Thu, Aug 27, 2009
Recycling is great for the environment, but after week seven of the Jude Sermon series John began to have a sneaking suspicion the officer might be reusing his sermons from weeks 1 and 2. SO, we’re asking…How do you feel about preachers reusing sermons? Should they be giving fresh bread to the people? Thoughts?
Praying Scripture – Leviticus 20:8
Keep my decrees and follow them.
I am the LORD, who makes you holy.
Living Scripture - Psalm 24:3
Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD?
Who may stand in his holy place?
The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not trust in an idol
or swear by a false god.
CFOT was pleased to welcome special guests Colonels Floyd and Tracey Tidd to our In Sunday on January 22, 2012.
The focus of their message was “Hope” and cadets and officers shared stories of life situations that may have seemed hopeless but which eventually brought them to know hope.
This In Sunday was also blessed by the attendance of our Field Based Training cadets – Peck-Ee Wong and Leonard Heng, and Kim and Darryl Burry (and their family).
PERHAPS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS…
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Click here for questions & answers about:
…The Salvation Army & Officership
…The Officer Training Program
…The application process
…The College for Officer Training
The prayer room is a sacred space on our website for prayer and reflection. Please click here to go to the prayer room. Check out the most recent contribution to the prayer room by Cadet Laura Hickmen titled “Do you See what He sees?”
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Below you will find links to other recent prayer room contributions to encourage your faith journey:
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An Eye to See | Cadet Jennifer Ivany
Have You Stopped to Love Today | Adolpho Quezada
Time to Reflect | Major Ann Braund
Sojourning| Cadet Laura Van Schaick
Can you hear that??? | Cadet Kelly Fifield
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Check out the following video – featured during the Cadets Commissioning.
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August 27th, 2009 at 10:49 am
A lot of work goes into a properly researched and thought out sermon – so I don’t believe in wasting the work – no, but after 7 weeks? That does sound a little soon!
I don’t think I would ever use a seromn again with the same congregation, but certainley reiterating some of the research (background, haistorical setting, theology of the day etc.) is helpful in future teachings. If a sermon is reused at least modify the illustrations and be gracious enough to not use it on the very same congregation. Most importantly though, pray about, read it over and over and over and internalize what you are feeding your congregaton. If it hasn’t reached the depths of your own soul it certainely won’t have a lasting impact on those you serve.
Frequency of reused sermons is something to take into serious considerations as well. An officer who takes 5 years of sermons from one appointment to the next and fails to study for himself or herself over the majority of the next few years, will also fail to grow in wisdom and be spiritually rather unqualified to be leading a flock. Jesus request of Peter to feed his sheep most certainely anticipated a concerted effort and the very best he could offer as he performed this valuable ministry. We should do no less.
August 27th, 2009 at 11:36 am
I have no problem whatsoever in pastors/officers re-using sermons, somnetimes even on the same congrregation (if sufficient time has passed since the pervious usage AND the congregation needs to hear the message again.)
However, using a sermon more than once on a congergation runs the risk of becoming an easy out if you just want to have a lazy week.
August 28th, 2009 at 10:17 am
I have often re-read a book and gotten more out of it the second time around. I like comedy re-runs as I the one liners are still enjoyable even if the broad story line is known. In principle I have no issue with re-using sermons if they are a good fit will have meaning for the congregation. (I had to have many a lesson repeated from my parents over the years.) If you reuse an illustration in a new sermon people already think the sermon is old. Sermons are good study but they are much more than study for the pastor, and even old sermons must be re-visited and re-crafted. Corps officers would not want to get into the habit of simply reusing messages and not benefitting from the discipline of study. Of course all this implies that God guide us as we speak. The message is his. Let Him decide!
August 29th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
I have to agree with Charlotte that a properly thought out and researched sermon can be preached more than once, but for sure not after 7 weeks or even to the same congregation.
Having been a preacher for less than 4 years, I have a collection of about 200 sermons that I have written and preached to my congregation. On a couple of occasions I have had the oppertunity to preach at another church in another city. After speaking with the pastor at the other church and getting a background of where we were going with the message and what was going on in thier church at that time, I remembered a sermon that with a little reworking would fit for that particular congregation. In each case, there was a least one person who came to me after the service saying that they felt that this sermon was written for them.
As for taking a vast supply of sermons from one appointment to another, that can be tricky. While a sermon that was researched, written and prayed about hit a home run with one congregation, it may be a strike out with another. As an officer, I find it so rewarding to be able to spend time researching work for a sermon. More often then not, it opens my eyes to a deeper understanding of a scripture.
Having said all that, there are going to be weeks that Sunday will come upon you before you know it. These are the weeks that it would be nice to have a message that has already been prepared and will be relevant to your congregation.It should be the exception and not the rule.
August 30th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Putting a different twist into it as it should be something God has revealed differently or new to you. It shouldn’t make us lazy and abscent from the word. Otherwise,ask God if it is permissable and I know He will confirm or reject your message.
Andre