This weekend I’ll be preaching my first sermon at a onething conference.
I’ve been to all but two of the conferences, drummed at all but 3 but preached at all but none (until now…).
This reminds me of two other first times of preaching for me.
- The first time I preached to my youth group in 1998
- The first time I preached at IHOP, to my internship in 2002
(It seems every four years there’s a new 1st…)
The first time I preached to my youth-group in ‘98 I titled my sermon “Being God’s Viper” (Dodge Viper: It’s a car(1), not a snake.) I spoke on fulfilling your calling and trusting God.
The first time I spoke to my internship I titled the sermon “The Four Fold Bonus of Divine Affliction through the lens of Psalm 119 with an Escatalogical Viewpoint”. It was a joke. (Of course, in truth that could be a correct sermon title. Read Ps. 119 and you’ll see…) I actually spoke on The Abandoned Pursuit of Christ. It was a sermon on wholeheartedness, and pursuing Jesus in prayer, fasting and charity.
This weekend I’m speaking on Holiness.
I haven’t come up with a sweet title yet, but the focus of my message is going to be developing a lifestyle of pursuit and relationship with God. I want to call these young people to live a holy life being free from sin. I want to impart a vision that we are living in a very unique time in history right now. The most unique ever and that we have to live accordingly. We have to know that God is going to pour out His Spirit in an incredibly powerful way but it won’t be when or how we think it will.
I don’t want to preach the ‘now’ word of the Lord. I don’t want to get some new, deep revelation that I haven’t figured out yet and try to preach that. I’m just sharing my own story and my own history in God. It’s really the message I have always carried.
In our own hearts we all have one message and one perceived target audience. My message is wholeheartedness and my audience is a Laodicean Church.
QUESTIONS TO THE READERS:
Got any suggestions for a catchy sermon title?
What is your message? Who is your audience?
(1) Me and my dream car:
Tom Mills said:
Hmmm — I’m a little more interested in the text than the title. Are you really using Ps. 119? Or were you just teasing?
Posted on August 22, 2006 at 9:05 pm
chris ferguson said:
Shawn,
Titles really only matter for books and marketing purposes. You are sharing what is on your heart and while I might know a few cool phrases ultimately after an hour of listening to you…what they will remember is what comes forth from your heart and probably only a small amount of that!
Father, fill Shawn a fresh with your Spirit, take him on journey into your heart and let that flow out of his lips as he speaks. Lives will change because of his preparation and yielding to You. Jesus, thank you for sending Shawn. Amen!
Can’t wait to hear the word, do share it with us.
Posted on August 23, 2006 at 10:00 am
Shawn said:
Tom - That message was based on Phil. 3. It’s funny because most of the people there had the same reaction as you, “What? No Psalm 119? No affliction? Now I’m really afflicted…”
Chris - My hope for a funky, catchy title is so that I can get people into my seminar. Once I have ‘em I’ll blast ‘em with the a good word from the good Lord. And thanks for the prayer. You rock for shure.
Posted on August 23, 2006 at 9:52 pm
Esther said:
How about - Ï’m with the drummer… how God has always been with me. or something like that. If you are telling your story and His story in your life, it might work. I’d be interested to hear what you have to say. How about putting it on your blog so we can download it?
Posted on August 23, 2006 at 11:21 pm
Randy said:
Mr. Blanc,
I am more interested in your best selling series “Being God’s Viper…”. Need cd’s and notes. Please advise.
Posted on August 24, 2006 at 6:29 am
Shawn said:
Esther - it’s funny you say that. I really don’t consider my primary role at IHOP, or in life even, as a drummer. But I like where you’re going.
Randy - On your request, I’ve put the notes for “Being Gods’ Viper” here. I was 16 when I preached that message.
Assuming my session out here gets recorded I’ll put it online for you all.
Posted on August 24, 2006 at 9:12 am
Anna said:
Hi Shawn! You’re going to be great. I can’t wait to hear your sermon.
Are you going to tell them about the sin cancelation station? You should. It’s brilliant.
A
Posted on August 25, 2006 at 10:45 am