Receive Free Monthly TeachingQuestion:
Nourishing Yourself and Feeding Others
What do you as a pastor do on a personal level to keep yourself fed and spiritually nourished? What are your personal reading and devotional habits? Also, what do you do in terms of your study and message preparation habits? How much time do you spend reading, studying, and listening to others preach, and how does that integrate into your message preparation?
Responses:
Pastor Stan Saunders – Chillicothe, MO
I read a minimum of one book per month on a wide range of subjects including: church growth, personal spiritual development, leadership, and non-spiritual novels or nonfiction. I have various Bible reading habits just to keep it fresh. I have read the Bible thru from Genesis to Revelation several times. I sometimes camp out in a book, like Ephesians, for several weeks at a time. Other times I will extensively study a topic. Sometimes, I just randomly read Psalms or Proverbs or the Sermon on the Mount, etc.
A typical week of sermon prep for Sunday morning sermons begins with reflection and research on Monday. Tuesdays I have staff meetings almost all day. Wednesday I prepare for Wednesday night's message, which is usually something from my personal sermon files or from a scripture that I have been meditating upon. I begin my rough outline for Sunday's message also on Wednesday. Thursday is sermon day. The entire day is devoted to finishing Sunday's sermon outline. This includes cutting material to tighten up the message. Friday I try not to think about the message at all, but usually do anyway! Saturday morning I will work on memorizing my outline. Saturday night I work on memorizing my outline. By Sunday morning I know my message well enough to preach it without notes.
I spend almost no time listening to others preach. I read books mostly to discover the thoughts of others. I have great difficulty sitting still long enough to listen to a message. I can sit still and read. Most of my research from other speakers has to do with illustrations and presentation techniques.
I schedule myself out of the pulpit eight Sundays yearly for vacations, foreign mission trips and just to take the weekend off from speaking. I love to hear my staff preach. They always do an outstanding job, and the congregation really enjoys them also. Several Sundays yearly I sit and listen to them.
Pastor Bill Anzevino – Industry, PA
I’ve learned early in life and ministry that the Gospel only benefits those who mix faith with it. Therefore, in order to maintain a high level of faith, I do what I believe is necessary to feed my faith and starve my doubts.
I begin each day with prayer both in English and in the Spirit, while incorporating specific faith building confessions into my prayers. James said the tongue is the steering wheel of our lives and controlling the tongue is key to setting the course of our lives for good things. The Israelites under Moses failed to enter the Promised Land not because they didn’t know God’s Word, but because they failed to mix with it the most important ingredient – faith. For me, meditation and confession help keep me fed and nourished and position me to respond to life’s challenges with faith instead of doubt. When my son Andrew was born with 22q11, DiGeorge Syndrome, Tetralogy of Fallot and without a left pulmonary artery or immune system, it was faith in four words spoken to my heart in the birthing room that enabled him to receive a creative miracle and grow a left pulmonary artery to normal size in nine months. “Fear not, only believe,” were the four words that took him from “he won’t live through the night,” to celebrating his eighth birthday on June 25, 2009, full of life, health, vitality and strength. I believe meditation and confession are key to maintaining a strong faith life.
Regarding what I do in terms of study and sermon preparation, I have found nothing to be more important than spending time with the Father to get His mind and then communicate that to God’s people. Jesus gave us this example to follow: His teaching, preaching and doing were all based on what the Father told him to teach, preach and do. No one knows the people or the needs of the people we minister to better than the Father. Getting His mind is first, and then I get as much information as I can in order to equip myself to minister that subject effectively. This may involve reading books, listening to others preach, studying the scriptures and going online to gather helpful information on the subject. Someone once said to preach effectively, a preacher should study himself full, pray himself anointed, receive from the Spirit, and preach fresh messages from the Word.
Personally, I teach more than anything else. I believe that’s where my anointing is. When Jesus “could there do no mighty work” in Nazareth because of their unbelief, He went about the villages teaching (Mk. 6:5-6). I have found that teaching people how to apply the principles of God’s Word in a practical way in everyday life helps not only to meet the immediate need, but also equips the individual to live a consistent victorious life.
Remember, God didn’t give us His Word so we could gather enough information to become Theologians. He gave us His Word so we could undergo transformation and overcome anything we face in this world with our faith.
Pastor Mike Kalstrup – Oakland, IA
While in Bible School over 30 years ago, one of the guest speakers made a statement I’ve never forgotten. He said, “As a minister you must preach out of your ‘overflow’, not out of your need”. Unfortunately, for many ministers this doesn’t happen. It’s such a true statement and vitally important, but in the real world of ministry responsibilities, it’s easier said than done.
That being said, I endeavor to begin each day in the morning for myself - a time of prayer, worship and usually reading the proverbs or psalms, along with a chapter or so from authors that happen to bless me spiritually. I wish I could say this happens every day, but it does not. As I said, ‘I endeavor’, and I do fairly well.
My devotional time most certainly gives birth to inspiration for public ministry. It can be in the form of supplementing a subject I’m already teaching or preaching on, or to a whole new bible subject. Obviously, as we recognize the needs of our audience and how the Holy Spirit is leading us, we need to be obedient to the direction that’s given. But when it comes to my devotion time, I try not to come with ministry preparation in mind.
Because it’s sometimes common for ministers to have unrealistic obligations placed upon them; whether they be self-imposed or as the result of other people, I encourage any minister to give themselves permission to have time for themselves first, and then care for the needs that ministry represents. You minimize your value to others if you’re personally beaten down, malnourished and unedified spiritually. Bear in mind, it does require a personal discipline, but when practiced, it causes your own life to be blessed along with those to whom you minister.
Understand also, that in each and every one of our lives, there are ‘seasons’ when we need more personal ministry for ourselves than at other times because of the demands that may currently be being placed upon us. So sometimes you need to ‘come ye apart for awhile’ for times of refreshing. Then prepare for your ministry to others through whatever sources or means that can help you to meet their needs. I say, do whatever it takes to give yourself a ‘sure advantage’. We live in ‘perilous times’ and you need to be at the top of your game.
Pastor Mark Williams – Rockford, IL
I consume two different devotionals each day: “Fit for the King,” by Thomas Hundley and “The Love Dare,” by Steve Kendrick. I read through the Bible with a daily reading plan. I read the Psalms and Proverbs completely each month. Each night before going to bed, I read scriptures concerning husbands in Ephesians 5:25, Colossians 3:19 and 1 Peter 3:7.
Each week I listen to an hour or more of ministry recordings of various ministers (Fred Price, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Keith Moore, Keith Butler, Kenneth Hagin). I am sure that this practice impacts and influences my own teaching and preaching on a weekly basis.
God bless you all as you also feed upon God's Word.
