2. Preparation

Several years ago a reader of the British Weekly wrote a letter to the editor as follows: "Dear Sir! I notice that ministers seem to set a great deal of importance on their sermons and spend a great deal of time in preparing them. I have been attending services quite regularly for the past thirty years and during that time, if I estimate correctly, I have listened to no less than three thousand sermons. But, to my consternation, I discover I cannot remember a single one of them. I wonder if a minister's time might be more profitably spent on something else?"

The letter stirred up quite an editorial storm of angry responses from the paper's readers for weeks. The pros and cons of the value of sermons were tossed back and forth until finally, one letter ended the debate. This letter said, "My Dear Sir: I have been married for thirty years. During that time I have eaten 32,850 meals -- mostly of my wife's cooking. Suddenly I have discovered that I cannot remember the menu of a single meal. And yet, I received nourishment from every one of them. I have the distinct impression that without them I would have starved to death long ago."

As in any sermon, preparation is the imperative. Charles W. Koller, in his book How to Preach Without Notes writes, "Preaching without notes does not mean preaching without preparation .... Preaching without notes does not mean preparation without notes. Indeed, carefully constructed notes are the basis of freedom ... in preaching."

I prefer exegetical preaching. I begin with chapter one verse one of a book of the Bible and continue through the entire book. There are several benefits to this style. First, I am never at a loss as to what to preach. Secondly, I am forced to study the passages in depth and in context. This lends itself to preaching without notes simply due to the amount of time spent with the material. You will develop a greater confidence in the material that you are teaching and therefore in the Word of God.

After a worship service an old lady stopped and spoke to the pastor who had only been with the church a few months. She said, "I'm deaf, and I can't hear a word you say, but I still come to get my plate full." Hoping to console her, the pastor said, "Well, maybe you haven't missed much." She replied, "Yes, that's what they all tell me." Preparation, no matter what style of preaching, is a must if you hope to feed the flock.

Remember that when you are preaching your sermon you will not have your notes. This requires that you make some minor adjustments. Keep your illustrations close to your heart. When preaching without notes it is unproductive to try to use long unfamiliar illustrations.

I love to quote from the great preachers of old in my sermons; however, it is often difficult for me to adequately get their thoughts across if I have not made them my own. Therefore, I tend toward illustrations with which I am intimately familiar. To this end I often use Biblical situations to illustrate a point. I also use articles that I have read and jokes that I have heard, each of which I can recite without much difficulty.