Preach Magazine Issue 4 - Preaching in the digital age | Page 55

SERIAL

DAVID BRACEWELL
You say that you have a continued
sense of calling to preach, and a love for
it. That warms my heart and it is the
key issue. I would be far more worried
if your eyesight and hearing and clarity
of mind were unimpaired but the inner
fire was beginning to die down. If the
passion is there, the rest can be coped
with. And you are in good company (see
Jeremiah 20:9 and 1 Corinthians 9:16)!

So I want to encourage you. Failing
hearing and eyesight matter of
course and you will have to find
ways of dealing with these physical
impediments. A sense that your mind
is not as clear is more serious and it
may be that you will need to address
that more directly, perhaps by writing
out a full script (unless of course you
have difficulty reading it!)
so that you are able to keep
focussed. It might also be
good to ask someone whose

FAILING HEARING AND
EYESIGHT MATTER OF COURSE
AND YOU WILL HAVE TO FIND
WAYS OF DEALING WITH THESE
PHYSICAL IMPEDIMENTS.

In the Bible, Abraham received a
new call from God when he was in
First of all, many congratulations
his seventies, and in the heritage of
on nearly six decades of dedicated
the Methodist Church, John Wesley
preaching. I can’t begin to count the
was still preaching in his eighties.
hours that you must have spent in
Nevertheless, alongside your
prayer, preparation and delivery of a
continuing love of preaching, you
call that has clearly been with you for a express concerns about your current
long time, and still abides.
abilities and an uncertainty about
the future.
This is a difficult question for
preachers. Society dictates when
It is better that you make the
men and women officially ‘retire’
decision about the way forward,
and Methodist ministers can ‘sit
rather than the decision being made
down’ but there is no upper age limit
for you. An honest conversation with
for preachers – and a good job too;
your superintendent minister
we would have lost many wise and
or your local preachers’
powerful sermons otherwise.
secretary may be helpful.

MANDY BRIGGS

LISTEN TO GOD, YOUR GUT
INSTINCTS AND YOUR
FRIENDS. IF YOU DO DECIDE IT
IS TIME TO STEP DOWN FROM
THE PULPIT, THEN MAKE IT
AN EVENT.

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opinion you respect and trust to
monitor your sermons and tell you if
you are beginning to drift. The fact
that you are aware of the situation is
encouraging. In my experience many
preachers, of all ages, cheerfully
deliver muddled sermons believing
that they are making themselves
perfectly clear.
I am ten years behind you in age,
and feel very encouraged by your
continuing passion. For both of us,
please God, ‘the best is yet to be.’
Keep going.
David Bracewell
David Bracewell was rector of St Saviour’s Church,
Guildford for more than 20 years. Now officially
retired, he continues to travel the country, training
and encouraging local church leaders. He is
passionate about the role of the local church and
believes the greatest mistake a preacher can make
is to be boring.

They may reassure you that there
is nothing to worry about and
that your services are still greatly
appreciated. They may suggest a
planned wind-down with an agreed
date to stop. They may suggest
creative responses, such as teaming
up with a new preacher or worship
leader to share in the planning and
leading of a service together.
Listen to God, your gut instincts and
your friends. If you do decide it is
time to step down from the pulpit,
then make it an event. Don’t simply
peter out – plan a ‘celebration
of preaching’ which seeks to
encourage younger preachers as
well as acknowledge your 60 years
of service. And then continue to
share the Gospel through listening,
thinking and encouraging those
who come after you. There is no age
limit on doing these things.
Mandy Briggs
Mandy Briggs is a Methodist minister based in Bristol.
As Education Officer at the New Room/John Wesley’s
Chapel, she is exploring how to share the Methodist
story with all ages (newroombristol.org.uk). She can
also be found on Twitter: @mandbristol.