tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987271399653590272.post342928084288774010..comments2023-10-29T19:03:11.547-04:00Comments on A Pilgrim's Progress: 2. Sermons Are Fun to PrepareErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07306854704766653209noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987271399653590272.post-56119342907040172502014-07-05T17:12:43.542-04:002014-07-05T17:12:43.542-04:00Eric,
I guess you use the word "fun" in...Eric,<br /><br />I guess you use the word "fun" in the sense of enjoyment, so, I have to say, "I enjoyed sermon preparation"(three different sermons each week, two Bible studies, two school Scripture classes), because I never spent time in preparation without learning something new about our heavenly Father, His design for His people.<br /><br />Occasionally I would find that the hours were wasted in terms of the sermon, putting aside my notes and preaching on another subject extemporaneously, but the time in study was still precious.<br /><br />By the way, I learned very quickly, not to judge one of my sermons as "decent", or "not so good" as my respected blogging friend Arthur does (sorry Arthur).<br /><br />God's standards for service are usually very different to our own, no matter how well intentioned, so after a few years I began to do the very best I could, and not make any assessment of whether a sermon was good or otherwise, leaving the, often surprising, results to Him.<br /><br />I was like the Hebrews in 5:11, "slow to learn" that God's ways are not our ways.Aussie Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16199918171163666399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987271399653590272.post-60039590660299567402014-07-05T12:36:50.258-04:002014-07-05T12:36:50.258-04:00Arthur,
I guess salaried pastors have to find som...Arthur,<br /><br />I guess salaried pastors have to find something to do with their time. Hours and hours of sermon prep is one way to do that. And it's fun! A nice deal for the clergy for sure.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07306854704766653209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4987271399653590272.post-46402693779802212452014-07-05T12:31:49.576-04:002014-07-05T12:31:49.576-04:00A couple of thoughts on this. Sermon prep is reall...A couple of thoughts on this. Sermon prep is really right in the wheelhouse of most pastors, I loved studying the commentaries and such to prepare for two sermons a week. Who wouldn't want to get paid to do that? It also carries an image of being a pious burden, the more hours you can humble brag about spending on your prep, the better pastor you are. "Oh I spend 20 hours a week preparing my sermons" is not uncommon. Truth be told I could put together a decent expository sermon of about 45 minutes delivered in less than two hours prep time. Arthur Sidohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03848508095612688493noreply@blogger.com