One afternoon this past week during my two-minute commute home from my church study, I caught the familiar sound of Rod Stewart on Sirius radio’s station, SXM 14 The Bridge. The song was, You’re In My Heart. Maybe you remember it?
What caught my attention was when he sang,
“Your ad lib lines were well-rehearsed…”
I thought to myself: “Yes! That’s exactly it! That describes what a preacher sounds like when they know their material very well.”
Regularly, I work with young preachers on this matter of sermon delivery. Almost always their reliance on their manuscript disrupts the flow of communication. It sounds the opposite of “ad lib.” It sounds like they are reading their stuff.
The method that has served me well for so many years is learning to write my sermon from minute one of my study. I continue to work on that sermon each day/hour that I study the text. Saturday after supper means another one or two read-throughs my full manuscript that I’ve been writing all week (an orascript really: writing as if I’m speaking to my faith-family on Sunday). Sunday morning means at least one or two read-throughs.
By the time it’s time to preach, I have to trust that I know this material very well. What may look and sound like it’s ad lib is actually well-rehearsed. Rod Stewart really knew what he was singing!
May our Lord receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21) as you continue to work hard at knowing your material really well, increasing your effectiveness.
Randal
