Empty Pew Lessons

A long, long time ago I went to the Blakely United Methodist Church as a summer youth worker.  The pastor that summer was named Clark Pafford.  Knowing that I intended on becoming a preacher, he gave me opportunities to preach during that summer.  But, before he allowed me to step in the pulpit on Sunday morning, he insisted that I preach the sermon to empty pews on Saturday night.   However, the pews were not really empty as he sat there on Saturday night to listen and offer help for the Sunday preaching. 

 

During all the years I preached, right up the Sunday I retired, I continued going to the sanctuary either on Saturday night or early Sunday morning to preach to the empty pews.  I am convinced it made me a better preacher than I could have been otherwise.  I learned a lot from preaching to empty pews.  As I listened to the empty pew preaching, I sometimes heard some things that did not work.  It gave me time to think about hand gestures and body movement.  After preaching through the sermon a couple of times when no one was present to listen, I began to feel like the sermon was a part of me and I was ready to preach it. 

 

Now, not every preacher requires that kind of Saturday night work to be an effective preacher.  I saw and heard many through the years who were far beyond me in effectiveness and skill.  But, it is also true that anything we do which we want to do well is going to require hard work.  This is certainly true as well with our relationship with Christ.  Relationships, the kind that become important to us, do not just happen.  They require work, hard work.  No one should be disappointed in a mediocre walk with God until they have done their part and more in the relationship.  God is more than willing to do His part in this partnership.  The cross on which Jesus died was His part and more.