04/09/26 PAYING ATTENTION IN THE PULPIT
These three photos give you an idea of my view when I only have online services, sent from my living room.
I can see my front yard, the highway, and my neighbor's front yard. It is a pleasant view. I have a light source for evening and nighttime services. By the end of evening service, the outside view is a wall of darkness.
Most of the time, there is no traffic passing by my house. I am able to see birds and other wildlife as I am preaching and teaching. I use an online Scripture app that has a variety of Bible helps. This allows me to share with everyone the same information I have.
Last evening, while I was preaching/teaching, I saw something that looked out of place. I eventually saw it moving. It was a deer. Martha sits in the same room from which I do my online service. When I saw the deer move, I told Martha. Of course, everyone online heard me. I did not lose my train of thought, but I did realize how strange that would seem to folks (especially if they were not used to my online presence). This is not totally odd for me. During our in-person services, I take note of the comfort of my people (temperature, light shining in someone's eye, audio volume, the presence of a wasp or other critter). I am also alert to events outside of our building. I watch out for potentially dangerous people coming into the building. Going back to the 1970s, I have had my ushers aware of, and alert to the entrance of disruptive visitors with some response protocols in place.
This morning I remembered seeing the deer last night and laughed to myself. Though I am focused on God's message, I pay attention to my surroundings when I am having "in-person" meetings. I am not simply talking to people; I am communicating with them. I am God's messenger, delivering God's message to God's people. I am listening to Him, but I am also "listening to" (watching) my congregation. I am looking for their response, their attentiveness, their receptivity, their agreement, their disagreement, their confusion, their excitement. I am watching to see if I am making my message clear, or if I need to explain it a little more for someone. The background and understanding of my hearers determine the way I proclaim.
Biblical proclamation is a two-way street. Sometimes people are doing things during a meeting that are disruptive to other people in the congregation, either because they were deliberately shutting out the message or for some other reason. I have seen young people "cutting-up" (goofing-off), I have also seen adults being inconsiderate and disruptive. I deal with issues differently. Sometimes I just stop, remain silent, until the silence jars the offender back to reality and proper behavior. Sometimes I address the disturbance without drawing attention to the offender. Sometimes I make a more personal appeal or confrontation, but I try to save their dignity while changing their behavior. On some occasions (very rarely) I have had to deal directly and severely. I am not looking for issues. They just happen and I see them. I don't "ride herd" over my people, or expect perfect decorum all of the time, but I do expect proper respect and courtesy, because I am on a mission to deliver God's message.
Maybe some preachers don't care what the people do during the message, and I know some preachers relish the idea of "riding herd" over the congregation. NOT ME. I love my people and I understand we all have weaknesses. I just want to make sure everyone is given the opportunity to get the message that God is sending through me.
