Active participation involves you!
Written by Intern Pastor, Veronica Alvarez
Many of you have been part of my journey as a Seminary Student and have been part of my preparation for my Preaching classes. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your participation.
I have learned the sermon preparation is not just the work of the pastor. It is a collaboration with the whole congregation. It starts with prayer and studying the scriptures together. Most of us, we believe that we do not have any part on what the pastor will preach regarding the scripture or passage. However, this is what I have learned that is different.
Preaching is a ministry of the whole congregation. Yes, the pastor bears the responsibility for faithful proclamation, and we all are called as disciples of Christ share the good news. So how do we do this?
Bearing witness to Christ in church involves participation in a bible conversation as a group with the pastor; this how we share the scripture where different perspectives and new discoveries that come into to the conversation. That is how the pastor and the congregation get insight into the current situations people in our congregation are going through that might get incorporated in the sermon and that makes a sermon relatable to us and our current lives.
How many times have you heard a sermon and say “well, I can’t see myself in that sermon” or feel the sermon does not apply to you because you are not in that situation? This is what makes these collaborations on these roundtable conversations meaningful and important. They not only help all of us to relate the scripture to current events, but we also spend time together praying and feeding our spiritual hunger, and we are equipped to go out to our communities and share Christ with our neighbors.
This method of learning has been very helpful and insightful, especially since I am starting to get to know you. I am committing myself to continue with this sermon preparation process and would like to invite you to participate in these roundtable bible conversations. When the announcement comes from the office, please participate and together, we can proclaim the good news!