"I tend to get stupid when I am preaching extemporaneously..."

Notes or no notes?

I know this is a well-worn discussion in seminary (at least it was at Southeastern) with differing opinions. Paige Patterson, who was president while I was there, insisted on no notes, no outlines, no nothing in the pulpit. However, many of the "big name" preachers who came through our chapel services brought either outlines or manuscripts with them. Patterson poked at James Merritt during one service saying "As good of a preacher he is with his notes, he would only be a better one if he didn't have them."

I have found that many of the preachers that I most admire actually take manuscripts to the pulpit. I have heard several of them say that their reasoning is that they have certain issues that they want to address and address well, and that having the notes helps insure that they don't skip over anything that they wanted to share and helps ensure that they maintain right doctrine rather than slip into an "off the cuff" explanation which may or may not be exactly on target.

A similar sentiment is expressed by Thabiti M. Anyabwile in an exchange that took place over at the 9 Marks blog.

It is a few short snippets that I found helpful to consider. Take a look.

Mike McKinley also stabs at it and says: "I use the manuscript because I tend to get stupid when I am speaking extemporaneously. I'll either get punchy and start making jokes or I'll get lost on a rabbit trail going nowhere."

You can access his response by clicking on the tab at the top of Anyabwile's post.