Not every Pastor has the same routines on a Sunday morning, so I guess the title of this blog should have been “A Peek Into This Pastor’s Sunday Morning …”. But no matter who the pastor is there are some things that are similar for every pastor. I have refined my routines over the years and this is what it looks like today.

My alarm goes off between 4:30 and 4:45 on Sunday mornings. Many Sundays I wake up before my alarm goes off and I just get up then. At this point I begin the getting ready for the day process. Usually this includes making a cup of coffee with our Keurig. I feel obligated to give a huge nod of approval to Keurig coffee makers. Before we had a Keurig I didn’t have a cup of coffee until I got to church and would make a pot. Now I can make a cup and really start to get going early.

I arrive at church anywhere from 5:00 to 5:20. I love this time on Sundays. I am the only one in the building for quite a while. Normally one of the first things I do is make a pot of coffee. What comes next can any one of a few things. I might walk around the building, making sure everything is okay and praying for the people and ministries that will be in those areas. I will check my email and social media at some point. I will do a devotion and have one of several prayer times.

After a while I settle in my office and go over my sermon for that morning. I will usually eat a bagel or English muffin during this time period. I often make a few changes, or add something to the sermon at this time. Then I go into the Sanctuary/Worship Center and run through the sermon. When I run through I actually preach it out loud. I look around the room and picture those who will likely be seated in a certain area. (Many of you sit in the same place every Sunday, so it is easy to envision you during this time. If you think your pastor is preaching directly at you try changing where you sit, it may take your pastor a couple of weeks to find you.) It is not unusual for me to stop and write something on my outline during this run through. Parts of the sermon sound different when you say it out loud.

Why do I do a “dress rehearsal” early Sunday morning? Because it really cements the message in my mind and helps me to not be tied too tightly into looking at my notes. Also, as I mentioned earlier, some things just sound different when you say them out loud than they sounded in my mind when I pounded them out on my keyboard. This also helps me to know the timing of the sermon. I learn how long it should take and any areas that I can easily get bogged down in and need to move through quicker. I pray for the sermon, the service and the congregation during this time.

It is usually a little after 7:30 by now. I may take another walk around the building or settle back into my office. I will often send an email, facebook message or text to a pastor friend at this point to encourage them or let them know that I am praying for them as they preach that day. I will often read a little in a book that is on my current reading list. If I am teaching a Sunday School class at the time, I will go over my lesson for that morning again and make sure my room is ready for the day.

Soon people begin to come in the building, making breakfast, getting their Sunday School room ready or to do a final run through of the music and sound for the worship service. At this point I may begin to drift around the building again checking in on people and seeing if I can help them with anything. I pray for them as I see them or hear them. If everything is going smoothly I go back to my office to pray, make sure my notes are in order and really start to get my game face on, so to speak.

If I am teaching a Sunday School class I get there and greet my students. If I am not currently teaching a class I move around the building seeing how Sunday School is going and listening in on a few classes. I pray for the teachers during this time.

Then it is time to gather everything I need, make sure my mic is in place and working properly. (At my current church a retired pastor comes in my office at this point and prays over me. This is a powerful moment for me.) Then I go out and begin talking with people who are already in their places. I like to move around and speak with several people, it is good time to greet them and to get a feel for the atmosphere of the day. There is usually some point of checking in with the worship leader or sound person. Then we worship.

This is a picture of typical Sunday morning for me. What does yours look like? Any questions on what I do or why I do what I do? I will leave the rest of a typical Sunday for another post someday. Here’s hoping your Sundays are awesome.

Dennis

We recently finished a Vacation Bible School in our church. It has been a few years since a church where I was pastor did a somewhat traditional VBS. I was reminded of some of the reasons why I hadn’t done one for a few years and I was overwhelmingly struck by the positive aspects of VBS. I believe each church has to evaluate the practicality and benefits of a VBS in their own community. With that being said here are a few lessons I learned during our recent VBS.

-Enthusiasm is attractive – One of the great things about kids is that if you are enthusiastic they will get into whatever you are sharing. I believe adults need to be reminded that enthusiasm is attractive. Enthusiasm can draw people into church and it can attract people to Christ. Too often we sin by taking the greatest truth and boring people with the good news of the gospel. VBS is anything but boring, at least if it goes well.

-Smiles make your day – Kids smile a lot. I like seeing smiles. When you smile at someone they will usually smile back. When you smile you feel better and if you can make someone else smile you help them feel better as well. What if you committed to smiling at everyone you make eye contact with tomorrow? Now don’t avoid eye contact so you don’t have to smile. Commit to smiling as you make eye contact with people for a day and watch what happens.

-It takes many hands for it to work – A lady in my church said to me the day before our VBS began that one of her favorite things about VBS is that so many people in the church work together to make it happen. I will confess I had not been viewing VBS in this way. As the week went on I recognized how true her statement was and it revolutionized my thinking. It takes people doing all kinds of things and it takes people who are willing to do whatever is needed on that day.

-The greatest outcome may be the fellowship of the adults who served – This was true fellowship. Not eating a meal together, but serving together and there was much sharing that took place as they served. We had some people matched up with people that they really did not know until they served together. This produced some great results.

-Focusing on kids is a life changer – Whenever you focus on kids you will see lives changed. Your life will be different and so will the life of the kids. I have only been the pastor of this church for 5 months. As a result I didn’t know the children all that well. Serving in our VBS helped me get to know the kids and I really fell in love with them. I was changed by the kids and by serving in VBS. I saw some of the kids really respond. Before that week the kids knew I was the pastor, but now they know me and some of them even like me.

-Repeating something out loud inscribes it on your mind – We did a lot of “repeat after me” during VBS. We did this with the theme for each night and with memory verses. The kids knew their stuff and so did I. I am still figuring out how to do more of this in my teaching and preaching. I wonder if I can get their parents, and grandparents to yell some answers out during the sermon.

-Giving should be fun – The kids got so excited to bring in their offerings. They were especially excited to give to sponsor a child from another country. Yes, some of the money was handouts from their parents and some was from the workers. But, many kids brought in money from their own banks from home. The joy on their faces when they gave and when they celebrated how much was given was great to see. I wish we adults would give with that kind of joy.

We had parents and some other relatives come on Sunday morning and for our picnic celebration after worship. I am praying that we will see some of them return in the weeks to come. We had children who accepted Jesus as their personal Savior. Bottom line, our Vacation Bible School was definitely worth the time, effort and money. Also, the lessons learned were definitely worth it. Now to stretch these lessons into all of our ministries.

Do you do VBS? If so, how did it go? If not, why did you choose not to do one?

Dennis

I had my first colonoscopy a couple of days ago. It was an experience that I would prefer not to repeat very often. Fortunately the doctor gave me a good report and I am very grateful for that report. I am always looking for real life experiences to use in sermon illustrations. Much of what takes place surrounding a colonoscopy is probably not appropriate for sermon illustrations, at least not if I desire to remain in my pastorate. However, there are some lessons that can be learned from the experience that I believe are transferable to my ministry.

-Preparation is a big deal. Preparation for a colonoscopy is a full day experience, sometimes longer. The event took 20 to 30 minutes but the preparation for it was 24+ hours. I need to remember this more often in my ministry. The preparation is as, if not more, important than the event itself. In fact the outcome of the event is determined by the preparation.

-It takes a team. I encountered at least 14 different people in my short event at the hospital. The focus is on the doctor, but before the doctor did his/her thing I had engaged with 13 other people. I hope the doctor realizes how valuable the whole team is to his/her success. I was reminded of how many people are involved with a Sunday morning worship service as I went through this process. I must do better at thanking my team, and do better in praying for them and do better in making sure they realize how valuable they are to the whole process.

-A personal touch makes a difference. I had my own nurse from arriving in the procedure area until I was dismissed to leave. It was reassuring to have that same voice caring for me when I came out of the procedure as I had before I went into the procedure. I must remember that a personal touch makes a difference at church. Whether it is a greeter, a teacher, an usher, a worship leader, the pastor or the person who is seated nearby, a personal touch will be remembered.

-Encouragement is a big deal. I didn’t have anyone chanting my name as I went in for the procedure (that would have cool though). I did encounter many who assured me that they knew what they were doing and that I was in very good hands with all who were caring for me. I was encouraged by them saying that I would do fine and that I would do well as I went home. Encouragement is a powerful thing for everyone. We all have different needs when it comes to what type of encouragement speaks the best to us. But all of us do better with encouragement than without. We need to be great encouragers in the church and as we encounter people anywhere.

-Being treated with competence brings you back. Not that I am looking to go back and repeat this procedure just because I was treated well. However, I was encouraged by how they did their jobs so that when I need another medical procedure these are people I will choose. That is a transferable principle for the church and me as the pastor. I want us to do so well at what we do that people will have confidence to come back again.

Here’s hoping I will do better at these things in my ministry. What do you think of these lessons? Can you see how they apply to your ministry? What are you doing to see that they are being done where you serve?

Dennis

I try to do a “Monday Morning Musings …” post on Monday mornings, thus the title of the posts. This week I didn’t quite make it considering that it is now Tuesday evening. My excuse, I had a colonoscopy on Monday morning. I don’t know if you consider that a good excuse or not. My guess is that if you have ever had one, you consider it a good excuse. If you have never had one then you may not understand why I didn’t get it done. Just wait, your time is coming.

Since it is now Tuesday evening, I am going to broaden my musings a bit. As for Sunday, we had a tremendous day at our church. Our VBS (Vacation Bible School) was last week. It went well and finished even better. We three or four times our normal Sunday children’s attendance come to our VBS. We saw several children pray to accept Christ as their personal Savior! (That is the biggest highlight of the week.) We had over 40% of our Sunday morning average Worship attendance help in our VBS. (Re-read that last sentence. Not 40% of our adults, 40% of our average Sunday morning worship attendance! This is going to be a great moment in the history of our church.) Our workers were awesome! There were some newer people who served and there was some great fellowship, real solid fellowship, taking place as people served together. I really feel in love with the children as I got to know them in a much better way than I had before. The kids brought in more than enough money to sponsor a child’s education in another country for 1 year.

Then on Sunday, the kids rocked the house during our worship service. They showed us how to worship with enthusiasm. They shared the lessons they learned for the Word and they were very attentive during the whole service. I shared a brief message and some adults and more children prayed to receive Christ as their Savior!!! We had a great attendance, only 5 fewer than we had on Easter Sunday morning. Then we had a picnic to celebrate a great week of VBS and not only did we have a great number who attended they hung around and talked with each other a long time. I love seeing that kind of fellowship. Then our workers stayed and cleaned up the place. I am so humbled by all the hard work so many people did this week. I am blessed to be their pastor.

The report from the Doctor to my wife is that everything looked good from my test. (I don’t know what the Doctor said because I wasn’t real aware at that point.) I must confess I am not a fan of the day before preparation for a colonoscopy. Here’s hoping I don’t have to go through that again for quite a while.

Some lessons I learned from my medical experience and working in our VBS … on second thought, let’s make that tomorrow’s post.

Here’s hoping you survived your Monday morning and are having a great start to your week. What did you learn this weekend?

Dennis

Difficult to get my mind and body engaged this morning. Not because yesterday was a difficult day, I believe it is just because it is a Monday morning. As I reflect on yesterday I realize what a roller coaster ride it was.

Some of the highs:

-Praying over our Vacation Bible School workers in preparation for our VBS beginning this evening. This was very moving and humbling.

-Realizing that we have over 25% of our average Worship attendance serving this week in VBS. That is an awesome percentage. Not just 25% of our adult attendance, but 25% of our total attendance! I am really rejoicing over this one.

-Sharing communion together and watching people really reflect on what Christ has done for them.

-Having a brand new person, from our town, show up to worship. No one invited this person, they just showed up. I would like to see more come because someone invited, but how cool in this day and age when someone just shows up. God really is up to something good around here.

-Watching our VBS workers come back last evening to prepare for this week. They arrived in a torrential downpour and participated enthusiastically. Seeing their desire for children to hear the Good News and come to faith in Christ got me fired up.

-Realizing that our low Sundays are now are higher than our average Sundays were last year.

Some of the not so highs:

-Having a low number of children in attendance yesterday, the day before our VBS begins. Hopefully there is no correlation between the two.

-Not being able to sleep well in preparation for Sunday. I always get up very early on Sundays, but yesterday I was wide awake, and worried about something, more than an hour before my alarm was set to go off.

-A very low offering. Putting it in perspective, we are still ahead of last year’s giving, but it was still a downer.

This Monday a lot time is being spend finalizing details for the beginning of our Vacation Bible School. I am very excited for this to begin. I am praying for some great things to happen this week. I admit that I am going to have to really work to crank up the energy for tonight, but it will be worth it. I am really attempting to make my Mondays a better day of preparation for the rest of the week. Do you have any tips for a pastor to make Mondays, at least Monday afternoons, a little more productive?

Here’s hoping your Monday is one of recuperation and anticipation of a great week.

Dennis

Some people seem to be fluent in excuses. They can throw them out without any notice. It just seems to come so naturally for them. You know these people, they are the ones who always say they wish they could help but … then the excuses just roll.

These people can be found anywhere, including church. At church these people seem to believe that making excuses is a spiritual gift. At church there are some tried and true excuses that you can always count on. Some of these are “I did my time in the (fill in the department), it’s someone else’s turn”, “I am too old for that”, “I am too young for that”, “I tried that once and I didn’t like it”, “I will pray about it” (while this is sometimes valid, many people use it as spiritual way to delay an excuse), “I have kids, so I have to say no”, “I don’t have kids, so I have to say no”. There are more, but you get the idea.

I was with my 86 year old Dad this week and as I was driving home  one of my thoughts was that the excuses many give for not serving in church are just excuses and not reasons. You see my Dad and Step-Mother regularly serve as greeters at their church. My step-Mother regularly plays the organ at different retirement homes and she leads a large organization for senior adults. The day I left from visiting them to return home they were headed to a Nursing home where my Dad was going to give a devotional. Did I mention that my Dad has had open heart surgery, brain surgery after a series of mini-strokes, had cracked vertebrae, has no peripheral vision in one eye and my step-Mother has had a few physical issues as well.

As I made the 6 hour trip home I reflected on their service and thought most of us really have no valid excuses. Add to this that a first time mom in my church is 4 weeks from her due date and is not only still serving in the nursery but is working in our VBS this week. At my first church I had an 83 year old lady volunteer to help in the nursery, all she could do was sit and rock the babies, and that was only if someone else handed them to her. But she did it and the other workers always wanted to work with her because all the babies calmed down when she was in the nursery. She finally retired from that duty 10 or 12 years later.

So I began to think that there are so few valid excuses. I understand finding the right place of service, I don’t understand not serving anywhere. For most of us the title of this post is true, we really have no excuses.

What are some of the most creative excuses you have heard? Here’s praying that you begin to hear more people say they will serve than offer excuses.

Dennis

I require pre-marital counseling if I am officiating a wedding. That declaration doesn’t mean I haven’t questioned whether the time and effort involved in pre-marital counseling is worth it or not? I have been in more than a few lively discussions on this topic with other pastors through the years. Most of the pastors I have spoken with do pre-marital counseling and most of them wonder if it is worth it.

The premise is to guide the prospective couple through important areas they will face, or need to consider, before they get married in the hope that they may avoid some serious pitfalls. With this premise why would I sometimes wonder if it is worth it? Here are a few reasons why I sometimes ask if it is worth it.

One, most couples who come to me have already set a wedding date and informed nearly everyone they know before I ever speak with them. This means that they have pretty much made up their minds and just want to do whatever is required to get married.

Two, the couple is much more interested in planning the ceremony than discussing better ways to communicate or how to fight fair. After all, they are in love and don’t plan on ever fighting. Did you chuckle when you read that?

Three, the couple has a lot of people telling them that they just need to focus on getting married and then they will have plenty of time to figure things out. Seriously, they have people saying this to them and many others who imply it by only encouraging them to plan the wedding day without directing them to plan for the marriage.

Four, the couple may be more receptive to counsel after a few struggles after they get past the wedding day.

Here are a few reasons why, in spite of the above issues, I believe pre-marital counseling is still worth the time and effort.

One, the relationship I build with the couple during this time is invaluable as I prepare to share in their wedding day. I always give a personal challenge to the couple during the ceremony and I draw on our time together during these counseling times.

Two, the time counseling the couple builds credibility with them, opening the door for future times of ministry with them.

Three, call me optimistic but I still believe that some of what we deal with in pre-marital counseling with sink in and be helpful to most couples.

Four, I believe that requiring the couple to go through pre-marital counseling sets the stage for helping them understand the seriousness of committing your life to another person in marriage.

My ideal set up would be to do pre-marital counseling and then have a mentor couple meet with them regularly throughout their first year of marriage. I am still working on this one.

I would love to hear from you. What is your experience with pre-marital counseling? What do you do?

Dennis

Yesterday was an encouraging day on many levels. It was encouraging to celebrate and pray over our babies and toddlers. They signify the hope we have for the future. There was a lot of smiles from parents and grandparents when those young ones were up front.

It was encouraging to see so many children go out to children’s church. I love watching them run to their area. We could use a little of that with the adults. If not the running, at least the enthusiasm.

It was encouraging to sense the congregation being engaged in the message. It sure makes it easier to preach when the people are engaged and attentive. I love preaching to people who are hungry and engaged. More and more that seems to be true of my congregation.

It was encouraging to get a note from a parishioner giving me an update of their working to put into practice the action step I gave during last Sunday’s message. Wow, that one really encouraged me.

It was encouraging to see such a good attendance on Father’s Day. Too often my experience has been that Father’s Day is a low attendance day. Our attendance was only 11 below Easter Sunday. I know that attendance is not everything but it does matter.

It was encouraging to see a series finish well. This series that finished Sunday was on relationships and there were some twists and turns along the way. The last two Sundays had a different focus than I originally envisioned when I laid it out at the beginning. As the series went along God kept working on me and enlightening me personally and on my congregation. That resulted in the last two weeks of the series changing from the original plan. Thankfully I listened and the result was very encouraging.

Mondays are for reflection, recovery and evaluation. This Monday is also for preparation. Striving to get a lot done today so I can take off and see my Dad for a brief visit. Conversations and time with my Dad is always encouraging.

So how is your Monday morning?

Dennis