Posted in Grace, Ministry

What they didn’t teach me at the seminary (part 1)

Posted on by William Douthwaite

This periodic series is prompted by my son’s blog. He is a first year seminarian at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. You can read some of his impressions at Reverand Seminarian (sic).

I went to seminary a while ago. Twenty-seven years ago to be exact. Pre cell phones. Pre PCs and Macs. But still post-diluvian. I still remember friends, dorms, classes and chapel. I still remember a lot of what I learned. But I’ve learned a whole lot more since then, in the day-to-day task of parish ministry. From time to time I hope to write about this ongoing education.

The first thing they didn’t teach me:  sermon writing doesn’t get any easier. Sermon preparation is a big part of most of my days and weeks since the Sunday morning worship service serves as the hub of the church’s life together. I got all the tools, including Greek and Hebrew, hermeneutics, homiletics, and public speaking. I got good experience through field work and vicarage. So by the time I got to my first parish, I was locked and loaded to change that congregation, and then quickly move on to the community and then the world.

I’ve never really been able to reuse a sermon I’ve written before. Sometimes they really just weren’t that good. Other times they addressed issues specific to another group of people.  And they usually drew upon time and place specific events. I think I’ve reused one or two sermons my whole career. You might think a few times through the three-year lectionary and you’re set for life, but that is not at all the case.

On the way your own life changes. Kids, moves, friends, experiences, joys, tears. Some of that change comes from God’s Word that you spend so much time in. Previously written sermons lack the needed depth created from life experience. So it’s back to the drawing board.

Perhaps I put too much pressure on myself. Each week, I want to say something meaningful, memorable, orthodox, entertaining, relevant, multi-generational, faithful, Spirit-filled, applicable, and cohesive. A tall order for one message, nevermind a weekly sermon. As a result, there are Sunday afternoons where you are haunted with the reality that you didn’t do a good job. In fact, you may have failed to achieve any of those goals. But God is good. You get to try again next week. Believe me, that’s grace.

So what I learned along the way is that most of the time, you do your best and have to trust God’s promise that his word is always effective. That’s because this kerysso stuff is hard.

Posted in Ministry

The morning after

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Yesterday I wrote about my pre-worship routine on a Sunday morning. Today’s the “morning after.” As I reflect on yesterday, which was chock full of different activities, conversations, tasks, and thoughts, there were some good moments and some bad. Some things that I liked, others that we could have done better.

The big event is always the sermon. I spend a lot of time preparing for that 15-20 minutes each Sunday. I spend a lot of time second-guessing myself, usually concluding that I could have done better. Better illustrations, better stories, better transitions. That’s just me. I tend to be critical of myself. I don’t even know if anyone was really listening. Responses to sermons usually don’t come right away, but weeks later. I’m not sure why that is, but it must have something to do with ideas having to incubate for a while.

Everyone who had volunteered to help make Sunday morning possible was there and doing their thing, as far as I could tell. I really appreciate that.  It always makes me feel good.

I enjoyed the music, the busy children, and the coffee someone made for Bible class. I missed some of the people who are usually there, said goodbye to some who will be traveling, and wondered who will be around for the holidays.

It wasn’t an extraordinary Sunday in any way, but it wasn’t bad, either. Just a much-needed gathering of God’s people around his word and sacraments before heading out into another week where we will certainly need his grace.

Posted in Ministry

Sunday morning

Posted on by William Douthwaite

What is early Sunday morning like for a pastor?  I’m glad you asked.  While some may roll over in bed bemoaning the fact that it’s time to get up for church, I’m up early on a Sunday, with way too many things on my mind. Getting up early gives me the chance to wake up, shake all that stuff loose from my mind, and focus on what I need to do.  I get to church about 90 minutes before the beginning of the first worship service.

First, I work from a list of things I need to set up and get ready, so they are off my mind.  Things like having my water ready, setting up my bible class, adding people to the prayer list, and putting my bible and worship folder out.

Next, I run through my sermon.  Maybe not the whole thing, but at least the outline images I’ve got in my head.

With everything in place, I’m ready to worship first of all, focus on leading worship and preaching, and talking to all the people who will gather.  I’ve found that keeping focus on a Sunday morning is the biggest challenge; there are so many things to distract you.  So if it ever seems like I’m somewhere else when you talk to me, chances are I am!

Posted in Life, Ministry

Pit crew

Posted on by William Douthwaite

My daughter’s high school played their last football game of the season last night.  I’ve been the volunteer in charge of the “pit crew” this season, the guys who help set up the xylophones, drums, and podium for the marching band competition and show routines.  The job got me into the football games and marching competitions, but also gave me the opportunity to get to know a lot of the band and their families.

I think this kind of activity is important for me, because it gets me out of “church” circles and out into the community.  It’s amazing how much of a pastor’s time can be spent with members, isolating you from the unbelieving or unchurched world.  (I know the label “unchurched” isn’t the greatest, but it’s the best I’ve got for now.)  I got to know quite a few parents, the band director and his family and my daughter’s friends in the band, with no agenda other than being there.

For a while, no one knew that I was a pastor.  Then someone recognized me from a baptism they went to, and the secret was out.  It didn’t make too much difference.  There was one guy who began apologizing ahead of time before using questionable language, but that’s about it.  So they got to see that a pastor (at least me) is just a regular person in the community who cares about the students, schools and activities.

All of those things are a part of our witness in the community and the world.  Being out there as people who care, people who help out, and people who work together can enable conversations about spiritual things in the future.

Posted in Life

Walking with the wise

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I came across these words of wisdom in Proverbs this morning:  “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise” (13:20).

Sometimes I need to hang out with wise people. People who have insight, who have had some experience, who I can learn something from, who can get me thinking, who can challenge me. All I need to do is find some.

Here’s where I’ve found some wise people to walk with:

Online. Blogs, newsletters, sermons and teaching.  The web gives me a chance to walk with people I never would have met otherwise, and people I’ll never get to know, but are a source of wisdom.  It’s not unusual to find little nuggets on Facebook and Twitter.

Books and periodicals. Besides walking with the Lord in his word each day, I can walk with the wise through may kinds of literature, recent and ancient.

Family and friends. The real thing.  Real people to walk with who can see things from a different perspective.  Definitely a gift from God.

People at church. Yes, even members of the church.  When you see church and life and ministry through the eyes of a pastor for a while, you forget what it’s like to have “lay eyes.”  It’s good to have a few trusted sets of those to keep you grounded.

I know where to find foolishness.  However, I’ve always got my radar on for someone with wisdom.

Posted in Ministry

When I was at the seminary…

Posted on by William Douthwaite

With my son Adam just about to complete his first semester at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, my mind was wandering back to when I was at the seminary.  It was a different seminary:  Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN.  It was also a much different time to study for the parish ministry (I attended from 1982-1986).  It doesn’t seem that long ago.  But when I was at the seminary…

No one had a computer.  (The original PC was just being conceived.)  Everyone I knew typed their papers on typewriters.  You did all of your research in the library, where you had to look things up in a card catalogue.

No one had a phone.  We used a pay phone in the dorm to make or receive calls.

No one had a debit card.  Many places took a check.  Or you could cash one at the business office.

The financial aid program was this:  buy the cheapest Lutheran Brotherhood life insurance policy, and get a student loan through them.

I worked for a market research company, and actually went door-to-door trying to get people to test toilet paper, Wheat Thins, and soda.

Everything I owned I could fit in a 1980 Volkswager Rabbit diesel, which got 50 mph.  I could drive to my parent’s house in Philadelphia on one tank of fuel.

The NIV was the first new translation of the bible to come along since the RSV.  That, and the King James, were about all you had to choose from, unless you were a paraphrase kind of person and liked that oldie but goodie Good News for Modern Man.

Dr. Voelz’s book on Greek Grammar was printed in the Seminary print shop, with hand-written Greek letters in it.

I met my wife, Lisa.

And my son Adam was born.

 

Posted in Life

Veteran’s Day

Posted on by William Douthwaite

On this Veteran’s Day, I’m recalling my dad’s service in the Army Air Corp from about 1942 to 1945.  He was trained as a tail gunner in a B-17.  He spent some time in the Philippines after they were occupied by U.S. forces, but never saw any action.  Had it not been for the surrender of Japan after the atomic bombs, he may have been part of the invasion of Japan, and it’s possible that I might not be writing this today.

I never served in the military.  I was just turning 18 when they closed down the draft board offices in 1975, so I never even had to register.  I’ve gotten to know quite a few vets, though, and have often wondered how my life might be different had I given a few years of my life to military service.  What kinds of things would I have learned or experienced?  It’s an impossible question to answer.  The men and women I’ve talked with had such a variety of experiences, both very good and sometimes extremely bad.  It can go either way.

I was a little too young to understand or be aware of the way that Vietnam vets were treated when they returned home in the 60’s and 70’s.  In the past decade especially, I’ve seen each and every man and woman who has served in any capacity has been honored by so many.  From the uniformed I’ve seen in airports to older retired vets, I’m just one of so many who take the time to say, “Thank you.”  And of course, that’s the way I believe it should be.

Posted in Ministry

Storyboarding

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I’m not writing out my sermons.  At least, not lately.  I’ve gotten into “storyboarding,” just like they put together movies or commercials.  I’m not sure where I picked up this idea, but it forced me to be more visual in the way I put together my sermons.  I have to come up with an image or a description for each point rather than just an outline.

This is totally different than how I was taught to put a sermon together.  My sermon preparation professor, Dr. Gerhard Aho at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN, made us thoroughly outline everything.  And that is how I approached every sermon for years, as if he were watching over my shoulder.  It was a good foundation that made me think through my text, points, transitions, and illustrations.

Lately, though, I’ve used a storyboard approach.  I try to put a picture with each part of the sermon that supports that one point I’m trying to get across to people.

How’s it going?  Well, my personal reviews are mixed.

It consumes less time than outlining and writing out a whole sermon.  I used to spend hours writing and rewriting.  Then I realized no one was actually reading these sermons so a manuscript wasn’t really important.  I didn’t even read them; I always preach without notes.

It’s easier to memorize.  Rather than trying to remember all the paragraphs I’ve written, I’ve got 8 to 12 images to recall, which bring to mind that part of the sermon.

But it’s a little nerve wracking, knowing that everytime I preach, I am composing as I go.  Kind of like jazz improvisation.  I’ve worked hard to learn the chords, and then work from there.

No one knows I’ve changed my approach except me.  Until  now.  Now all of you do.

Posted in Ministry

A lack of leaders

Posted on by William Douthwaite

It’s that time of year when our congregation has to nominate leaders to serve in the coming year.  With nearly two hundred active families, you wouldn’t think it would be so hard to come up with two dozen or so leaders that comprise a church council, board of elders, and a church properties committee.  Yet every fall, we come up short.  I know we’re not the only church that struggles with this challenge.  The basic mood seems to be “I’ll help out, but I don’t want to be in a position of leadership.”

When did leadership become something to avoid?  Granted, not everyone is cut out or qualified for leadership.  But many with those gifts hesitate to step into leadership positions in the church and probably in many volunteer organizations.

Some of it has to do with the consumer mentality that some bring to church with them.  Just as they stop by a restaurant for a meal, they stop by the church for a spiritual meal.  It would never occur to them to actually work there, though.

Some of it must be fear, the fear of having to do it all yourself.  This isn’t a rational fear, for each leader is supposed to recruit a board or committee to carry out different ministries.  No one should be doing it themselves.

Some of it has to do with the retirement state of mind in our area.  They did these jobs when they lived elsewhere.  Now that they’ve retired, someone else can do this work.  “I’m retired.”

When Jesus called disciples, he really didn’t give them a choice.  He gave them authority.  He gave them power from above.  And he sent them out.   Have at it.  Make more disciples.

Having said that, maybe that’s where we fall short.  Perhaps we make more members than disciples.  I have to think about this some more.