You Forgot What?

OK, so I'm a forgetful person.  I will walk into a room, knowing I was going in search of something but can't remember what I was going in after.  Very frustrating to me and others.

My wife Beth was going through some journal entries I was making while I was a Cadet in training over 20 years ago.  One field training Sunday back then, I was scheduled to preach.  The way it worked back then was that I was assigned months in advance.  I was to submit, one at a time, a proposal for a Bible passage, a Bible Study, a short sermon outline, an extended (I used to day distended) outline, and a manuscript.  After several weeks expired and trees suffered from the paper usage, I was ready (or so I thought) to stand up in the pulpit with my manuscript.  To make matters worse, the field training officer (who was and is still a very nice person) was sitting in the back of the congregation with a grading sheet and the manuscript, giving a grade and constructive criticism on my sermon delivery.

I traveled with my brigade to the location, a two-hour drive away.  For whatever reason,I didn't have my manuscript with me.  No notes, no outline, no sermon.  The adrenaline was flowing as I tried to conceal my oversight from the training officer.  I had a few minutes alone before the meeting, and took a blank sheet of paper.  I folded it in half sideways so that it would fit in my Bible.  From what I remembered of my sermon, I wrote a bullet-point outline in two columns, one on each side of the fold.

When I got in the pulpit, I was nervous, but I felt strangely free.  I was able to step away from the pulpit, look people in the eye or take a small side trip that seemed appropriate at the moment. 

That Sunday morning began what for me has been a regular system for sermon delivery:

• I prepare my sermon in much the same way, except I don't create an extended outline or manuscript.
• I take a piece of graph paper (I like the horizontal and vertical lines for lining things up), fold it in half, and write on the open side of the paper.
• I write only a simple outline - bullet points and subpoints.  Any crucial points or quotes I will write out word for word.  I may also write the words to a prayer chorus on the page.  There are usually no mre than 200 words on the page.
• I write the notes by hand so that my memory can better recall my thoughts from a glance at the image of my own handwriting.  Printing it on the computer doesn't have the same effect.
• I fold the page and stick it in my Bible right where the preaching passage is.
• During the meeting, a thought might come up, or an illustration that ties into what someone else says.  I will open the sermon up and jot down that thought where I think it will best fit in.
• I open my Bible, put the notes next to the Scripture, and I am ready to go.

I am willing to admit that there have been several times since I was a cadet that I have lost my notes.  One time, I got up to the pulpit, ready to preach, thinking my notes were in my Bible, and they weren't.  Too late to do anything else.  I said, "Let's pray."  And God had His way among us.

So my encouraging advice to you is to wean yourself from the manuscript.  And I know you'll be a better preacher.

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