The first two churches I served were both large churches with multiple pastor preaching teams. We’d plan out several series of sermons and divide who was preaching which weekend. Prior to each series we’d talk in more detail about each week of the series and then leading up to the weekend we’d discuss in great detail that sermon. There are countless benefits to having a team of people helping with sermon preparation.
- Teams can discuss and think and create together. You get to bounce ideas around and think about what content works best to illustrate a specific point.
- Teams let you take advantage of different skill sets. Not everybody studies and prepares in the same way. Some preachers focus more on scholarly study, some are more culturally focused, some think more theologically or with a heart of pastoral care. Having a variety of perspectives allows for better sermons.
- Teams help you plan long term and short term. Working with a group you can plan how series fit into the year strategically. You can also plan individual weeks to match the church calendar, seasons, and special needs as they arise. Being able to discuss both short and long-term needs allow for better preparation.
- Teams are more effective at evaluating the sermon after the fact.
- Collaboration results in better, more creative, wiser decisions.
Fast forward a few years and I found myself in a solo pastorate without a team of people to help with preparation. The first year or solo preparation was a learning experience where I learned that I was much better working with a team. It started the process of figuring out how to work as a team without a team around me. Over the next two years a process that became the Collaborative Sermon Workshop developed that dramatically changed the way I prepare sermons. This year Kaio Studios will expand the workshop to include more people, contact us if you’re interested.
– Kerner
Photo by Jules & Jenny 