Do-Overs

From the very beginning I have been doing 'Do-Overs." When I was in my first appointment which was a three point Charge, I would travel most every Sunday to at least two churches to preach. There was a time when I thought I should preach a different sermon each time, but practicality got my attention before I got too far into doing something so driven by my own ego. I learned back then it was not such a bad thing to have an opportunity for a "Do-Over," or maybe a mulligan as some golfers might want to call it!

With the exception of two appointments spanning six years, I have preached the same sermon at least twice most every Sunday morning. And there was a time when I came here to Richmond Hill when it was not twice, but thrice. Preaching that schedule a few months makes one really look forward to finding an Associate. As I sit here now between preaching moments, I wonder how the "Do-Over" will go today. Sometimes having preached a sermon once makes it better the second time. Sometimes it seems that all the passion gets drained from the sermon the first time and there is nothing left for the second trip to the pulpit. And, of course, sometimes it bombs out both times!

It is interesting that after all these years and all those uncountable preaching opportunities that there is still such anticipation about preaching. It is the part of my ministry about which I am most passionate. It is the part I want most of all to do well. Unlike any moment in my life, it provides a moment so filled with the potential to impact so many lives for God. It is that one thing I can never really get away from, even when the sermon is a "Do-Over."