Saturday’s Briefing to Teachers & Preachers

• 1 Timothy 4:13 (NKJV) Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

The start of a New Year can be exciting, but it can also be overwhelming…especially for those of us who have the weighty responsibility of teaching and preaching.  Most people have no idea of how difficult it is to develop a new lesson/sermon every week (for preachers it can be two or more sermons/lessons per week!).  As wonderful as it is to be a teacher/preacher, it can be a draining and daunting responsibility.

So what to do?  How can we stay fresh in 2013?  How can we gear up for yet another grueling year of “baking fresh bread” every week for those under our care?

In today’s verse Paul gives an inspired formula.  Notice that he gives three catalysts for enduring until “He comes” (in our case this is Jesus).

First: give attention to reading.

• Dear one, if you hope to endure and stay fresh in your delivery you are going to have to be an avid reader.  For the full-time teacher/preacher there must be a huge swath of your time devoted to reading and studying – you get paid to do this (no excuses!).  Whatever you do, do not allow the business of maintaining the day-to-day operations of the church to distract you from your time alone with God in the study.  This must be sacrosanct.
• If you minister in a part-time or volunteer capacity, the need is just as great; you will have to make hard choices: less television, social media, internet surfing (or whatever) for you in 2013.
• Bottom line, if you hope to endure in providing “fresh bread” for the people you serve, you are going to have to be an avid reader.

See my June 8, 2012 // May 5, 2012  // May 31, 2012 // blogs for more on this.

Second:  give attention to exhorting those you teach/preach to

• Exhortation implies helping the people you serve.  Nothing makes teaching/preaching a drag like trying to prepare the next masterpiece or using your pulpit as a “bully-pulpit” to give your opinion about something that you’re upset about or interested in.
• All of the above examples are about you and your lesson/message.  That gets old – both for you and those you minister too.
• However, when your lesson/sermon is about your people; when you study for them and prepare your lesson/message for them; when you take the needs, burdens, sins and hopes and possibilities of those you serve into the study with you: you will find that your teaching/preaching comes alive, because you preparing to exhort (help) your people.
• Trying to repackage and re-say the same old same old is a drag; but when you are in touch with the ever-changing needs of your people then your ministry will be exciting, meaningful and enduring.  There’s no lack of need for people who help people.

Third: give attention to doctrine

• Finally, the way to endure is to truly have something to say.  The great doctrines of the faith matter.  The people you will be speaking to this year have eternal souls, they are on a crash collision course with the judgment seat of the Almighty.
• Simone Weil says it well: “To be always relevant, you have to say things which are eternal.”

Well, that’s enough for now.  I wish all of you – my fellow teachers/preachers a great New Year.

“May the eternal God who created and sustains time and who ordered yet another year for us give us a fresh new anointing and vision for this New Year.  For the sake of those we serve and for the glory of our Lord and Savior: Jesus Christ.  Amen.”