How To Review Your Sermon Part 4 - The Counter Arguments

I encourage you to read articles one, two and three in this series before jumping into this one if you haven’t already. But if you have, then let’s jump into counter arguments.

You’ve heard arguments for a review, but some of you might have arguments against it. You might be thinking, I don’t have time to do a review. Or, this review process will eliminate promptings from the Holy Spirit. Or, there aren’t others I trust enough to invite onto a panel. I hear these tensions you bring up, but let’s explore how these tensions can be overcome.

I Don’t Have Time ‍

Here’s the deal, you are going to do the same amount of message prep each week, I’m just saying do it earlier in the week. When pastors say, “I don’t have time for a review” what I hear is, “I don’t know how to manage my time for a review”. And this problem is totally understandable. But it is also totally surmountable. Here’s the solution. Instead of front loading your work week with meetings and back loading it with message prep, just retool it. Message prep on Mondays and Tuesdays and meetings on Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you do this, you will find that extra 90 minutes for the message review. 

It Isn’t Spirit Driven

There is a misnomer out there, that the Spirit can only work at the last minute. That pastors can only receive revelation for Sunday morning on Saturday night. But if God was able to layout his plan of redemption in eternity past, don’t you think He could help guide you to write a message at a planned and purposeful pace? The Spirit wants to equip you for Sunday. Trust Him. Start your message prep earlier in the week. Also realize that preparation does not eradicate the possibility of spontaneity. It doesn’t erase your ability to respond to the Spirit on Sunday morning. Instead it supports it. You can’t be confident in taking a detour unless you know your destination. You can’t be confident to go off script unless you first have a script. Preparation gives you the confidence and freedom to go where you feel you need to in the moment.

I Can’t Trust Others

Now I never really hear pastors saying this. But this is what I infer from their actions. There is sometimes a lack of vulnerability and even humility that keeps pastors from opening themselves up to a review process. And I understand. It takes vulnerability to have people pick apart your work. But here’s the deal. People are already picking apart your work. Your whole congregation does it as they drive home from church. If you allow a select few to shred your message in front of your face (hopefully, as lovingly as possible) it will minimize the amount of shredding that happens on those rides home from church.

Conclusion

So, that’s the what, why, and how of sermon reviews. I hope you found the info helpful. It is the best ministry advice I have to offer. If you want help implementing a review process like this then visit benstapley.com/coach to schedule a free consultation .Now let me flip the script and ask you, what is the best ministry advice you have to offer? Think it through and share it with others. This is how we grow as a church. It is also how we grow as individuals. When you share your ideas and learnings with others, it crystallizes your thinking and sharpens your practice. So take the plunge, write a blog, post on Facebook, or open up your car window and holler at strangers. Share your best ministry advice with the world. We need to hear from you to make ourselves better. So do it.