Archive for July, 2009
Context Questions for Preaching
One of the things I do anytime I’m prepping to preach at a new place is to ask one of the pastors at that church to give me some context so I know what I’m getting in to. Below are fifteen questions that I typically pose when trying to gain that sense of congregational context:
- Give me a brief idea of your context (age mix/percentages, backgrounds [Christian-lifers vs. new converts], etc).
- How many people are typically at your worship services?
- How many people do you expect on the day I preach (if different from above)?
- Briefly describe your gathering place and anything unique about it.
- How many services do you have? If more than one, describe any differences between the two regarding context.
- Roughly what percentage of these people would you classify as believers/unbelievers?
- Of the “believer” category, how many would you classify as ”nominal” or somewhat stagnant believers?
- Is there anything I need to know dress-wise? I prefer to preach in jeans, is that an issue?
- Are there any specific issues you’d prefer for me to steer clear of?
- (If you know) What will the two proceeding sermons be covering prior to the day I preach?
- (If you know) What will the two sermons be covering following the day I preach?
- Will you be recording the audio, and if so, is it possible for me to get a copy?
- What are a few of the things that your people need most to hear about?
- Do you want/need me to put together any visual aids? Do you have the ability to make use of PowerPoint?
- Is there anything else that you think would be helpful for me in my prep?
Preaching at Core Community
I will be preaching at Core Community Church in Omaha on Sunday, July 19th. If you live in the Lincoln or Omaha area, feel free to stop on in. I’ll be preaching on the topic of “Why We Plant Churches.”
Core Community is an Acts 29 Church that meets in the Omaha Community Playhouse at 69th and Cass at 9:30am.
Mars Hill Church Partners with Project 2 Pillars
I received news over the weekend that Mars Hill Church in Seattle will be supporting Project 2 Pillars. Mars Hill Church is lead by Pastor Mark Driscoll whom started the Acts 29 Network of which we are a part. As Mars Hill has grown to what it is today, it has not lost its central focus on church planting — committing over $710k total to multiple church planters all over the world this coming year (via).
The partnership will consist of a relationship with one of the specific campus of Mars Hill (I have not yet been told which one). They will provide some financial support while we advance the gospel in Lincoln and report back to them how it is all going. In addition to financial support, a loose-knit coaching relationship will develop between myself and the supporting campus pastor.
Please join me in welcoming Mars Hill to the growing list of supporters of Project 2 Pillars.
Please join me in
Preaching Evaluation
As a young church planter, one of the things I’m working hard at is improving my preaching. Coming out of the Acts 29 Assessment last October, one of my conditions was to find 10-12 preaching opportunities over the next year. While I’ve been busy chipping away at those and am on track to have the condition wrapped up later this fall, I’ve also grown in my realization for the need of good, solid, constructive, yet critical feedback and evaluation.
As such, I’ve assembled a team of friends: some pastors, some lay, and at least two potential church planters to listen to my sermons and then lovingly, ruthlessly, edifyingly (probably not a real word), and critically eval my stuff. Here’s what I asked them to agree to:
- Roughly once a month (maybe twice a month on occasion), listen to a sermon that I point you to (or you hear live if I’m at your place).
- As you listen, fill out the evaluation form that I have attached.
- Provide the completed evaluation form back to me (by email or by hand) within ten days of when I point you to the sermon/you hear it live.
- Continue this for seven months (the rest of this year). At that time, I’ll probably change this up.
The evalution form is one I created myself based on a survey of some others including one that Dr. Chapell includes in an appendix of Christ-Centered Preaching.
