Comments on: Sermon-Listening and Soda-Drinking

By: Russ

Russ — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:33:46 +0000

Hey Mike. Here’s a comment not at all related to your blog post. I know you’re a big “fan” of the Psalms so I wanted to recommend the new album by Doug Burr out of Denton (no, I don’t work for him). He’s just completed an album (The Shawl) that is completely taken from the poetry of the Psalms set to contemplative, soulful acoustic. Really nice. I think you’ll dig it. http://www.myspace.com/dougburr Peace.

By: Steve Sr.

Steve Sr. — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:45:21 +0000

Tim: I have dozens of notebooks from years of litening to Stanley’s truly “incredibly Spirit-filled ramblings.” I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world. The earth could use Stanley’s ramblings today.

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:11:48 +0000

Ever try to take notes when listening to Stanley Shipp? Incredibly Spirit-filled “ramblings.”

By: Amy Boone

Amy Boone — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 04:37:31 +0000

Love me some Josh S.!!!!! He cracks me up! Brought me some M&Ms on Sunday as well as taking notes. Quite a morning for my 7 year old friend!

By: Dee

Dee — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 01:56:49 +0000

Eddie Baggett…when I was in Harding Academy…probably the most demanding Bible teacher I ever had…lots and lots of memory work…gave extra credit if we took notes during gospel meeting sermons…and more extra credit if we wrote down as many scripture references than he did! I’ve continued taking notes…it’s become a habit.

By: Weird ACU

Weird ACU — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:20:05 +0000

Mike, Look for Mike Cope Sings the Classes to appear at our new website Weird ACU.

By: Tamie

Tamie — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:17:44 +0000

I take copious notes during personal study, class, sermons, worship … you name it. We visit so many different churches during the course of the year and I often find myself recalling a brilliant point or perfectly applied text or a personal observation or revelation. My notes help me revisit those moments and put them into context again (and allow me to figure out WHO said or inspired them).

Our teenager isn’t a note-taker, but the younger two are. Juxtaposed with artwork, of course. Nothing like a minister in a cape to tie a sermon together.

By: kathy s

kathy s — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:15:00 +0000

Thanks, Annie, for the memories. Those names are the ones I think of with gratitude most often too.

By: Canada Jim

Canada Jim — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:33:17 +0000

How fortunate you are to get sermon notes written down. I’m like Steve Sr… I get caricatures of me and whatever goofy hand motions I happen to be doing that day…

one day maybe they’ll bribe kids at my place… hmmm…

By: Mark Henry

Mark Henry — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:09:55 +0000

Mike: I always seem to under-estimate the effect of preaching on children. Two weeks ago I was preaching on Colossians 3:18ff when about halfway through my lesson I noticed a small murmur in the back. After the service a mother approached me and apologized for the commotion… it seems her young son had put his fingers in his ears when I got to verse 20 (children obey your parents) and that caused several around them to begin giggling before she could get him to put his arms down again! Many times I’ve had parents of 3-4 year olds tell me their kids were talking about the lesson on the way home! Amazing how God works, isn’t it? God bless, Mark

By: craig in austin

craig in austin — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:09:54 +0000

Wow. Those are excellent. Easy to follow. To the point. Simple. Very nice.

By: Victor Knowles

Victor Knowles — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:21:51 +0000

Give that kid a Mellow Yellow so he can enjoy Picasso too!

By: annie

annie — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:03:05 +0000

I like to write notes from great messages directly in the margins of my Bible. I write the date & the name of the person who “spoke” to me with their words. Over & over I see Mike’s, Randy’s, Jeff’s, Rick’s, Beth’s, Sara’s Chris’s, Steven’s, Charles’s, my boys, & a few others names, & it makes my heart so glad! My dad is giving his sermon notes from many years ago to the grandkids, & I think that’s a cool thing to hand down, too.

By: karin

karin — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:18:48 +0000

Great for the parents to instill that. Perhaps after a while the pop incentive can be dropped and the child take notes anyway! I much prefer taking my own notes than filling in the blanks on the pre-written notes in our bulletin!

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 12:53:35 +0000

I was a note-taker, though it probably didn’t begin until middle school. But it was much easier to take notes with the preaching I heard growing up.

Each sermon would have as many scripture references as possible — several dozens (with bursts of up to 80) in one sermon.

So my goal was to write down all the references.

I do remember being frustrated at first when I got to college and listened to Jim Woodroof. He preached from one text and stayed in that text. Sermon notes had to switch to ideas.

One of my favorite note-takers is my buddy Jack. He’s an artist (think: Jacob’s Dream on ACU campus), and during each of my sermons he draws a picture to try to capture the essence of the message.

I’ve seen some examples of his work. It’s called genius.