.  From him I learned the importance of prayer and saw in him a man who often knelt before the throne of God. Jim Wisdom is the man who "tricked" me into preaching my first sermon and (other than my mom) most influenced my love for singing.  He was the first preacher I knew as a friend and not just "the Preacher." If Jim had not been a part of our congregation when I was a pre-teen and young teen, I do not know if I would be a preacher.  Ron Missildine preached across town. I attended where he preached while a teenager since that congregation (Warrington Church of Christ) had an earlier service I could attend allowing me to worship and then go to work at a restaurant on Sunday afternoon.  Ron was much like Jim Wisdom in that he was a friend, and like John Bird he was a man who you knew had a relationship with God.  Ron's lessons were Biblical, practical, and easy to understand.  I hope in some way I am like the three of them.

Again, there have been a lot of preachers, but the one that stands out most, was a "retired" preacher who taught Bible Class when I was a teenager - Dale McCaleb. I only heard him preach on a few occasions.  Most of his influence was in class and in fellowship before and after worship.  Bro. McCaleb grew up not far from where I now live.  He is part of the "Greatest Generation"  who had a hard life and worked to make ends meet.  He worked with Navy and preached where ever he lived.  His life finally brought him to NAS Pensacola, where he decided to stay.  Dale and Ruby began worshiping with the Leonard Street Church of Christ when I was about 14 years old.  Soon Dale was teaching the teens, talking about a life of preaching, and going to school at Montgomery Bible School and meeting the love of life (Ruby).  His knowledge of scripture, his relationship with the Savior, his love for God, his example of a life spent in service inspired me.  When he spoke of his education, of his wife, of his God and Savior, I could hang on every word.  He was my grandfather's friend, but he was and is in many ways my hero.  Bro McCaleb's health is not what it used to be, the years are catching up to him, (he is about 90 years old).  This past year, I had the honor to preach a series of sermons at the congregation were I grew up and where he still attends.  He was there, sitting in the third row, smiling, nodding approval, and saying, "Amen."  After 20 or more years of preaching, having his approval meant so much to me.  Brother Dale McCaleb -- "Thank you."  I pray I can be a similar influence as I strive to follow Christ.

Scott

Gospel Bees - an Old Sermon Outline

Edward Earnest, one of our shepherds at Parrish Church of Christ recently shared an old pocket sized book with me.  The book's title is simply: Sermon Outlines: Over 150 sermons by A. J. Bachman.  McQuiddy Printing, Nashville, TN 1921.  The first sermon makes for a good study and reminder, even though it may need a few less points:   
Gospel Bees . . .

1. Be Peaceful - Rom 12:18
2. Be Ready - Matt 24:44
3. Be Contented - 1 Tim 6:8
4. Be Steadfast - 1 Cor 15:58
5. Be Faithful - Rev 2:10
6. Be Unmovable - 1 Cor 15:58
7. Be Holy - 1 Pet 1:16
8. Be Reconciled - 2 Cor 5:20
9. Be Strong - Eph 6:10
10. Be Patient - Jas 5:7
11. Be of the Same Mind - Rom 12:16
12. Be Transformed - Rom 12:2
13. Be Baptized - Acts 22:16
14. Be Zealous - Rev 3:19
15. Be Doers - Jas 1:22
16. Be Temperate - Titus 2:2
17. Be Sober - 1 Thess 5:8
18. Be Wise - Matt 10:16
19. Be Worthy - Phil 1:27
20. Be Kind - Eph 4:32
21. Be Long-suffering - 1 Thess 5:14
22. Be Obedient - Titus 3:1
23. Be Gentle - Titus 3:2
24. Be Watchful - 1 Pet 5:8
25. Be Merciful - Lk 6:36

I think I will post this on my mirror, refrigerator, (bind to my hand, put on the doorpost, place as frontlets before my eyes - Deut 6:8,9) so I will remember what I should BE.

Scott

Boles on Preachers

This morning, I was scanning through some old books. In a 1949 edition of Boles' Outlines by BC Goodpasture; I ran the following outline, "Responsibilities of Gospel Preachers." An online biography of Brother Boles relates, "H. Leo Boles was preeminently a teacher. In the fall of 1906, he became a member of the faculty of David Lipscomb College (then Nashville Bible School). While doing regular work as teacher, he took lessons daily in the Bible under the lamented David Lipscomb. For seven years he taught philosophy and mathematics but, on becoming president of David Lipscomb College in 1913, he began to give more and more time to teaching the Bible. It was a rare treat to attend his classes in logic, ethics, and evidences of Christianity. He taught his students the Bible-not merely some course related to the book, but the book itself. His students were taught to oppose all modernism, speculation and denominationalism. About 1,500 young preachers received instruction in his classes, besides hundreds of students who never became preachers."

Since many of my readers are preachers, I thought I would share this challenge to each of us.

Introduction: He should know his responsibilities as a gospel preacher and be able to meet them. Being ignorant of them disqualifies him. Willful failure to meet them disqualifies him.

I. Gospel Preacher's Motto: (1 Tim 4:16)
1. Two parts:
a. Take heed to thyself (Mat 5;19; Acts 1:1).
b. Take heed to thy teaching.
2. It reveals the preacher's responsibility.
3. It should be his guide.

II. Responsibilities to God.
1. To know the truth of God.
2. To love the truth of God.
3. To preach only the truth of God.
4. To live the truth of God.
5. People cannot separate a man and his message.

III. Responsibilities to the Church.
1. The Church is the great brotherhood of Christians.
2. It stands for the Bible truth.
3. Gospel preachers represent the brotherhood.
4. Must represent it fairly.
5. Many misrepresent it.
6. Such ought to get out of it.
7. They have no right to enjoy its honors and at the same time misrepresent it.

IV. Responsibilities to Hearers.
1. Must give them the truth.
2. They need the truth of God.
3. Preacher is debtor to hearers (Rom 1:14).
4. All responsibilities of a teacher to a pupil rests upon the gospel preacher.
5. Live as an example (1 Tim 4:12).

There is a lot for those of us who preach to consider.

Scott