The Preacher's Prep

I am preaching this Sunday. I thought you might like to hear a little bit about my preaching preparation process. And where I am this week with it.

Preaching prep starts for me on Sunday afternoons or evenings when I read the  lessons for the coming week. I just try to read them so that as I go through the week related issues, articles, encounters and experiences might stick out to me as being sermon worthy. I like to read them on the way home from church, if I am organized and remember to put them in my bag.

Mondays are my day off. So I try not to think about anything at all. This is not really very possible. I check my email. I try to resist writing back to everyone. This past Monday I wrote my past-due Newsletter article.

On Tuesday I read the passages again. Then I pull out a couple different translations, what does King James bring out in the text the is missing from NRSV? What does the language obsure? If I am feeling very fancy, or perhaps feeling very overwhelmed, I might take a look at a passage in Greek. It's been a while since Seminary, and since I am still paying off many loans, I like to use the Greek to make the whole thing feel worthwhile. Though I have to say, the less I talk about the original Greek in the sermon, the better it is. It tends to appeal to me in a teacher-y way and that doesn't really work for a sermon.

Wednesday: low expectations. I try not to do anything.

Thursday: MUST get something on the page. Must start, end, think of a related story. Something. Must take up about half a page.

Thursday is such a must day because I don't like to begin Friday's like I have started this one. With a blank page. So intimidating. Oh God. And it's noon now and I have nothing.

And I just finished this whole Blog post, and tried to post it and something went wrong. And I just had to start all over. And I can't believe it. What happened. I was pushing save on the blog the whole time.

This lets me know that it is time to let go and move on. Basically the blog concludes by saying I try to write all but the ending two paragraphs on Friday. Leaving the last little bit to be mulled over on Saturdays. And then I try to leave some space to be surprised by something I learn in Early Church that might inform my sermon for the 11:00 am service. Leaving space is helpful, although with Sunday School even if space has been left, I don't seem to have the time to apply what I've learned. Still it's good to know it.

Wish me luck. Off I go.