Learning New Things

Rev. Joshua Patty

Regional Minister and President

Ten years ago, on Easter, I did something I’d never done.  I showed a teaser trailer for a sermon series I planned to offer.  The series wouldn’t begin until September and would last well over a year – one sermon drawn from each book of the Bible.  It was audacious, to say the least.  That Easter, I didn’t have anything written or outlined.  I had a series title (with related URLs), a logo, and an overall approach – serving as a tour guide introducing the Bible.

After Easter, I imagined the various ways this could be experienced in a congregation: worship services, daily suggested readings, social media interactions, etc.  I started reading the Bible, book by book, to adapt in this way for the series, making notes.  And then I wrote book overviews and introductions to recommended readings.

It was a lot of work.  It stretched me in so many ways – Biblical knowledge, teaching, cross-posting across multiple media.  And the effort was worthwhile – it was well received and influential in that congregation’s ongoing ministry.  (For example, those daily readings became a thirst for other daily practices, which led to a spiritual practices calendar and seasons of shared daily prayers.)

Looking back, I think a key reason for the success was my engagement and learning throughout.  My willingness to learn and stretch set an example and offered an invitation for others to do the same thing.  Even more, this opened me to new ideas and changed how I preached and led worship.

What have you done that engaged you and stretched you as a worship leader?  Was it a positive thing for your congregation?  What new thing or audacious thing can you try this year to learn and stretch?

You don’t have to plan a 68 week sermon series (there were intro and wrap up sermons; I didn’t discover new books of the Bible).  Find something that engages you about prayer, music, the Bible, communion, giving, announcements.  Then stretch yourself – learn more about it, explore, dream – and share.  I have a hunch it will be a blessing for you and for those you lead in worship.