Preaching Without Notes

[Dragoon68]

Originally posted by PastorSBC1303:
To me it is not a question of whether a pastor should use notes or not use notes, I think it is a matter of being faithul to study the word and feed the word to the church when the time is given. I have heard pastors preach faithfully and really bring the Word with notes and without notes. So I dont think it is an either/or question. I think it is whatever works best for you and how God directs you and how He has gifted you. The most important aspect of this whole discussion is to stay faithful to the Word of God. I get frustrated when I hear pastors wring their hands and say, "Gee I just do not know what to preach this Sunday." Well, good grief, God gave us 66 awesome books, just start somewhere. Preach the Word, with notes, without notes, just preach the Word!

Well written! Well said!

 

[Bro. James Reed]

Hello Brother! I was not aware that you had joined here as I have not posted in quite a while.

I hope you and Sister Dragoon68 are both doing well.

I know there are many things that we agree on, and there are also many things we don't agree on. This is just one of those things we do not agree on. The thing about taking notes in the stand is that it makes the preaching sound so rehearsed. Kind of like one of President Bush's speeches. Preaching should be something that comes from your heart via the inspiration of God.

I am not saying it is impossible to preach a good sermon by using notes. All I am saying is that we are far, far more apt to read our written notes, that we have pain-stakingly labored over throughout the week, even if God intends for the congregation to hear a different message, than had we studied indepth throughout the week, but left the final preaching up to the Lord.

I stand by my statement that the preacher is just the mouthpiece that the Holy Spirit moves through to get His message out. Sure, written out sermons may look good and even sound good, but man's words do not a sermon make. Whether God was in the matter during the study or not, if He is not present during the actual delivery of it, you can bet that it will be very dry preaching indeed.

I hope that God will bless you in your continued studies.

Bro. James

 

[Jim1999]

I should not like to attribute some of the words I have heard from ill-prepared men who dare to climb into the pulpit on a Sunday. My God is a God of order, and this includes a well prepared sermon, worthy of hearing, not tickling the fancies of men and women, but ernest in the truth of God's word. Notes are but a vehicle transporting the minister to a desired end.

No one is even suggesting that they not preach what God has for the people, but God can give that message as easily on Monday as He can on Sunday..and God does not change.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Dragoon68]

Originally posted by Bro. James Reed:
I am not saying it is impossible to preach a good sermon by using notes. All I am saying is that we are far, far more apt to read our written notes, that we have pain-stakingly labored over throughout the week, even if God intends for the congregation to hear a different message, than had we studied indepth throughout the week, but left the final preaching up to the Lord.

A preacher is far more apt to present the message God intends for the congregation to hear if he studies and prepares under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and then follows that guidance from the pulpit. He is less likely if he stands up and spills out whatever comes to his mind that doesn't connect into a message of any meaning to the congregation. I've heard far too many such messages and they are not from God! God is not confused, unprepared, or ineffective. It is shameful to blame the Holy Spirit for that failure of man. That's the real issue! The question of using or not using notes isn't what really matters. Preachers who object so strongly to that may well do so because they can't prepare a good set of notes and don't want to take the time necessary to adequately study. They convince one another and guilble congregations that their way is correct. They imply heresy in using notes. That's ridiculous and unfounded in scripture! Using notes does not imply reading verbatim from them nor does it limit a person to sticking with them. They are merely another tool the Holy Spirit may use through which He can overcome the weak capabilities of man. It is incorrect to suggest that God is so confused that He would help a man prepare a sermon and mislead him in so doing to the point that that preparation was consistently useless at the moment of deliver. Of course, likewise it would be wrong to claim that the Holy Spirit does not lead preachers at the very moment of a changing need. The Holy Spirit is both spontaneous and long suffering. He works in the short term and the long term.

 

[gb93433]

Originally posted by amen_corner:
Show me a place in the Bible where one of God's preachers/prophets stood up to share God's message and were led to change it before they spoke. Maybe I missed that passage.

The Bible is the Word of God, therefore, any message from the Word, no matter the text, should be relevant and applicable for God's people. We are called to preach THE Word. So, rather than trying to sound like we have some unique, mystical relationship with God where He waits until the last minute to tell us what to say, why don't we just systematically and expositionally study and preach the Word? God has already spoken His Word. It's right in front of us. If I am surrendered to His Spirit, and faithfully study His Word, then when I stand in the pulpit empowered by His Spirit, prepared in my heart, then I will speak exactly what He desires for His people to receive. It's not my word or thoughts anyway, it's His.

The problem, I think, is that many preachers are lazy in the study, or they don't have a system of study that frees them to preach. Pastors are also more concerned with topics that they can validate with Scripture, rather than letting Scripture supply their preaching topic. One pastor I knew flitted away his time during the week, and waited until the moment he ascended the pulpit to decide what he was going to preach. The walls of Jericho came to his mind, so he read the Scripture and ran around the congregation seven times. He provided his people with an empty plate on which to feed. I don't think God is honored by that,and I don't think God has called preachers to put God to that kind of test.

If I remember right: When I took Baptist history it was mentioned that Spurgeon went to the pulpit with three sermons prepared and preached one.

On one occasion a preacher asked me to fill the pulpit for him. Two hours before the service I told my wife that I felt compelled to change the sermon. I did and after the sermon and during the invitation I found out why. I changed it to enduring trials out of James 1. During the invitation a lady came forward and asked us to pray for her becasue she had just found out that one of her close relatives had just been murdered.

 

[Jim1999]

To Amen-Corner:

let's see your sermon outline on the following text....

"They shall drink their own piss and eat their own dung"

That should be a classic sermon and a text that has never been preached.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[gb93433]

Originally posted by Jim1999:
To Amen-Corner:

let's see your sermon outline on the following text....

"They shall drink their own piss and eat their own dung"

That should be a classic sermon and a text that has never been preached.

Cheers,

Jim

Every KJVO person should be required to preach that text as his first sermon. That would cure him fast.

 

[gb93433]

Eccl. 12:9-11, "In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs. The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly. The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd.

So if what the preacher does is not careful preparation then what is it?

 

[Jim1999]

Every KJVO person should be required to preach that text as his first sermon. That would cure him fast.

The purpose, of course, for mentioning that text, is to show that whilst every word in scripture is indeed the word of God, not every word is appropriate for the pulpit. Hence, Mr. Preacher, oyu had better pray and choose your text carefully and methodically plot what you are to say.

There are emergencies, when a man is called upon without prior notice, but he should have enough amunition in reserve to preach efficaciously in the Lord. Spirit-filled is the MAN and any man that is Spirit-filled will expound the message of God.

The foolish student goest to write exams without prior study. He says he will rely on the Holy Spirit to guide him. Well, my friends, it ain't so....and it ain't going to happen.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[amen_corner]

Jim,

First, an expository preacher would be wise enough to take that phrase in context! And I wouldn't shy away from it...in fact, the title of the message might be "Disobedience Stinks".

 

[Refreshed]

Excellent discussion. Keep it going, this young preacher is soaking it in. By the way, when I preach in the pulpit, it is with an outline, but when I preach on the radio, it is with a script prepared ahead of time.

Jason

 

[Jim1999]

Amen:
First, an expository preacher would be wise enough to take that phrase in context! And I wouldn't shy away from it...in fact, the title of the message might be "Disobedience Stinks".
_______________________________________________

Perhaps where you live that would sell, but the people under my ministry demanded meat.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Jim1999]

Refreshed:

The stations over which I preached demanded a script ahead of time. Two reasons: (1) legal, and (2) time constraints. I did a daily devotional, ten minutes in total, and read it word for word.

A good reading is far better than a helter-skelter mess of pottage.


Always keep in mind that this is the word of God we are entrusted with, and whilst we do not worship the Bible, we always have respect for the word.

"I have only one minute,
Sixty seconds in it,
Didn't choose it,
Can't refuse it,
Must give account if I abuse it;
And yet eternity is in it"

(Heard on Back to the Bible, Lincoln, Nebraska,
Theodore Epp in 50's)
Cheers,

Jim

 

[Dragoon68]

A Primitive Baptist minister in our area wrote an article, titled "No Notes" as I recall, about a year ago in a church newspaper in which he proclaimed that using notes from the pulpit was unscriptural. I know this man is a good Christian man and I'm sure he meant well by what he wrote but his conclusions were completely wrong. Because of his misuse of scripture to support them a bad light was cast on all that he wrote. Reading his article, and following up on it, is what so firmly convinced me of my own view on the subject. Unfortunately, as is often the case, many who read such works by admired men have adopted it into their own beliefs and now spread it among themselves.

His sole verse of scripture, as I recall, to support this claim was: Romans 1:15 "So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also." This preacher took a single phrase from this one verse, misinterpreted it and used it to justify his own accomplished method of preaching to the discredit of anyone else who would dare do differently. This minister claimed that "as much as is in me" referred to the Holy Spirit in Paul and that since he didn't say "as much as is on my notes" then such documents should not be used from the pulpit!

Well, it seems to me that the phrase communicates simply that Paul, "as for his part" or "as far as he was concerned", was ready to preach to the Romans. Not that Paul didn't believe he should be guided by the Holy Spirit in his preaching, but if he'd been referring to the Holy Spirit in this particular scripture, he would have surely have named Him specifically. Even so, if it was a veiled reference to Him then that, in itself, certainly did not constitute an admonishment of using notes any more so than it did an admonishment of using the Holy Bible from the pulpit which was as of that time yet to be completed. Paul was at this time writing the scriptures we now use!

I'm very concerned how so many fellow of my Primitive Baptists, and I suppose others as well, who swallow this sort of shallow theology and spread it around as if it preserves the "old ways" of the Church and represents the true Word of God. It is sad that more people don't take the time to study, pray, and seek understanding for themselves under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Writings such as the "No Notes" article should be vigorously challenged and forced to be clarified as mere preferences of individual men rather than scriptural guidance from God.

We are blessed in this age to have many good tools available to us, to have our own personal copies of the written Word of God, and to have the freedom to worship as we wish in this great nation. The message has not changed! God in three persons has not changed! Man's sinful nature has not changed. The plan of salvation has not changed! But, to the extent they can be used to serve the Lord more effectively we should not hesitate to use available tools taking due care to be certain it is according to His will and that the use thereof will bring glory to His name.

 

[gb93433]

Years ago when I took my first homiletics course the profesor told us, "Just remember the Holy Spirit is no substitute for preparation."

 

[Dragoon68]

Originally posted by gb93433:
Years ago when I took my first homiletics course the profesor told us, "Just remember the Holy Spirit is no substitute for preparation."

Interesting comment! I believe it would be best if the Holy Spirit guided preachers in both the preparation and the delivery. Your professor probably meant it that way.

 

[Trotter]

I have witnessed way too many "rabbit hunts" in the pulpit to think that not using notes is more spiritual than using them. I have had to preach on short notice, and have found that it is extremely hard to hold to a train of thought when you are moving through a set of points. More than a few times I would start an illustration, only to find that I had lost the point that I was aiming for in the middle somewhere. Thankfully, God has gifted me witht he ability to think on my feet.

When I have ample time to prepare, I always use notes. Not a manuscript (even though I am an excellent reader). But I have found that a good set of notes (outline, observations, illustrations in skeletal form) keep me focussed on the topic at hand, and keeps me from sounding like a total idiot (need all the help I can get).

In Christ,
Trotter

 

[Jim1999]

The thing to stamp in the mind in this whole discussion is that notes are merely aids to an orderly discourse. After all, why are we in the pulpit?

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Jim1999]

Just another help for preachers. Over the years I learned to mark each chapter in the Bible in point form in the margin. I note the key verse and work from it. When called upon in the stretch to preach, you literally have a Bible full of sermons in a systematic and orderly fashion.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Dragoon68]

Originally posted by Jim1999:
Just another help for preachers. Over the years I learned to mark each chapter in the Bible in point form in the margin. I note the key verse and work from it. When called upon in the stretch to preach, you literally have a Bible full of sermons in a systematic and orderly fashion.

Cheers,

Jim

Your approach sounds a bit like a stack of note cards written into the margin of the pages of the Holy Bible itself! I'll bet the bibles of many of the "no notes" preachers have such notations! Some of 'em may even have some of those new self adhesive color coded labels!