Will I Have a Sermon By Sunday?

What I’m learning

Will I have a sermon by Sunday?

This is one of the questions that has been rattling in my mind and dictating the rise and fall of my emotions this month. It happens every time I'm called to preach—which these days, is somewhere between every week and every other week.

Preparing a sermon is hard. Study an assigned text. Read three to five commentaries on the passage. Research the historical context. Review the overall outline and message of the book the text sits in. Search for inter-textual links to other books, letters, and Old Testament passages. Find relevant quotes from books and material you’ve read in the past. Consider what it all says about God and what it might mean for our community…And all of that is before you've written a single word of the sermon itself.

When you’re ready, write a rough outline, then fill it in. Aim for 4,500 words in two 4-hour writing sessions. Like me, you may find that hitting that word count seems daunting. But, like me, you may also find yourself overshooting the target every time, ending up with around 5,500-6,200 words.

Next, try to pair down the sermon, while also thinking up and adding a couple stories or analogies. Try to have it all buttoned up and ready for a run-through by mid-day Friday so you can still take sabbath on Saturday with the family.

In case I haven't made it obvious, this is quite a lot of work to do in one week. Not to mention all the other responsibilities at the church: working with the staff, coordinating services, refining programs, managing finances, and what not.

Now I don't share this to complain or to say "look at me!" or whatever. I am so grateful for the role(s) I’ve been invited to carry; I am so grateful to be in a vocation that I am passionate about. But I am entering into a new season in ministry, and sermon preparation, at least at this level and with this frequency, is new for me. It all has been feeding into this emotional roller coaster I've been on this past month. "Will I have a sermon for Sunday?"

I am learning, I am experimenting, I am adjusting to another “new normal.”  

Currently, I am experimenting with “deep work” and techniques from the area of content creation. I am trying to organize my time and work load in an attempt to remove myself from the Friday deadline. My goal is to get at least one week ahead in sermon prep, if not more. If I can remove myself from the "Friday is almost here" pattern and pressure, I think I will be able to find a more sustainable pattern of work.

The ultimate end is not simply reduced stress in work—though I will admit, that is a desire. The ultimate end is to be able to be “at rest” at the level of soul. To be able to set down my work at the end of the day and be able to be truly present to Sadie and the boys. To be able to have my ears, and my heart, attuned to and available to God throughout the day. The ultimate end is to walk with God, to till and keep the garden he has given me—not for Him out of duty, but with Him in joyful labor.

Prayer Request

Starting at Duke. Just as we have been attempting to adjust to a new normal this Summer (new role, absence of Ryan, two boys), the rhythms and routines will be shaken up again at the end of August when I travel to Durham for the first time to start at Duke. Please pray for wisdom, stamina, and sleeping babies. Please pray that we would feel God’s presence and peace—that we would feel He is shouldering our burdens.

Civil War in Manipur. In the past few months, ethnic clashes have turned into a violent civil war in Manipur, N.E. India—the home state of my friend Toshi, one of my closest friends and partner in ministry at Refuge. Hundreds of churches have been burned, and tens of thousands of people have been displaced. Please pray for protection for Toshi’s extended family and for God to bring about justice.

Financial Update

Seminary. With the transition to Duke Divinity, I am currently looking to expand the Financial Support Team by another $75/mo. If you have been interested in the past but saw that I was fully funded, now is your opportunity to join the team! Learn more at davidtanner.co/give or reply to this email to begin a conversation.

Sabbatical. If you would like to contribute to my upcoming sabbatical (Summer 2024), you can make a one-time donation here. Note: those funds run through and are managed by Refuge Church.

Book Club Round 3?

Are you interested in joining with me and a few others for another round of Book Club? Contact me and if there is enough interest and availability, we will begin to coordinate.