Oh what a feeling

I love the feeling of completing the writing phase of my message. It's such a great feeling to print it out and have in front of you something you have spent hours on and the sense that you didn't do it alone. The feeling that the Spirit was the primary source. Of course, preparation for Sunday doesn't end there.

Since I preach without notes, a number of people have asked me how I prepare for that. It really is nothing spectacular other than 2 or 3 rehearsals of the message and making sure that I have internalized it. For me the internalization is really the key and that doesn't happen in one week. The things I get to preach on I have to make sure I have been thinking about and praying through for days and sometimes even weeks in advance. I have read that in so many books on preaching but have really seen the importance of that in recent years.

I have tried every method of sermon delivery you can: full manuscript you read, full manuscript you preach from but only refer to a few times each page, detailed notes, very few notes and finally without notes. I love preaching without notes because I feel like I connect the best with the audience. By no means do I feel like I am an expert on it. I still have such a long way to go, but it is the method that I am wired for the best. With this method I am able to make more eye contact, talk in a more conversational fashion and really not let "anything" stand in between me and the audience.

Overall though, it's just fun. I still get really nervous before each message but that is the way I want it. I feel like I do my best when there are some nerves. Looking forward to this Sunday!