Last evening’s Baccalaureate Service was excellent. The students did a great job sharing in song and presenting prayers and readings. Rev. Dan Osterhout and I preached the message together, taking a line from The Princess Bride, and applying it biblically to the students’ future.
Some of my personal thoughts about speaking at Baccalaureate are…
- The only way to ensure good attendance at a Baccalaureate Service is to involve students. The more of them that participate, the better the turnout will be.
- You’re probably not going to change any lives in a Baccalaureate sermon. Can you remember what the speaker at your Baccalaureate sermon said? I can’t even remember who spoke at mine, let alone what they said. Use the service to whet their appetite for what you and other pastors have to say.
- Two words of advice: Short. Sweet. No one is coming to hear the preacher(s). Leave them wanting more.
I hope we were able to communicate well to the students and give them a sense that God’s interested in their lives.
One of the funniest things — the play of the day — happened at breakfast this morning.
Some of the guys were talking about times they’ve failed to behave in Christlike ways. One guy spoke about a driving incident where he reacted to another driver poorly. He said, “I am embarrassed to say that I….” When he’d finished his “confession” Bryan looked at him and said, “That was you!?!?!?” implying that it was Bryan he had reacted to. We couldn’t stop laughing! Pray for the guys — that we will all grow to be the men God has for us to be.
After breakfast, I enjoyed wrapping up the Marriage Prep for Jim and Nicole. They’ll be married in July. Please pray for them as they prepare for this important event in their lives.
The rest of the day will be wrapping up details for tomorrow’s service.
Thanks for praying!
~Pastor Steve