I Hate Buzzwords!!!

Buzzwords–it’s hard to have a superficial conversation without them, which is why they are so often in “churchy” conversations. One phrase that was presented in a preaching class the last week of school (before classes were postponed due to Hurricane Katrina) fits the bill of a buzzword (even though it is a phrase); it is “preach from the overflow.” I guess this means that those God calls to ministry should have perfect lives, with quiet times that stretch into the hours, and devotions from the original languages. In short, they should have peachy little lives where everything is just great. To borrow a phrase from a “pastor” of a large church on television, they should have “a triple scoop of God’s favor.”

Well, I happen to live in a little place called the real world, or at least I hope so. In my world, even those who have surrendered to God’s call to ministry don’t have perfect lives. How am I to “preach from the overflow” if I’m running on empty? A city that I love has been destroyed by the immense power of a hurricane, my best laid plans for school have, at least temporarily been put on hold, I have presumed loss of most of what I own, and I have learned of more bad news today. Can one really preach from the overflow when everything seems to be going wrong? I don’t know, but please don’t give me another buzzword!

P.S. I understand what these preaching profs are trying to convey, but their semantics might not make real world application. I know that we ministers, especially those that proclaim God’s Word often, should take care to ensure that their messages reflect a vibrant walk with the Lord--they should come from what God is showing them in their own lives. When all seems to be going wrong (we do live in a world damaged by sin after all), we can still proclaim the Word of God, even though it seems we are running on empty.