Sermon Central
-
So You Waited Until The Last Minute To Start Sermon Prep
By Peter Mead on Mar 6, 2023
When I genuinely have had to prepare at the last minute, then I ask God for help and know that He understands.
I have a personal principle on this issue. If I genuinely have had to prepare at the last minute, then I ask God for help and know that He understands. But then there is a second part to it, too—if I have procrastinated and end up preparing at the last minute, then I confess that, ask for forgiveness and still ask God for help.
The first part of the principle has been forged in the relatively gentle furnace of family life and missions organization participation! Sometimes life happens and there is no way to prepare as you would like. God understands this. Last minute preparation is not ideal, but it is possible, and it is still better to prepare as much as you can, rather than not prepare at all.
The second part of the principle is there because I am human. I admire people with perfect track records in the area of self-discipline (but I also doubt them!). Rather than make up excuses and try to convince myself that I genuinely could not prepare fully due to life circumstances, I would rather be honest and admit when I have allowed other things, often very good things, to distract me from what was needed as a ministry deadline loomed. I may have lacked self-discipline, I may even have succumbed to some tempting distraction, but I don’t want to succumb to another temptation and seek to justify my procrastination. Hence, I sometimes have to repent and ask for forgiveness and then prepare at the last minute.
May we all be Holy Spirit disciplined in our preparation for ministry and maximize every opportunity to preach the Word. But may we also accept the reality of the grace we preach to others when we sometimes fail to prepare as we should—not an abuser of grace nor a rejecter of grace!
Related Preaching Articles
-
Just What Is Pulpit Plagiarism?
By Ron Forseth on Jan 1, 2024
Executive Editor of SermonCentral.com Ron Forseth answers the thorny question in defining pulpit plagiarism.
-
Why Preparing Sermons Takes Me So Long
By Joe Mckeever on Jul 31, 2020
Proper preparation is not for the faint of heart. It takes prayer, study, and practice.
-
Managing The Clock In Your Preaching
By James O. Davis on May 29, 2020
James O. Davis reminds preachers that the length of a presentation is not determined by the clock but by the crowd.
-
5 Things God Never Said
By Dr. Larry Moyer on Jan 1, 2025
Larry Moyer advises pastors to beware of five misconceptions of God’s Word that can adversely affect our outreach to non-Christians.
-
The Critical Relationship Between Pastor And Worship Leader
By Chuck Fromm on Mar 4, 2020
Worship Leader magazine editor Chuck Fromm discusses the key imperative in a pastor establishing a meaningful relationship with his/her worship leader and team.
-
Busting Out Of Sermon Block
By Haddon Robinson on May 28, 2020
Give your sermons new life every week with this timeless advice from Haddon Robinson.
-
Energizing Your Sermons With Multisensory Preaching
By Rick Blackwood on Jun 2, 2020
Rick Blackwood helps preachers communicate God's Word in a form that is engaging, crystal clear, unforgettable, and more fun for the speaker.
-
Why I Love To Preach
By Joseph M. Stowell on Nov 25, 2021
Joseph Stowell says he loves preaching, but it's not like anything else he loves. Read this article and remember why you love to preach.
