shepherding the shepherd
from PreachingToday.com
Sunday Mornings: Preaching as Stained Glass
The truth part of “truth through personality” is our priority…. It’s the “through personality” part that is more elusive because there is a danger in just being yourself up there on the platform. God’s truth passing through personality can come out bullied and bruised.
Sunday Mornings: Let Us Pray
Many pastors delegate their praying to others like we do song-leading. I’m all for having others lead in prayer but our people must hear us pray publicly. It’s part of shepherding, part of leading our flock to green pastures, through deathly valleys, and on to the table God has prepared for us.
Sunday Mornings: Unsung
I must admit, when I hear someone (especially a young person) say, “I just loved the worship at that church,” I’m pretty sure they don’t mean the Scripture reading, prayer, Communion, creed, or the offering. Perhaps you’ve noticed that for many today, worship is synonymous with music. And that’s it. One of our great privileges and responsibilities as pastors is showing God’s people these unsung treasures on Sunday mornings, a duty we cannot leave only to others.
Sunday Mornings: Witnesses
Witnesses always gather around us on Sunday mornings, beginning with our distant relatives in the faith like Abel, Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Joshua, Rahab, and on through all the apostles with their Christian friends.
Sunday Mornings: Wonder Full
We cannot generate feelings of wonder, especially amidst all the pastoral hubbub of Sunday mornings, but we can think about where it is we are standing, what extraordinary, holy things we say and see and touch.
Sunday Mornings: Be Quiet
Personally, I never found Sundays to be peaceful, but they do offer a unique kind of rest.