COMMUNICATE THE MESSAGE!

Notice the all caps? Does this bother you? I happen to know Darryl Del Housaye types his sermons in all caps. When I've read them I feel like he's SHOUTING at me. Another thing I've noticed is that they're not all that impressive on paper. Maybe this sounds wierd (and don't tell him I said that), but they didn't seem all that earth shattering. However, whenever he preaches, I always love it! So, what's the difference? If he just handed the sermon script out at the door would we get the same impact as if he delivered it vocally in person? No I say! His delivery style is so effective--the ebb and flow of his pitch and dynamics, the variation of tone and speed in his voice--it all makes him so interesting to listen to. I'm always extra glad when I see his name down to preach.

Does anyone see where I'm going with this? Many people can work off the same piece of paper, but it's the passion and flare of the delivery style that puts one speaker over another and really COMMUNICATES THE MESSAGE. If you're not following me, I'm thinking of us as musicians. We all start with the printed page of music. We can sing and play in a straight tone with no expression/phrasing/dynamics, etc. or we can put our heart and soul into the music and make it a moving expression that conveys the heart and message of the music. This is sounding preachy, isn't it? (Side note you need to know--I wasn't a normal child. I didn't play with dolls like most girls. I played church. I was a one-man band. I played the prelude, offertory, lead the singing AND preached the sermon!) Anyway, if you were in choir last night you heard my soapbox that we don't do "anthems" at SBC--we deliver the MESSAGE. It just so happens that our message is in song form, not spoken, like the preacher. We can sit back and sing like we're in our living rooms or we can work our tails off and project the passion and energy of the music to the congregation. Personally, I'm much more in favor of the latter suggestion (although it IS a lot more work). I think we're too lacadaisical in rehearsals and services so our message isn't always as alive as it could be. The Cal Baptist choir/orch had the all-illusive passion, drive and energy and it was exhilerating. If we polled the congregants at SBC, would they use the word "exhilerating" to describe our "anthems"? I have more to say about this topic but I don't want to wear out my welcome. What do you think?