The venerable Fred Craddock often told his seminarians training to be pastors that they must set aside a minimum of two hours every day for reading. The reading, he said, should not be aimed at “getting up a sermon” bur rather informing the mind and heart. That meant reading poetry, history, novels, and yes, theology and Scripture. He had a particular love for short stories and commended them for pastors who wanted to learn how to preach well. Many students gasped incredulously at their revered teacher’s counsel. Two hours every day? With hospital visits and stewardship meetings, pastoral counseling and administrative leadership, local mission, youth fellowship and community organizing, not to mention conflict mediation, worship preparation, and bulletin production, how on earth did he expect pastors to read two hours every day and not be grasping for a sermon illustration. Besides what would the congregation say if they knew the pastor was devoting that much time merely to reading?
Responding to such anguish, Craddock, who thought the quick “illustration” was to sermons as cliché is to short stories, went further. He explained to his students that on the day they arrive at their new parish, if not before they arrive, they should say to the congregation and its leaders that the pastor will be devoting two hours every day to reading. During those hours the pastor will not be available except for pastoral emergencies. This is pastoral work, not leisure time, and the practice will help the pastor to be a better preacher, person, and pastor. Make it clear at the very beginning, Craddock said, and practice it. Over time your congregation will appreciate it even if they don’t initially understand, because your sermons will have more depth and you will be a better-rounded person.
Twenty-five years ago I was one of those students sitting in Dr. Craddock’s preaching seminar when he gave that advice. Since then, at three congregations in three presbyteries, I have followed that practice including informing the congregational leaders. I have never encountered serious resistance, and often have received strong support. He was right to say such a discipline of reading is not sermon preparation in the narrow sense that results in a grab bag of illustrations and anecdotes of others. It is sermon preparation in the best sense because everything that enriches the life of the pastor inevitably forms the sermon. Nothing is lost.
I’ve come to believe that the reading life of the pastor is essential for pastoral leadership that connects with a wide range of people and is able to offer guidance that comes from a wider tradition than one’s personal opinion. It does not take long for a pastor to realize that she needs more than her own opinions if she is going to provide wise counsel to her congregation. Reading history helps situate current debates in a much larger context and thus helps congregations see themselves in a larger flow of time. Knowing the debates about science and faith will allow a pastor to provide wiser guidance to those scientists on the edge of faith and doubt whose questions often give them few options.
Wallace Stegner’s novel, Crossing to Safety, remains for me a primer for enduring marriage and friendship. To mention a few, the short stories of Flannery O’Conner, the novels of Ann Tyler, the memoirs of Frederick Buechner and the poetry of Wendell Berry continue to make me a better pastor because they guard against my excesses and encourage humility.
Over the years, I’ve found that a pastoral discipline of thoughtful reading is a form of daily prayer, like lectio divina. As I read, something or someone in my pastoral ministry comes to mind prompting a pause for prayer or reflection. In such a way reading, prayer, and pastoral practice merge; Dr. Craddock must have known all along.
—RWH
