The first one was delivered today and I wasn’t entirely happy with it. Too long, to overstuffed with information and didn’t flow very well. The main issue was that I now have a very different theology to my home church and I felt I needed to explain and ‘justify’ some of what I was saying and proposing, so there was more padding than absolutely necessary. But such is the main pitfall of one-off services. I feel the need to cram too much in rather than just delivering something that’s to the point but ‘lightweight’ (in my opinion). Today’s sermon should really have been delivered over no fewer than four or five sermons. Which says (to me) that it was the wrong sermon for the occasion.

When I got home I decided to ‘polish it’ from the thoughts I had as I was preaching. It now flows better but is still too long (certainly for next week). But then next week’s pulpit supply is the lectionary-following place, so some of the background will already be there. Mind you, I still need to sort out their dodgy theology (not really, just poking fun – a little). It means that I need to whittle down the sermon and can probably remove some of the explanatory padding. It’ll be interesting to see how that one ends up and how much, if anything, is ‘lost’ because of that.

The third one will be similar to today, albeit with the more polished version. Again though, I’ll be curious to see how it changes in the two week gap.

One thing I did notice today was that my voice is out of condition, not having been used very much for a couple of months. Too much time spent typing and not enough time chatting with real people. Unfortunately, until the dissertation is done, I can’t do much about that. I’ll maybe need to put some music on and start singing along.

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Now, one of those churches uses the lectionary and the other two don’t so that sets the agenda for at least one of the Sundays. All three churches are geographically diverse and so there is virtually no risk of ‘being followed’ from one to the other. So, given that it’s unlikely that the lectionary passage is going to crop up in the two other churches any Sunday soon, why not make life easier and use the same sermon and order of service for each church?

It’s probably what I’ll end up doing (with variations to allow for the different length of sermon anticipated at each), but part of me still thinks that it’s ‘cheating’. Mind you, a few years ago we were on holiday and happened to catch a visiting preacher in the church we went to. Soon afterwards we heard that same person in another church and, surprise! surprise! heard the same sermon.

Maybe I should look on it as way of reflecting on how the same text/message is received differently in different contexts. Or maybe it’s an opportunity to present the same text in different ways and so experience the richness to be found in scripture. The next question though is whether I start with the short sermon and pad it out or do the long one and trim it down.

Anyway, as I was saying…

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Now, to put it into practice.

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Well I happened across some other versions on YouTube, but one of the best (in my opinion) is available, for free, from 4-14.org.uk. It’s available in a variety of formats and qualities.

You can also download a transcript here Thats My King Transcript.

I’ve yet to come across a video that uses the entirety of the sermon, which is a shame because there isn’t a single word of it that deserves to be dropped. Mind you, there seems to be different variants of the mp3 file around the web as well. If I were a bit more creative (and had the time) I’d have a go myself, but if anyone comes across a good, full version, let me know.

It’s one of those sermons I listen to every now and again, just because I think it’s so wonderful. Why do I like it so much? Because it’s simple, to the point and focuses on who we, as Christians are supposed to focus on – Jesus Christ. Yet, for all its simplicity, it’s enormously challenging. Do we really proclaim Christ to be all of the things mentioned in the sermon? And when we don’t, simply because we’re imperfect beings, it’s good to know that there is one who is all of those things.

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Sermons are typically 2500-3000 words, which, at a typical presentation speaking rate, is around 20-25 minutes.

General

  Exegesis models
» 115.3 Kb - July 3, 2011
A somewhat tongue-in-cheek look at methods of exegesis.

Sermons+Talks

  1John1
» 310.5 Kb - March 1, 2009
Apostles' Creed - I believe in God. Reading from 1John1:1-10

  confusion
» 243.4 Kb - January 20, 2009
A short reflection on John 4, Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well.

  Jeremiah29+Luke17
» 51.5 Kb - October 17, 2007
'Us and Them' themed sermon challenging a parochial view of where and in whom God is at work.

  Harvest thoughts
» 56.0 Kb - September 27, 2007
Sermon delivered at KHR on Harvest Thanksgiving. Readings from Amos 8, 1Timothy 2 and Luke 16. Theme of global responsibility.

  Psalm14+Ephesians3
» 47.0 Kb - August 29, 2007
Sermon based on Psalm 14 and Ephesians 3:14-21

  Hosea4+James3
» 50.0 Kb - August 29, 2007
Sermon based on Hosea 4:1-3 and James 3:13-18

Resources

  Easter Jigsaw Labyrinth
» 28.9 Mb - March 21, 2011
An Easter-themed labyrinth resource.

  CH4 Hymns
» 102.0 Kb - September 2, 2010
Spreadsheet of CH4 hymns cross-referenced to CH3, MP, SoGP and CG. Many thanks to Andrew Sarle for letting me make this available.

Study

  What_Do_We_Hope_For
» 449.9 Kb - April 1, 2009
Honours dissertation exploring NT Wright's thoughts on eschatology, hope, resurrection.

MTh Research

  Dissertation - Converging Conversations
» 480.7 Kb - August 20, 2010
MTh dissertation. The need for 'intentional' dialogue if the Church of Scotland is to engage effectively with new forms of church.

  Essay - Tentative Steps towards an Emerging Kirk
» 204.1 Kb - August 20, 2010
MTh Research Essay 2 An analysis of the Church of Scotland's engagement with Emerging Church through a 2009 report from Ministries Council and Mission and Discipleship Council.

  Essay - Looking Beyond the Labels
» 206.2 Kb - August 20, 2010
MTh Research Essay 1 An investigation of some of the underlying issues behind some of the 'post-' labels commonly associated with Emerging Church.

  Essay - Unity In Diversity
» 270.5 Kb - August 20, 2010
Mth Research Essay - Barth Course Using the creedal church mark of 'One', this essay critiques Emerging Church from a Barthian perspective.

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