Voice Lessons

Reading this article by Will Willimon reminded me that preaching is a craft. I work on my words. Minister’s often hear me ask, “How are your words?” or “How do you feel about your words last week?” I remember looking out and seeing Rev. Dr. Joey Jeter and Rev. Dr. Kenneth Teegarden in the pews at the TCU chapel. It was Intro to Preaching. They were critically kind and I’ve gotten better at my craft, preaching and youth ministry. I use a manuscript for sermons and notes when I keynote. It is something that I work at and take very seriously. If you are currently preaching each week or in seminary Willimon’s words are worthy of a few minutes.

Voice Lessons
by William H. Willimon | January 27, 2011 | The Christian Century

It isn’t just that so many Protestants exalt preaching above other pastoral arts. The challenge is preaching itself. Proclaiming the gospel demands an interplay of highly developed emotional-spiritual-physical-intellectual qualities. Walking naked down Main Street while playing a harmonica is nothing compared to the personal exposure required to talk about God for 20 minutes to a group of people who have been, all week long, avoiding even the barest mention of God.

These reflections were inspired by my watching the film The King’s Speech, which is about King George VI of England, a miserably shy, stammering man who is thrust unwillingly onto the world stage. The movie casts the coming of World War II as a confrontation involving public speaking: Hitler’s histrionic elocution is a dramatic contrast to the king’s quavering, high-pitched voice. All of England awaits a reassuring royal word. George’s wife, Elizabeth, slyly sets up a visit with Lionel Logue, the oddball, self-trained Australian speech therapist. “My job is to help you find your voice,” Logue says to the king.