Ira Glass on Storytelling
July 7th, 2008 | by Christopher Gillespie |
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YouTube - Ira Glass on Storytelling #3
Nearly every other week for the last twelve months I have been expected to write another 15-20 minute monologue called a sermon. It sounds like a laborious task, and it is. It is immensely difficult to write on a page and then recite the same to the people in a thoughtful and engaging way.
This has lead me to recognize all sorts of personal challenges, the worst being - procrastination. As I have blogged previously, my particular brand of procrastination seems driven by goals of perfection.
While I don’t always agree with the content, one of the best story-form shows on radio is “This American Life” hosted by Ira Glass. I used to listen on my drive home from Audio Consultants back to Oak Park and later to Lockport. The drives would disappear as the story would engage me.
If only my sermons would do the same, engaging the listener, captivating their attention, so that time would pass comfortably and souls be edified!
I think Ira in the YouTube clip offers sound advice for those of aspiring to be preachers, especially as we are discouraged by the quality of our work (leading to procrastination and other great vice!)
We know quality. We can read Chrysostom, Luther, Nagel, and Scaer. We can reflect upon our own work and know it is lacking. But its no cause for despair! God’s Word still works where it is preached faithfully. His Spirit is active, creating and sustaining faith despite our clumsy rambling through the text.
Plus, we get to practice every week, improving and developing this skill. God willing some day I hope to remark - that was a well-written sermon, engaging the fellowship of believers into their narrative of Scripture. But it may be eight or ten or even more years. Patience, servant of God, patience.
Tags: Sermons, storytelling
