Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Preaching As a Profession
Preaching is an art form. It’s a hands-on profession. The basics come first, like learning how to choose a text and arrange thoughts. Then we learn how to modulate our voice and pause. We learn how to awaken a conscience, but remember that it will take some time.
Henry Ward Beecher believes pastors should give themselves ten years to learn how to be a minister. So begin your apprenticeship. Beecher says, “If you’ve been ministering for six years, then give yourself four more to become a master minister. If two years are under your belt, then broaden the goal to include eight more years. Then decide if you want to change professions.”
Listen to Beecher’s advice more than the hecklers in your head and the critic in the pew. Make a plan to be steady and true for ten years. Then you can question your calling, but not until then.
Henry Ward Beecher believes pastors should give themselves ten years to learn how to be a minister. So begin your apprenticeship. Beecher says, “If you’ve been ministering for six years, then give yourself four more to become a master minister. If two years are under your belt, then broaden the goal to include eight more years. Then decide if you want to change professions.”
Listen to Beecher’s advice more than the hecklers in your head and the critic in the pew. Make a plan to be steady and true for ten years. Then you can question your calling, but not until then.
1 Comments:
It was great to be together again, wasn't it? I hope we can get into some in-depth work now that really challenges us! (Yikes, I can't believe I said that). Thanks for sharing your thoughts and tying it all together.
