Even for the most gifted teacher, preaching every Sunday week after week can take its toll. The pressure to create sermon material that will edify, challenge, and/or comfort your congregation 52 times a year can become overwhelming and lead to burnout, both for you and your church. Creating a teaching team is a simple antidote for this problem.
Here are just a few of the benefits of sharing the responsibility of Sunday morning teaching.
On the Sundays that you’re not teaching, you can sleep in a little longer and simply attend as a regular member of your church rather than preaching for one or more services. Or you take one of your vacation days and get away with your family for a weekend. But even without taking a holiday, the mere fact that you won’t be leading services all morning is a welcome break for your body! Teaching can by physically and emotionally demanding, no matter how much you love it and feel called to it.
Not only do you get a reprieve from the pressure of creating another sermon, you also get a break from the mental strain of delivering that sermon to your congregation. Your renewed energy will make the sermons that you do write fresher, and your delivery more effective.
Having a different teacher in the pulpit or on the platform is a way to keep things fresh and interesting for your congregation. A new face can make them pay attention more simply because the messenger is unfamiliar. In addition, the same concepts presented in a different way or from a different perspective by someone else on your team may connect with different members of your church in a new way that increases their understanding. This can help drive home important spiritual truths without you feeling like you’re just repeating yourself each week.
Other members of your staff (or even lay leadership) may have teaching gifts with few opportunities to use them. Stepping out of the pulpit gives them the chance to practice and hone those gifts without bearing the full weight of a lead pastorate. Or perhaps they’re not called to be a lead teacher, but are passionate about and gifted in teaching on a particular topic. This is a great way for them to share that gift with your church.
By sharing the teaching platform, you are guarding against a ministry that is centered around you. As William likes to say, “Every pastor is an interim pastor.” One day, you will have to step away from your church. By creating a teaching team, you are establishing a ministry that can not only survive, but thrive without you there. Your congregation won’t be shocked when they see another person behind the pulpit. This is essential to creating a solid foundation for your ministry that isn’t based on one personality.
Has your church adopted a teaching team model? How has it worked for you?
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