Every minister has their own sermon-writing rhythm. Some look at the scriptures weeks and even months in advance, planning their themes and making notes. At the other end of the spectrum are those preachers who get up very early on Sunday morning to think, pray, and prepare a few hours before the service. Most of us fall somewhere in between those two extremes.
Here it is on Friday, for instance, and I am glad to have my notes for Sunday finished. I am the sort of person who doesn’t leave too much to the last minute. Still, at the January meeting of the Emmaus Project planning team, I had a moment of panic when the committee was talking about worship for the upcoming conference in May.
Each team member will be leading worship at least once during our time together at the Nottawasaga Inn. Months ago, we decided on our scripture passages and most of us have some idea about what ideas or themes we might develop. But none of us has actually written anything. Then Wes Denyer had an idea: “Why don’t we”, he said thoughtfully, “share our sermons ahead of time? Next month we can start setting aside time to preach to the group. That way we can collaborate on ideas, encourage one another and make sure we are not repeating what someone else has already said.”
My first thought was, “But I’m not ready! I haven’t written my sermon yet!” That was quickly overshadowed by my second thought: Collaboration? In sermon writing? Who has ever heard of such a strange approach? Some of us work with musicians, to be sure, and some have worship committees that look after various elements of worship. But the sermon is almost always left to the preacher, and the preacher alone.
Wes’ suggestion did not hang in the air very long. The team immediately began discussing the benefits of such a collaborative effort. Collegiality, teamwork, cooperation and consensus have all been at the heart of the Emmaus Project and here was a way that the team could put it into action in a new way. We would be vulnerable to one another, listen carefully to one another, and leave behind the competitive spirit that so often pervades ministry.
Despite the fact that I now need to get hurry up and get prepared, I am excited about the prospect of sharing with my colleagues and receiving what I trust will be their grace-filled feedback. I suspect that our worship at the conference will be deeply enriched by our collaboration, opening new doors for the work of the Spirit. It won’t be long and we will know for sure!
#1 by Wes Denyer at April 8th, 2010
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Now that we’ve tried this at our Emmaus Design Team Meetings, I think we’ve all found how exciting it is to share our sermon ideas. I know that my sermon idea for the worship time I will be leading at the conference was critiqued by the team, but it will now be so much better than it would have been without the opportunity to hear what others had to say!