RE: Does your pastor...

I posted this on another site--but here will do, too! Would the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company stand before his contractors/potential clients, etc. and present a multi-million dollar sales agreement, contract, etc., without the first note? I'm with the good Doctor Griffin on this one. Been preaching now for fifteen years--still use notes. Studied books from the best--Stephen Olford, John Phillips--the Einstein's of the theologians--none of these men condemn the use of notes.

 

I consider myself a Johnny come lately, compared to Dr. Bob (whom I respect from many of his posts). Much of my preaching is extemporaneous, but it comes from much (many hours) of study. The "stuff" of my sermons comes from an expository approach having consulted commentaries and language studies. My greek leaves much to be desired, so I am VERY glad for language helps.

 

I agree, we ought to be prepared for what God has commanded us to do. What I like is when we have prepared so hard and then go to preaching and the Spirit of God says, You know, a lot of that preparation was in the intellectual flesh. Say this--say that...." Pretty soon he has us going in a direction in which we didn't prepare for at all. That is the difference between a college professor or a CEO and a preacher of the Word of God. It is His Spirit. Fortunately, He "proofs" our notes. Unfortunatley, He does it while we are standing in front of the congregation.

 

My husband prays for God to give him the message he wants him to preach. Then he types up his outline and makes notes. My youngest son (Christopher) always asked to see his outline before church service and he thinks because dad has 4-5 pages of notes and outline then he is going to have a real long message. Sometimes he has a few pages but a long message. I believe God expects a pastor to study and take notes on what they preach even though He gives them the message. A pastor is human and needs as much help as he can get. ~Sheila~

 

I usually preach without a manuscript but I write down cross refernces that I want to make. It seems to me that I stifle the Spirit if I use a manuscript. Sorry Josh and Bob I just scream louder. But then again God speaks to each preacher differently. I mean I am sure Paul didn't preach like John the Baptist.
I reckon It all depends on how the Spirit leads him.