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Sit Down! And Shut Up?

One of my seminary professors told a story in class about a student who was invited to preach in a church in which the tradition was for the congregation to be more vocal in its responses than the type of reaction to which the young preacher was accustomed.

Not too far into his sermon a lady jumped up and shouted, “Sit down and shut up—you done spoke the truth!”

“And so,” our professor said, “he did.”

I have been trying lately to make some changes in my preaching, one of which is to be less tied to the lectern (the preacher’s security blanket) and to written notes (the preacher’s other security blanket). So, I’ve been moving around the pulpit area a bit more.

I’ve seen preachers move around the pulpit area to excess; I’ve even seen them leave the pulpit area and run up and down the aisles slapping deacons on the knee.

I don’t anticipate going that far.

One Sunday morning a few weeks ago, about three-fourths of the way through my sermon, I felt a tremendous urge to sit down. So I walked over to one of the pulpit chairs and had a seat.

Why? Because I suddenly felt very, very tired.

What made me so tired?

Was it the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical toll of preaching my heart out not just that morning but for the past thirty-five years?

Was it the frustration and anxiety that often accompany my wondering if anyone is really listening?

Was it an impulse, in the middle of all that activity, to rest in the Lord?

By the way, I sat down but I didn’t shut up. I kept talking while seated and in a minute I got back up and kept talking.

I do hope and pray, though, that I was—that I am—speaking the truth.

Comments

  1. storymanMay 16, 2011 at 5:46 PM

    Well, a few things come to mind,primarily of which is a class taught by that Master of Homiletics, Dr Howard Giddens. It was in one of his classes that someone asked how long should a sermon be. He said he always used a manuscript and this method. Four Pages doubled spaced is about 15 minutes. Five pages is about 20 minutes and 6 pages or more is an abomination. Now that will preach Mike. A former preacher at the church I attend in Worcester, came out of the pulpit once and he had to look for another job. You need to know your audience before you go against tradition. Love reading your blog Mike. Keep up the good work. By the way when were you in Adel? I married my nephew in that church a few years ago. He was Adam Story, an Adel Policeman.
    Blessings on you.
    David

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