ArticleBlog | How I prepare by Augustine Tanner-Ihm
How I prepare by Augustine Tanner-Ihm
Author: Andy PeckPost Date: 17.09.21
Within my contexts, I usually use the Revised Common Lectionary which has set readings from the Hebrew scriptures, the psalms, the gospels, and an epistle. For the nourishment of myself and the preaching, I use the readings as a daily devotional until I preach them. I want the text to preach to me several times before I attempt to preach or teach it within a congregational setting.
USING ALL THE SENSES
I listen to the scriptures via a Bible app, I read the whole book of the Bible from the verses in which I am preaching to understand the whole story, and I even watch videos of the parts of scriptures on YouTube. I want to devour the text like a warm chocolate cake on a cold winter’s afternoon. The sermon needs all my senses to be working so I can fully grasp what Jesus is telling us today. During this time, I pray and pray and pray.
COMMUNITY INPUT
I will often ask a non-Christian friend and a Christian friend about their thoughts on the passage. I also f irst want to look at my blind spots. Therefore, I dig deep into exegetical commentaries from non-Euro American points of view. Preaching is a group exercise. Preaching is what happens when the Word of God is faithfully communicated to the people of God. Unlike many people from my tradition, I do not always jump to theologians like Karl Barth, Calvin, or Luther. I often want to know what the womanist theologians, queer theologians and Asian theologians are saying about these passages; as well as what the single mother, the drug addict, the sex worker and so on, thinks about the text. I believe the community of Christ together exegetes scripture, therefore I want to hear from the whole church to learn and evaluate faith, life, and mission.
