I really
hate to paint. We have been fixing up a room in the basement for me to use as
an “office.” Part of the fixing up entails painting one of the walls and the
water closet. I have never been able to cut in the edges around the woodwork
without getting paint on it. I am envious of those who can cut in the edges
without previously having taped the edges.
Perhaps one
of the reasons I don’t like painting is I just want to get it done. It takes so
much time to do all the prep work. Yes, I know two-thirds of the time and
effort to a good paint job is in the preparation. Taking the time to make sure
the surface is clean and smooth and to tape the edges makes a significant difference in the
finished project.
Over the
years, I always felt I had to hurry and get the job done, because time was
limited due to other responsibilities. Even now, with significantly fewer
pressing responsibilities, I still feel the press to “get ‘er done.” I know
yielding to that press will either result in a sloppy or unfinished painting
project.
To be honest
that press to finish a project has not only been related to painting projects.
As a pastor, there more times than I care to admit when the sermon preparation
got a lot less attention than it should have gotten. I liked doing sermon
preparation. I liked doing the study, allowing time for prayer and reflection,
allowing time for it all to simmer and then finally coming together for
delivery. Yet, I have to admit there were times when the sermon ended up being
a “Saturday night special.” There were members to visit in the hospital,
nursing home or at home. There was preparing for committee or session meetings.
There were administrative tasks. There was community involvement. There were
presbytery committee meetings. Oh, yes, there was my wife and family. The list
of other responsibilities and expectations never seemed to have an end, Sunday
always came around.
There are
two stories which illustrate differing approaches to sermon preparation. A minister always was busy “doing the Lord’s work.” Each Sunday, during the hymn
before the sermon, the preacher would take his Bible in hand and let the pages
fall open. He would close his eyes, extend his pointer finger and press it down
on the page. Whatever verse he was pointing to would be the text for the
sermon. He would mount the pulpit and declare, “This is what the Lord has to
say to the congregation today.” He would then read the Scripture to which he
had pointed and launch into his 25 minute sermon. One Sunday his finger pointed
to an obscure verse. He was stymied. Even after the hymn had
ended he remained seated. After some very uncomfortably long moments he finally
rose to the pulpit and said, “The Lord doesn’t have anything to say today. Let’s
sing another hymn, take up the offering and go home.”
A friend told the story of being on an extended visit in Scotland during which he
developed a strong relationship with a parish pastor. One day over lunch my
friend was talking about all the things he had to do in his usual weekly duties
and that he regularly would put in fifty to sixty hours a week. One of his
complaints was there were so many things needing his attention he didn’t feel
he had enough time to prepare his sermon and for the weekly bible study. He
said there were always people coming to the office. Some came just to chit-chat
and some came with problems or concerns.
After several minutes of listening to the American pastor, the Scottish pastor leaned forward and
said, “There is nothing more important to be done than preparing the sermon and
the bible study. My people know my first priority is preparation for preaching
and teaching. Every day my office door is closed from eight in the morning
until noon. My phone is unplugged. I do not receive and open the mail. I do not
chit-chat with members or elders, nor am I there to solve all their issues or
concerns. My people expect excellent preaching and teaching and they leave me
alone to prepare for both.”
I have heard
a lot of complaints from ministers, members and elders that the seminary did
not prepare ministers to do this or that. “The seminaries ought to have more
classes on administration, counseling, working with youth and young adults,
running a committee or session meeting.” No seminary curriculum can prepare us
for everything we or others expect to be done. The first and only, task of the
seminary is to prepare us to preach and teach the Word faithfully.
Who controls
how we spend our time? We do! We cannot ignore all the other things which call
for our attention either from our own expectations or those of others. What is
it we were called to? What is our first priority in the use of our time in
service to God and the people with whom we minister? The sooner we figure that out
the more effective we become.
