Fifteen Words??!?

It was his sermon title but, I have to tell you, I got complaints later after I got back to church. “I was so excited! A 15-word sermon! We’re sure to be out of there early.”

Well, if they had shared that expectation with me ahead of time I would have told them that I’ve never heard Jim Somerville contain himself to 15 words under any circumstances . . . .

Sunday the pastor of First Baptist Church of Washington, DC and I swapped pulpits. His aim was to get a woman in the pulpit for Martha Stearns Marshall Women’s Day of Preaching (here I am with a group of FBC deacons who ably led the service). In the process of filling FBC’s pulpit, my congregation heard a masterful pulpiteer who did, in fact, use more than 15 words. From what I heard they were really good ones.

Chime in if you disagree, but I think it’s fairly unusual to have a colleague in ministry who is a good friend, someone you’d kill to welcome to your pulpit, and a pastoral resource-not just for yourself but also for your congregation (you can always use another pastor, right?).

Thanks, Pastor Jim and the FBC and Calvary congregations. Let’s do it again soon!