A New Goal for Preachers: Peaceful Productivity (A Guest Post)
Process Caroline Penhale Process Caroline Penhale

A New Goal for Preachers: Peaceful Productivity (A Guest Post)

Recently, I guided participants through a process to make space for sermon prep for the multiple sermons they’d be writing for Holy Week and Easter. I encouraged three steps, and while there was some resistance to the third, once completed, I sensed a shift in energy and renewed sense of enthusiasm for the tasks ahead. Read on to energize your own sermon prep with this 3-step scheduling process.

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Five Steps to Take Now to Right-Size Your Ministry Schedule
Process Lisa Cressman Process Lisa Cressman

Five Steps to Take Now to Right-Size Your Ministry Schedule

There is always more work to be done, and there are precious few of us to do it. To make up for it, preachers do more work. And more work. And more work, until our schedules are bulging at the seams. But I suggest that if our schedules are bulging at the seams, there’s something else going on.

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Getting the God’s-eye view of your ministry
Process Lisa Cressman Process Lisa Cressman

Getting the God’s-eye view of your ministry

Dedicated planning time helps me step out of the day-to-day to work on my ministry so I have a clearer vision of what to work on in it. It’s what helps me sing—more often and more wholeheartedly—“alleluia” for the gift of serving in Christ’s name. And it helps me sing fewer notes of lament. This kind of practice is transformative, so here are my best suggestions for how preachers can harness the power of planning time outside the ministry.

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For the Love of Preaching: Sermon Prep Pandemic-Style (3rd in a 4-Week Series)
Process, Preaching in Crisis Lisa Cressman Process, Preaching in Crisis Lisa Cressman

For the Love of Preaching: Sermon Prep Pandemic-Style (3rd in a 4-Week Series)

While we’re building the kingdom of God, however, most of us in the West “drink the kool-aid” of the productivity-equals-success/respect/love poison our society ladles out for us during our construction breaks. Even though the drink tastes bitter, and we say the Church is in the world and not of it, and we say we hate the stuff, we preachers keep going back and holding out our cups for refills.

While we drink, we look with dismay at that partially constructed kingdom and see all the work left to be done. So we double our efforts, squeezing more tasks into the cracks of time, adding a patch here, pouring cement there, but seemingly to no avail. Because the work is never done and the task lists only seem to grow larger. And that’s in a non-pandemic year.

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To Do or Not to Do: The Hidden Costs of Ministry Decisions
Spirituality Lisa Cressman Spirituality Lisa Cressman

To Do or Not to Do: The Hidden Costs of Ministry Decisions

Every time we assume responsibility for a plumbing leak, a pastoral care request, a new bible study, the church bulletin, an email newsletter or blog, a staff meeting, a new initiative, etc., something else is lost. The problem comes when we keep saying yes without recognizing the corresponding no. As a result, we say goodbye to any semblance of a sabbath, to family togetherness, or to the peace of mind on Sunday mornings that comes from delivering a well-prepared sermon.

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Happy Preaching New Year! A Wish & A Challenge
Process Lisa Cressman Process Lisa Cressman

Happy Preaching New Year! A Wish & A Challenge

If your preaching schedule in 2019 felt out-of-control, all-consuming, or even non-existent, this is the challenge—and year—for you. It’s likely a few strategic tweaks can help you enjoy (and improve!) your preaching life without feeling like it’s running your life. Begins January 7th. Join today!

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