#41 The Preacher as Chef

I spend quite a bit of time thinking about preaching, and I've come to the conclusion that preaching is like cooking. We say that people do not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God, and we talk about being fed by sermons, so I think it's a valid image. Every week I take a few hours over a couple of days to do some research. This is like searching through the cupboards to figure out what's in the house. Once I've gathered all my ingredients, all the knowledge I can gain from a variety of sources, it's decision time: What can I make with this, and what do I want to make? This requires a touch of wisdom. If I throw everything into the pot, the resulting sermon will be overwhelming and not very appealing. But if I don't use enough ingredients, my sermon will be watered down and bland. I need just the right balance. Also, as any good chef knows, people generally aren't going to be satisfied eating the same thing every day. So I need to mix things up, finding fresh sources, spicing things up with new stories, and trying different styles from time to time. Sometimes I create something memorable. But sometimes things don't turn out as well I'd hoped. Then it's good to remember the words of my mentor: he doesn't remember every meal he's ever eaten, but he does know he was fed. I pray that God empowers me to cook up nourishing and delightful sermons and that He uses them to strengthen His people for their weeks of work.

Grace and peace,

BMH