Why I showed a bunch of non-preachers how you prepare a sermon

Meditation.

Investigation.

Reflection.

These are the steps I took a group of young adults through last night.

In short, we went through the process that you’d go through in order to write a sermon.

Meditation: Think deeply and slowly about the text. Note anything that jumps out, surprises or raises questions.

Investigation: Research the details of the passage and delve into some of the things raised as you meditated on the passage. Use resources of various types and depths.

Reflection: Write out your thoughts. Make connections. Draw out application. Share your thoughts with others.

Obviously, I won’t be delivering a sermon on Sunday based upon the passage we dealt with last night.

No one in the room will be.

But, in going through the process, it exposes those present to the steps a preacher will undergo and, more importantly, arm them with an effective method to deeply interact with a bible passage.

The danger of teaching the simple things

Currently, I teach junior high-schoolers.

Within my subjects - history and geography - there is a sizeable element within the curriculum for subject skills.

Frankly, some of it is really basic.

For example, direction.

Simple. North, East, South, West.

Year 7 have a whole lesson dedicated to direction.

The danger of teaching such topics is this… I find it simple. Obvious. Easy.

So, the temptation exists to not teach it throughly.

Instead, you assume that the students will understand the content quickly. 

The assumption can be that the answers will be as obvious to them as it is to me.

Of course… this ignores the fact that I learnt some of these skills over a quarter of a century ago. And I’ve now got multiple degrees.

A similar thing can happen with the gospel.

We can assume, just because something is clear for us, then it should come quickly for others.

This isn’t how it works.

For some, the ability to connect the dots will take time.

The ability to link the concepts will not click until they have their individual light-bulb moment.

The ability of a good teacher - be it in the classroom, Bible study or pulpit - is to ride the wave of discovery with the learner, not just going at the pace you assume will be enough to fly through the content.

The key is patience.

Why every church needs a kid’s ministry cheat sheet

The kid’s name

Date of birth

Father’s name

Father’s occupation

Mother’s name

Mother’s occupation

Dietary information

Length of time at church

Other pertinent details (for example, attends fortnightly, parents divorced, pressing health concerns or history, interests, activities which may restrict attendance)

This is the list of information all churches should know and have available to those working with children within a church congregation setting.

This information lets you enter a ministry situation with your eyes open.

It allows an unfamiliar person to be able to make and see connections.

It allows for personal touches to be included.

It highlights red flags that a new person could trip over.

It assists in the development of relationships.

In short, this cheat sheet puts someone on the highway to making those they newly minister to feel a sense of belonging.

Now, the teaching can incorporate personal connections.

Important dates won’t be overlooked.

Awkward parent interactions can be somewhat averted because you now have some background information to chat about.

Basically, this information arms you and bales you out.

The two reasons my daughter will be sending you to hell

Today my eldest was educating me about God and how heaven works.

I thought I’d already figured it out.

Apparently, you go to hell if you aren’t a Christian. 

Or hurt the planet.

It turns out that climate change denial or lack of effort to avert the warning of the globe will result in damnation.

While I didn’t immediately amend her ideas about the end times and judgement, I did wonder where she developed the connection between hell and climate change.

Is this the level that the youngest generation equate with the issue of climate change?

It’s a damnable offence?

I assume that every generation has had a similar hot-button issue that they would project in a similar fashion (justifiable or otherwise), be it the aids epidemic, nuclear war, the civil rights movement, abolition…

I wonder if we consider the effects these globe-defying, civilisation-shaping generational topics have on the mindset of the young.

As they hear about the “next great calamity facing humanity,” do we consider the gravity of the message we are implanting on our most impressionable minds?

Should we be okay with any youngster thinking that any topic is on par with the destination you’re going to end up in after your dead?

The perks of owning your own classroom

A decade ago I wrote that a preacher needs to own the room.

The same is true for a teacher.

But, currently, I don’t have an assigned room.

I’m like a man without a country. A teaching orphan. 

But I wish I did have a room.

A place I could consider “home”.

A place to decorate.

A place to display assignments.

A place to be proud of.

A place of routine.

A place of consistency.

A place to be dictatorial over the placement of the tables.

But mainly… I want a space that is… mine.

A place I somewhat own.

A place of regularity.

A place where my students will meet me, not me rushing to meet them… somewhere.

A place to store what I need.

A place to stash what I’ve found.

A place which my classes will be familiar with.

A place with visual reminders of what we learn about and what they are expected to produce.

These are the perks of having your own space.