# Preaching while in seminary



## Notthemama1984 (Sep 21, 2010)

When do you consider a good time for a student in seminary to start preaching (things like pulpit supply)? ASAP? After a homiletics class? Upon graduation?

I ask because I read _Why Johnny Can't Preach_ over the weekend and honestly do not want to be one of those preachers. I see a way to overcome this would be to preach when possible and brutally critic myself and have some that I respect do the same to the message.

I am curious if should start putting my name out for pulpit supply or if I should hold off until I have a better theological foundation.


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## LeeJUk (Sep 21, 2010)

Perhaps you could ask your elders/pastor as they should know what sort of level your at better than we do.


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## Notthemama1984 (Sep 21, 2010)

I sent an email about the issue to my mentor at church. I haven't heard back yet. I am curious for personal reasons, but I am also curious for general reasons.

So take me out of the equation. What are your thoughts on preaching for a seminarian?


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## jjraby (Sep 21, 2010)

Where I attend Seminary, They want you to have taken Intro to Preaching.


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## SolaScriptura (Sep 21, 2010)

Boliver -The question isn't "when should a seminarian preach." The question is when should YOU preach. Some seminarians are infidels or dummies or both and should never preach, not even upon graduation. In your case, however... effective immediately, you should preach as much as you can. In your church. In other churches. If necessary, offer to do pulpit supply in baptist churches or independent churches or wherever you can. But get as much experience as you can.


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## Kevin (Sep 21, 2010)

Ben is correct. Start as soon as you can, there is nothing like the discipline of preparing sermons on a regular basis to help you get the most possible out of your classes.


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## puritanpilgrim (Sep 21, 2010)

I think you should get all the practice that you can. Prisons and nursing homes are a great places to get practice. Have you ever considered either one of those?


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## JonathanHunt (Sep 21, 2010)

SolaScriptura said:


> Some seminarians are infidels or dummies or both and should never preach, not even upon graduation.



Ain't that the truth.

Boliver - if you can preach, you can preach already. So go and preach.


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## jwithnell (Sep 21, 2010)

I have been blessed to hear the preaching of seminary students and to see their gifts develop.


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## Curt (Sep 21, 2010)

This really does depend upon the development of gifts and maturity of the individual seminarian. I have had interns who had had homiletics classes but were sad to behold in the pulpit. I started them out with reading prepared prayers and worked them up. I told one that he needed to change his degree program because he was not gifted and didn't show any promise.


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## Notthemama1984 (Sep 21, 2010)

Joshua said:


> I think it's a bad idea for a student to be preaching in seminary unless it's a preaching class and it's their turn. It could distract from the lectures if everyone was preaching during the seminary class.



Hey, I attend DTS. Maybe the students need distracting from some of the lectures? (pure sarcasm intended)

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puritanpilgrim said:


> I think you should get all the practice that you can. Prisons and nursing homes are a great places to get practice. Have you ever considered either one of those?


 
I actually haven't given much thought to anything specific. After reading _Why Johnny Can't Preach_, I started feeling the need to practice (I hate using that word though because I take the handling of Holy Writ very seriously) and that prompted the original question.


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## lynnie (Sep 21, 2010)

At my last PCA a lot of the Sunday nights the seminary students or not yet ordained grads preached. Over the course of three years if I remember correctly we had 5 of them taking turns mixed in with a couple elders and sometimes the pastor.

None of them in my opinion could hold a candle to the pastor which was to be expected, and the Sunday PM sermon was supposed to be shorter (20 minutes) as there was more prayer Sunday PM. 

Maybe you can get some Sunday evening invites?

Three interns in a row preached on justification. I know everybody is jumpy about FV but somehow I found myself wondering if maybe we could figure, what with a pastor who had an entire congregational meeting on FV and NPP, that things in that church were OK and we could expand our subjects now. It got a bit repetitious. Really pray about your subject first. 

I pray the Lord opens up doors for you. Some nursing homes want somebody once a month and that is a challenge- the doctrines are so varied, some not saved, and many suffering.


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## Notthemama1984 (Sep 30, 2010)

I just received a phone call from a small local church that is in desperate need of a fill in. They invited me to come out without even really checking me out theologically. I think the reason is becaus my dad was a pastor for 20+ years in the area and I am riding on his fame. 

This would have me preaching three times a week. This is a big step and all prayers for guidance would be appreciated.


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## py3ak (Sep 30, 2010)

Curt said:


> I told one that he needed to change his degree program because he was not gifted and didn't show any promise.



Somebody give this man a medal. No, give him two.


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## SolaScriptura (Sep 30, 2010)

Chaplainintraining said:


> I just received a phone call from a small local church that is in desperate need of a fill in. They invited me to come out without even really checking me out theologically. I think the reason is becaus my dad was a pastor for 20+ years in the area and I am riding on his fame.
> 
> This would have me preaching three times a week. This is a big step and all prayers for guidance would be appreciated.



Excellent opportunity, brother! Praise the Lord!


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## ericfromcowtown (Sep 30, 2010)

At our church we had a summer intern, who was given the opportunity to preach for a couple of months during the summer. My understanding, was that the elders met with him prior to go over his sermon notes with him, took notes during the sermon, and then reviewed the sermon with him afterwards, and that this internship was a requirement of his seminary. It gave our senior pastor a much-needed summer break and the soon-to-be-pastor much-needed experience. It was interesting to watch his confidence and skills develop over 2-3 summers. Alas, he is now the associate pastor at a another PCA congregation.


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