Do You Share the Pulpit?

Posted on May 24th, 2007

Last Sunday, I had my good friend the Rev. Jack Averill come preach at Farmville Baptist. As the sole pastor of a church that averages 110 in worship, while being a husband to one wife and father to two children, I find that I need a break from preaching every now and then. Not that I usually “take a vacation” during the weekends that I don’t preach. For example, last Saturday, I spent the afternoon reading and ranking over forty resumes applying for our open position of Associate Pastor. I helped to get our house ready for our Preschool Picnic. I planned the service and I was in worship this Sunday; I just didn’t preach.

Sometimes I feel guilty for not preaching. “You’re slacking off,” I tell myself. But I do it anyway for self care and to be spiritually fed by others. I also want my congregation to hear from some really good preachers.

This Monday, I received the following email from a couple who is new attending the church:

“We have enjoyed each of the guest preachers you have invited to speak. We think you are to be commended for sharing the pulpit with other pastors.”

A perspective from the pew that I had not thought much about. What about you? As a pastor, do you “share the pulpit?” As a regular worshipper in a church, do you like having “guest preachers” every now and then?

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