A Defence of 20 hours of Sermon prep
Firstly, before I make a case for spending fair chunk of time for sermon prep, I am NOT suggesting spending 20 hours on it (I’ll explain the title in a second). It isn’t really practical. I’ve mostly been a “solo pastor”, so I may in the same week have two Sunday sermons to prepare (and the rest of the services), mid-week meetings, student/20 study, youth group, Christianity Explored, two pastoral visits, a CU talk and so on. And running training so that some of those things can be delegated. That’s not every week, but you get the point, 20 hour sermon prep and as much as 60 hours of the week is gone. (I will still make a case at the end, read on.)
So, who’s saying they should, or shouldn’t. I won’t name and shame. But, over the past few years I have read a few blogs and comments ridiculing the idea of over indulgent sermon prep, for obvious reasons (see my first paragraph). It reminded me of when I started preaching and I had heard 20 hours of prep being banded around. More recently I heard a funny story of a respected preacher running a preaching workshop for rural clergy. Having gone through his method, someone said, “we can’t do that…” and said something like my first paragraph. The perplexed preacher suggested this is for other staff and administrators to do, which set the room in to hysterical laughter.
Sermon prep has to be balanced up with other demands. Peter Adams in his book on preaching “Speaking God’s Words”, helpfully points out preaching can’t bear all the weight we put on it, there are other aspects of word ministry, live pastoral visiting.
Having said that… quite a lot goes into getting a sermon ready. See my other blog on the Westminster Directory of Worship’s chapter on preaching: Understanding the text in context (grappling with the Greek/Hebrew, getting a handle on the flow of the book), explaining enough, without being a smart Alec, to show your application is the text’s, illustrating etc. then editing it down to something manageable. This takes a certain amount of time.
This time is a priority (Acts 6:2, 4). And, as the Directory put it, should be done painfully (not negligently). Sermons can’t be thrown together nor copied (yeah, nick ideas... but God gave this minister to that congregation, to know what they need, perhaps uniquely). Sure, some weeks go to pot. Helpfully again from Peter Adam (in a conversation), if you only have four hours to prep, spend two of them praying! Once I had 0 time, I wasn’t scheduled and only knew during the hymn before I had to step in. Wonderfully God also stepped in and helped me through. Somehow, I don’t think I could presume on God to do the same had I just not bothered.
Now, for the defence of 20 hours prep. The first paragraph of the directory’s chapter on preaching is about preparing the preacher. This includes gifting and training. Those skills need developing and gifts fanning. Having heard many young preachers and worked with a fair few, we need to give them plenty of time. Not have them preaching too frequently, to get the feel for doing it right, give them useful actionable feedback on it. Indeed for us oldies, that can also be helpful (give elders and other objective criteria to form feedback… another blog).
If you’re a Full-Time Solo Pastor and spending 20 hours on a sermon, other essential things are going to be missed. But, I fear when this is pointed out young preachers hear that they shouldn’t either. Let them get some miles on the clock, lose their L plates. Their time will soon come.
