Fifteen Minutes

Someone, maybe it was Andy Warhol, said that all of us get fifteen minutes of fame in our lives.  I don't know, since I have every intention of living for quite a few more years, but I may have experienced my moment in the spotlight this Summer.

As a pastor I have been attending our National Association for about thirty years.  I have not been able to go every year, but I have been to most of the meetings.  During that time I have listened to a good number of sermons.  That has been a real mixed bag.  Honestly, some were among the best I have ever heard, many were average, and some were down right poor.  I have often wondered what it would be like to be the guy preaching the sermon rather than just one of the preachers in the congregation critiquing it.  Well, I finally found out this year in Ft. Worth Texas.  I delivered the Sunday night message at our convention.

I got the call in January that I had been invited to speak.  My first emotion was one excitement.  I couldn't wait to tell my wife and several of my preacher buddies.  I am not sure when exactly, but I began to think seriously about the message.  I knew, however, that could be a problem.  One of the things that I had observed over the years was that most of the guys who did not do all that well preaching at the National seemed over prepared.  What that translated into was that if they normally had three pages of notes they would have six at the National!  I determined not to let that happen to me.  I dug out a lot of material, but I was very conscious of time and tried to be a good editor of the content of the message.

As the time drew closer I began to mentally go over the message.  That led to a sort of building anxiety, a type of tension about doing as good a job as I am capable of.  It was interesting how this changed as the date came closer.  At first I wanted to preach an outstanding message, then I wanted it to be a good example of my style, and finally I just didn't want to fall flat on my face!

When the day finally arrived I was remarkably calm.  I had thought I would be nervous, and I suppose in a sense I was, but it was an anxiety about getting the message across not about doing well, personally.  I suppose this is what preachers mean when they speak of "delivering their soul" in a message.

I will leave it to others to determine if mine was a memorable of forgettable message.  I do know that many people, both friends and total strangers, gave me what seemed like sincere compliments.  I do believe it was a good representation of my style.  My dear wife told me it wasn't the best she had ever heard me do, but it was good, and she was proud of me.  One thing I had not anticipated was how relieved I would be after it was all over.

Looking back on it I'm glad that I had the opportunity.  I am glad that I went through all the worry, prayer, preparation and the anxiety of the actual moment.  It was an honor, and I was humbled by it, but there is a sense in which it all helped me see the value of preaching week in and week out at the church I have served for nearly twenty years.  At the National I was one of scores of guys in that auditorium who could have gotten up and delivered a message, that is not true at my church.  In fact, it is just the opposite.

So I had my fifteen minutes, and it was nice, but I am so glad I have had, and continue to have, much more time than that at the church I serve.  I pray the Lord will give me many more opportunities to deliver my soul at Bethlehem.