Durable Preaching

    Cy Young won more games than any other pitcher. Cy Young lost more games than any other pitcher. Cy Young pitched. He did not miss starts. He took the ball when it was his turn and fulfilled his mission. We have an award (actually 2) named after Denton True “Cyclone” Young. No one pitches like him any more. Walter Johnson. Three Finger Brown. Dizzy Dean. None of these pitchers missed starts. They mostly finished the games they started. It was not unusual for pitchers to throw both ends of a double header well into the 1920s. 

In the 21^st century baseball may need to redefine what a “win” is because a starting pitcher going more than 5 innings is so rare that it is becoming a relic. The last great pitcher characterized by his durability was Greg Maddux. 

This is not the first time this year I have compared preaching to pitching. I think that there is a corollary between the way each is conceived. In preaching and pitching one man represents the entire enterprise for a specific, limited period of time. He is not the only one who does it but he is on the mound right now. Each of these disciplines has undergone many evolutionary changes. What is occurring now sits upon that boundary between devolution and revolution. 

In 2021 no major league pitcher is expected to pitch, much less win, without his best stuff. It is hoped he can go Six innings. Seven innings pitched is thought extraordinary. Complete games are becoming rare. Cy Young recorded 826 decisions. It is likely that he lost games when he had his best stuff; the fast ball hopped and the curve fell off the table. It is just as likely that he won games with no zip and no break using his wits and experience. 

Durable preaching works largely in the same way. Sometimes the sermon prep was perfect. You got 12 hours of sleep Saturday night and everything went smooth getting to the church. Next Saturday night you might sleep poorly. You might be moody or have a sore throat. And the fact of the matter is that a message which seemed brilliant in the study may be dull in the pulpit. You won’t always have your best stuff. You won’t always be at your best. One of the skills a preacher needs is durability. And durability is largely a matter of desire. Determination and creativity fueled by a sense of purpose. Durable preaching means being impeccably prepared and yet knowing when to vary cadence, delivery, approach, attitude and demeanor to make up for not having your best stuff. 

Durability means being dependable and it can be learned. It can be developed. Today let’s examine what is required to become a durable preacher.

It Requires Communication

When I was hired at the Grayville First Christian Church I clearly communicated that I was a 52 week a year guy. They should not expect to have  a lot of guest speakers, pulpit fillers, substitutes, missionaries, or special-emphasis-programs on Sunday morning. My goal is to plan the entire years preaching for the Church. The first priority in ministry is preaching. In my To-do list only preaching matters are ever given a number 1 priority. 

In practice, including “vacations” it works out to preaching 50 or 51 Sunday mornings a year. The two weeks I am on vacation (if we take a vacation that is. As Grandparents “vacation” is often determined by others) are a part of the preaching plan. There is a text, title, and theme provided to the person who will be filling the pulpit that day. Why? I am called to lead this congregation through the preaching of the Word. It is not a random activity. I am not a dilettante.  I’m not dabbling here. This is what I do. I want to do it well. I want to be consistent and dependable. I am responsible for those Sundays I am not in the pulpit.  I want people to know that when they worship here they can expect a Biblical, relevant, clear sermon—not occasionally—every week. If you want to be a week in week out, dependable, durable preacher it begins by clearly communicating this intent and then doing the work every week that reinforces what you have said. 

It Requires Discipline

If your job is a Sr. Minister, Preacher, Pastor, the head guy, whatever you want to call it and you can’t find the time to prepare to preach well every week of the year you need to rethink your priorities. I get many ministry-focused Emails. Some disappoint me, some irritate me. If you have so many things to do that you cannot find time to get ready to preach you are doing the wrong things. It really is that simple. We don’t have durable preachers because we tolerated, coddled, promoted, and indulged undisciplined preachers. We have so lowered the expectations that we have created a talent pool which expects to throw hard, leave early and never have to preach unless that have an impeccably prepared BIG IDEA vetted by experts that has take weeks to prepared.  They  are gifted. They have talent and ability.  Lacking grit, guile, and gumption they walk into the pulpit and “throw” as hard as they can for the minimum. They don’t think of what they said last week or what they will say the next. They get big ideas quickly and run out of ideas  quickly because they  are not thinking long term. They are not thinking about years worth of preaching. They are fixated on the  bigger and better on the more creative and contemporary. They are less interested in preaching than production and more focused on experience than sermon.

 Durable preaching thinks long term. Durable preaching is patient. Durable preaching works the body. (I’m sorry about the mixed metaphor)  Durable preaching knows when to throw heat and when to throw the hook. Durable preaching knows how to work all sides of the plate with a variety of pitches. Durable preaching is disciplined preaching. 

I’m not merely talking about getting up early and staying up late. That is a part of discipline and actually the easiest to master.  In fact this kind of disciplined behavior is  often used to mask other undisciplined behaviors which are actually more germane to preaching well. 

Discipline means a plan. Discipline means repeatable processes. Discipline means focus. Discipline means knowing what you are trying to accomplish and knowing when you are finished. Not knowing when to stop plagues preparation as well as delivery of the sermon. Discipline means that this sermon sets up the next sermon as surely as a high inside fastball sets up a low outside curve. 

Discipline means aiming for cumulative impact. This Sunday’s sermon functions within a broader teaching context. While it stands alone exegeting and explaining this Biblical text it is part of something bigger. It is complete but not exhaustive. Every preacher could die before next week’s sermon. I may die before next Sunday. So, I need to be prepared to both go to my reward and preach next Sunday.  Too many preachers are better prepared for death than next Sunday. You need to be prepared for both. But the chances are next Sunday will come first. 

When I read what others say about not preaching too much it often sounds self-indulgent, lazy, and unprofessional. Discipline creates an atmosphere of diligent humility. Discipline gives structure and direction to our work ethic. Discipline immerses us in the regularity of the workshop.  Discipline helps us to be better, do better, want better. None of these things merely occur. Discipline helps us get them. 

For now I will stop. I may return to this issue at another time in a different format but I wanted to get this out “on the line”  and hopefully begin what strikes me as an important conversation. 

Industry is filled with people who want jobs, but who do not want to work. Baseball is filled with pitchers who are expected to pitch  what other generations would consider part-time. Pulpits are being occupied by preachers who think that 50 sermons a year would be an intolerable work-load. A  generation ago most of those preachers would have preached two services every single Sunday. 

Expectations become self fulfilling prophecies. If you are not expected to be durable by others, and won’t expect it from yourself don’t be surprised when your neglected gift becomes fragile and unusable. Limber up. Practice up. Learn the disciplines which will help you to become a durable every week preacher. A preacher that God can use through the regular rhythms, the week-in-week-out, deliberate focused work that prepares you to be accountable even on your “off” days. Durable preachers like durable pitchers are not afraid to put the ball into play.