PREACHERS NEED TO AVOID REPETITION When a man serves a congregation for a long period of time, of necessity, he will need to address some key subjects multiple times. The challenge is to do so without repetition. The following suggestions will help you do that. If your topic is the importance of baptism, you can approach it in numerous different ways. * You can discuss it in its entirety in a sermon like "Baptism, Its Subject, Method and Purpose." * You can include it in a sermon on the Great Commission. "He That Believeth and is Baptized" (Mark 16:15-16). * It can be covered by preaching on the "Biblical Examples of Conversion" such as the Ethiopian Eunuch, Saul of Tarsus, the Philippian Jailor. * You can deal with baptism in an expository lesson on Acts 2, "The Beginning of the Church." * It can be dealt with in a lesson on "The Entrance into Christ’s Church" (I Cor. 12:13). * You could present a lesson on "What Must I Do to be Saved?" (Acts 16:30-33). * It can be discussed in a lesson on the many "Descriptions of Baptism: The New Birth, A Burial, A Spiritual Circumcision.) * It can be covered in story of "The Hebrew’s Deliverance From Egyptian Bondage" (I Cor. 10:1-6). * It can be presented in a lesson about "The Salvation of Noah and his Family from the Great Flood" (I Pet.3:20-21). Of course these lessons should be duly spaced among other important topics. Be sure to note the date and location delivered on your sermon notes, each time you deliver a particular lesson. Remember, a good lesson bears repeating, but only after a reasonable amount of time has elapsed. For me that is at least three years if I am addressing the same audience. Back in the time when most preachers were invited to conduct numerous gospel (revival) meetings, some men had fifteen or twenty sermons which they had refined, honed and polished to a high degree. Those they repeated at every meeting they conducted. Our late Bro. Jack Exum had such a group of sermons that he preached hundreds of times. So did B. C. Goodpasture and Guy Woods. Today, meetings are rare. Thus a preacher will deliver most of his lessons to the same audience year after year. This means he must study much and be diligent in preparing fresh, new lessons lest he grow stale and boring to his congregation. If by neglect he lets that happen, some members will move to other congregations. Elders will start shopping for a new preacher to serve the congregation. A story has come down to us about Bro. Moses Lard, the great 19th century preacher. He prepared and delivered a special lesson on Christian Stewardship. When the collection was taken, it was no different than usual. The next Sunday he delivered the same lesson again. When some of the audience complained that he had just repeated his sermon from the previous week, Lard replied in effect, "Brethren, it took me many days to prepared this lesson and it is obvious that hearing it just one time was not adequate for you to learn the important lessons therein. I thought I needed to preach it again!" Once in a while you may create and deliver a sermon so powerful, informative and moving, that your brethren may request that you favor them by repeating it. Bro. Mack Craig had such a lesson on the Crucifixion of Christ. Brethren seemed to never grow tire of hearing it. Bro. Don Rudd had such a sermon on the Book of Revelation and was frequently asked to repeat it. The noted Baptist preacher, Robert G. Lee, had a sermon on the Day of Judgement called, Payday, Some Day. He is said to have preached it a thousand times. Understand that such lessons are rare as comets. You should not be too disappointed if none of yours are of this caliber. Remember how seldom a Babe Ruth comes along! It will be enough if you have faithfully declared "the whole counsel of God" (Acts 2:27). John Waddey _______________ GOOD BOOKS THAT WILL ENHANCE YOUR KNOWLEGE OF SCRIPTURE 1. An Outlined Introduction to the Bible (3 Volumes) $13 each. 2.An Exposition of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon. This is a practical commentary which provides good material for teaching and preaching. ($13) 3. TheTestimony of the Twelve Minor Prophets, An introduction and commentary.($16.00). 4. Answers to Your Bible Questions. The author provides biblical answers to 400 questions submitted by his readers.($15). 5. Light on Difficult Bible Verses. This book provides an exposition of 60 difficult passages of Scripture. ($10.50). To order, send your check to Church of Christ Foundation c/o John Waddey, 12630 W. Foxfire Dr. Sun City West, AZ 85375. Order all seven volumes and save. All for $75.00,
Posted on: Wed, 25 Sep 2013 21:24:59 +0000
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