Preaching for a church is nothing like I had perceived before I became a minister.
I assumed you toss a few verses together for a sermon-salad, open with a joke, close with a prayer, and shake hands as they exit at the door.
Nope. Not even close.
Preaching for God and with God is absurdly threatening. I listen for Him and study His Word everyday for six days. He gives me ideas which will enhance the congregants' lives. I love it....and fear it. What if I miss the message. Worse yet, what if I got it and failed in its delivery.
Today I look like I'm Terry; dressed in my open-collared shirt, jeans, and a black sport coat. I can't wait to be with the people. And I'm so excited about the message He has given me for it is above what we usually think about. The theme will challenge us to move more into His zone which is a different level than our habitual comfort.
The message doesn't scare me. It is a good one; a needed and strong one. What makes me afraid is my complete inadequacy. All one-hundred-ninety-pound me is going to step up there, take a deep breath, and just pray that my words are from the Wisdom above and not from me.
This is the way is should be. But it still makes me afraid.
More and more I understand that the Apostle Paul wasn't spouting false humility to the wind when he said, And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God (I Cor. 2:3-5).
For me, it is such a relief to note that such a man felt similarly to me. We want more than anything in the world to let the good people in front of us hear from God. Yet, we know how foolish and silly we messengers are.
Today...I am afraid of my skills or lack thereof...but am wound up as to getting to hear what He might have to say through me.
I must decrease that He might increase.
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