I have been invited to speak several times since I began preaching as a High School student and I have invited several guests to speak in the organizations and churches that I have been a part of leading. One of the earliest questions that is usually asked in this process is “How long do I have to speak?” A much more important, but less asked, question should be “What do you want to accomplish through my message/lesson?”
It is too easy to revert to “I have a time slot to fill” rather than “I have a purpose to accomplish.” Most of us have come to realize that one lesson or one discussion is not going to bring a listener to spiritual maturity. The best we can hope is that spiritual transformation takes one step in the right direction. But do we intentionally define that one step that we desire to see?
Early in my Christian Education classes I was taught that EVERY lesson should have a clearly state AIM. When I took classes to improve my preaching I was told that EVERY sermon should have a MAIN IDEA.
Too often our motivation is to “cover the next chapter” or “get through the lesson”, but we really don’t expect our students/participants to leave the session different than they came in.
Any clown can entertain for a segment of time, but an intentional skilled leader can be used by God to accomplish lasting results in that same amount of time.
It is amazing how the Lord works after you retire. He makes sure that nothing is done "just to fill a time spot"! Everything is done with a purpose...only 'special' relationships are nurtured. Only helping people is worth anything.
ReplyDeleteWhat we have learned in the past is invaluable for
living in the present.
"As the years add up, God's faithfulness keeps multiplying"