reflections on faith and justice from an urban minister's perspective
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Walter Brueggemann on Preaching
"I believe that many preachers finally get around to their sermon in their fatigue from everything else, and if imagination is the key to good preaching, you cannot be imaginative when you are exhausted."
While Breggeman is correct, pastors must be more balanced in attending to the business of preaching, for the major job of a shepherd is to feed the sheep. Yet a good shepherd is also a leader, a guider, a protector, and a lost sheep finder. The multiple tasks of the role of a pastor can at times be exhausting. At those times a wise pastor will do as Jesus, and pull himself aside from the crowd for prayer and study. On the other hand, if a pastor is only a student of the Word, then he has ceased to be a pastor, and is now become a Teacher. The body of Christ needs both!
Wow, life would be so much easier if all a pastor was to do was study, pray, and preach.
Unfortunately, it just isn't that simple.
I think that we have oversimplified to even use the term "preachers". Where do we find the term "preachers" in the Bible? Just because someone can preach that does not mean that they are a good pastor. Pastors are called to shepherd the flock. This entails way more than simply preaching.
2 comments:
While Breggeman is correct, pastors must be more balanced in attending to the business of preaching, for the major job of a shepherd is to feed the sheep. Yet a good shepherd is also a leader, a guider, a protector, and a lost sheep finder. The multiple tasks of the role of a pastor can at times be exhausting. At those times a wise pastor will do as Jesus, and pull himself aside from the crowd for prayer and study. On the other hand, if a pastor is only a student of the Word, then he has ceased to be a pastor, and is now become a Teacher. The body of Christ needs both!
Wow, life would be so much easier if all a pastor was to do was study, pray, and preach.
Unfortunately, it just isn't that simple.
I think that we have oversimplified to even use the term "preachers". Where do we find the term "preachers" in the Bible? Just because someone can preach that does not mean that they are a good pastor. Pastors are called to shepherd the flock. This entails way more than simply preaching.
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