Monday
Apr252005
How to be a better preacher
Monday, April 25, 2005 at 4:08PM That's easy. Increase your life. Live your life more fully. And pay attention to it...Stay as alive as you dare, and trust that your life with all its unorthodox twists and turns is still God's territory. Dare to tell some stories that don't sound like religious stories. Use some language that doesn't sound like it belongs in church. Read fiction. Take clogging lessons. Go be alive, so that you yourself are a sermon about abundant life. Then whatever you say will be worth listening to. (Barbara Brown Taylor)
Reader Comments (8)
I'd love to see you do the clogging lessons!!
What a great quote. Thanks for sharing it.
I doubt that this author's advice will deliver the goods. Living life to its full, the abundant life by God's definition, is not as simple as turning over a new leaf or starting up some new novelty like reading fiction or clogging.
a very beautiful quote....very true indeed.... words of wisdom for you to live by as a good preacher...
did I hear you just quote...read more fiction? Will these things make you a better preacher, they certainly could...but will they? I'm not so sure of that.
Ed, you should definitely be taking clogging lessons! I think he's absolutely right: someone who is leads a full life and sees God in that life stands a much better chance of having something to say.
that was my point...they "stand a much greater chance of having something to say." It doesn't however mean they will. So in that sense is there seems to be something missing. And I think it's just plain outright listening to God's voice, surrender and obedience. All those other things without the last three I mentioned could also just make someone high on life or themselves. Although the point..."believe that life is still God's territory might be trying to say that." But at some level doesn't Satan believe that? just some thoughts...I'm just not sure that if anyone does these things they'll be a better preacher, they could, but they might not!
Both/and, Ed...if preaching is truth through personality, you need both full truth and a fully lived personality. Quit arguing and get clogging. ;)