Over the past few days I've pointed out several preachers that have significantly influenced the way I preach and the specific shifts they helped me make in my preaching.
Today I want to wrap this series of posts up by talking about the four stages in the normal process of influence that I have observed and where they should lead us (this isn't a checklist, it's just what happens, or should happen, over time):
1. Imitation -This is where we tend to mimmick those we admire. For example the guy that was nice and sweet but suddenly becomes a tough guy in the pulpit, cussing and bragging about drinking because he discovered Mark Driscoll. Or for example in 2005, when I badly imitated Rob Bell once; delivering a message so awful that I didn't even want to finish it (I pulled the master and to this day it has never been released). It's OK to start out with imitation, (just like kids watching their parents, it's part of how we learn), but we cannot stay there. We have to keep moving if we want to evolve and improve.
2. Evaluation -In this stage we begin to question what we've learned and who we've imitated and begin looking for our own voice. We begin to realize what works for us, and what doesn't. We begin to develop a more clear philosopy of preaching, decide on a goal for our preaching, and then determine whether or not the way we preach is in line with those things.
3. Filtration -This is where we make intentional changes to the way we preach based on the evaluations we have made. We begin to get more critical of our influences in regards to what we we will keep and what we will discard. We still appreciate our influencers, but we no longer simply imitate them lock, stock & barrel.
4. Integration -When we've moved to this stage we've moved past copying others, we've assessed what works for us and what doesn't. We've become more critical and we eliminate much of what we used to imitate. We only allow to remain that which has been processed and has now become our own. We know what we have retained from our influences, what we have discarded, and we know why. What remains has become a part of us and our unique style. At this point we have a pretty good handle on who we are as a preacher.
And that is where the ultimate shift should lead us, to the discovery of our own voice. After all, as I pointed out, I make a TERRIBLE Rob Bell...but I make a pretty decent Bill LaMorey.
Pt. 1 -Bob Coy
Pt. 2 -Andy Stanley
Pt. 3 -Tim keller
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