Empowering The Laity Through Preaching
some good advice from a blogging UMC Bishop!
“I therefore think it a good idea for us preachers to view ourselves as the manager of a potentially winning baseball team rather than the team’s star player. In every sermon, we ought to include some story or illustration that narrates some exemplary way some person (other than the preacher) has embodied the Gospel. Such exemplification leads to identification and empowerment. Or perhaps we are the coach, rather than the manager, actively developing the talents and vocations of our laity.”
Ministry to Those Not in Crisis
It would be good one day I could do what Buttrick talked about here …
“So it takes a real pastor,” Buttrick continued, “To go into a family where someone has just been promoted to presidency of the local bank and say, Mary, I’ve just gotten the news of your promotion. So I rushed right over knowing that this promotion is placing you in an extremely vulnerable position, as far as your soul is concerned. I wanted to come over and stand beside you during this time of potential temptation. Could we pray?”
2 links lah … I’m using a dial-up connection here! 😛