Taylor talks (and writes)

I found the post on Steve Taylor’s website on 18th April very helpful today. It reminded me of a remark that Martin Atkins made at the beginning of the MEC 1 lecture last October. When being thanked for coming to give the lecture he dismissed the thanks saying that to do so was cathartic for him. At the time I didn’t understand what he meant by that remark, but thinking about it now in the light of Taylor’s blog I think I see what he means - you can only take in if you are also giving out.
I have struggled with this year out of ministry, because I have not found an outlet (other than writing assignments!) for all that I am learning through it. I have preached once in 10 months, through my own choice, because I needed to stand back in order to evaluate. I have also been thinking that preaching is a non-productive environment in which to communicate. It is so easy for those who listen to disengage – a habit that I have found myself falling into during my 10 months of pew-sitting . Perhaps what we need is not no preaching, but better preaching. Having written that, the physical setting and the personality (including spirituality) of the speaker is as significant as what is spoken. The reality of that came home to me afresh in a service I attended in Newbury yesterday.
There is a good article about preaching by Johnny Baker you can read it here