One of the questions most asked of me by church leaders and people around NewSpring is how do I go about preparing a message…
When NewSpring Church began I realized that as a communicator I have between 35-40 minutes (okay maybe 55, or even 60) to speak to the people who attend one of our services every week and to say something that is given to me by God that will impact their lives. I also realized that part of my job as a communicator was to make the message as engaging and memorable as possible. So, I have an seven step philosophy on message preparation that I feel has served our church and our staff well. This week I will share the seven steps that we take.
1. Get a word from the Word.
I have an intense conviction when it comes to preaching—a preacher has got to speak from the overflow of what God is doing inside of him…which means we must have consistent time with God where we are on our faces seeking Him for what he wants to say to us because it is out of our victories and out of our pain that we communicate the most passionately and therefore connect intimately with the people that God has called us to lead.
The overwhelming majority of the series ideas that I have preached here at NewSpring Church have come out of my personal time with God. Now, let me be very clear, I do not use my quiet time for message preparation. However, I always have a pen and a paper nearby so I can jot down a note and come back to it later…because the purpose of my personal time with God is for me to connect with Him, not to prepare a message.
The best thing we can do as a communicator is communicate what God is setting our hearts on fire with because then we don’t have to produce the passion—God produces the passion inside of us.
2. Listen to other communicators.
From time to time I will have people ask me, “Hey Perry, do you ever use other people’s stuff?” I answer, “HECK YES!”
However give me a second to unpack that…first of all I will not preach another person’s message word for word. However, if I’m listening to a communicator and they say something to their church that resonates in my heart and my spirit then I will not hesitate to use that same phrase, that same quote to the people I am preaching to.
I believe it is arrogant for a pastor or a church leader to hear something meaningful or impactful said by another church leader but comes to the conclusion, “I can’t say that to my church because it is not an original thought birthed inside of me.” One of the greatest tragedies that a leader could do in speaking to his church is actually think that he has to be original in everything that he preaches and teaches. God has given us the gift of other leaders and communicators who say some incredible things and we should listen and be unafraid to share what God uses in their voices to impact our hearts and our congregations.
And by the way…the person who claims to be completely original in their communication and vision has a problem with lying!!!