Critiquing your wife's work is a bit like being asked "does this
Its a mine field but it can be navigated with a little wisdom.
Rule #1. Be Honest. Don't tell her its great, if its not just to have it done with.
Rule #2. Ask questions. What is she trying to convey? does the sermon do that or does it get off track. What do you mean by X? If you don't get the point, most of the congregation won't either.
Rule #3. Be specific. I love the highlighter function in the word processor. I can highlight a section and make a note of just the area I'm having a problem with, like "explain" or "I think you are getting off topic."
Rule #4. Note areas that you like as well as dislike. Praise is powerful.
Rule #5. Don't wait till Saturday night. Everybody suffers if the minister is going on short sleep.
Bill
5 comments:
Very good advice! My wife does outline notes for her weekly sermons - so I don't have any notes I could review for her. I'd rather not anyway - for me it's like a cake that's not done baking yet.
No chocolate for sermon prep here- but cold Pepsi (in a can) is an essential requirment. That and piles of books opened surrounding the computer, and iTunes cranking out worship music.
Watch for a posting over at my site telling the world about your site!
My wife almost always asks me after the fact, as in, "Did it make sense?"
Sometimes, though, she will hand me the printout (on econo)and get my advice on this or that bit.
She is a veteran of 18 years in the pulpit and has a very good idea of what people will and ought to be able to take home with them.
I agree with Mitch--be careful about critiquing works-in-progress. For us, it's the promise of a sauna Sunday night that acts as the chocolate.
BTW, I should probably add that I am here because Mitch posted something on his site--we minister's husbands seem to be an unusually scarce commodity, so i came by to have a look! Unlike you guys, I'm not much of a geek. I like things to be like toasters: throw the switch and it works, thanks.
I'm of sorts a pastors husband, my wife works for the church and for a non-profit in the church, there are times when I have to proofread a sermon as someone has asked her to help out, she usually wants me to put on some headphones and close the door so she can practice quietly
Even though it is sometimes hard to hear that the section that I just spent two hours on doesn't make sense; I really appreciate hearing about it before I preach it.
I sometimes get so deep into the background behind sermon that I lose the perspective of someone who is coming at it completely cold.
Thank you for being willing to ground me in reality in my sermon writing.
Welcome from another PH. I just came over from Mitch' site and welcome the insight.
We are just 3 years into this calling but the Rev doesn't show me her sermons as much anymore. When she was in seminary and when for probably the first year or two I was her proofreader/editor. I learned early to ask what message she was trying to convey. Any other question was dangerous - LOL.
We are in a very large church with 5 services each week so, even though she is the the Associate Pastor, she preaches about 20 times a month. Fortunately that doesn't have to be 20 seperate and unique sermons. I actually enjoy listening to my wife preach. She has a wonderful ability to tell stories and paint word pictures to illustrate her message.
I'll jump in when I have something to offer but knw that you have at least one other PH that wil be reading your blog regularly.
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