3 Principles to Follow When You Preach a Memorial Service
Dr. Paul Powell was a major leader in the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Southern Baptist Convention. As a young pastor, his leadership in the Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas, as well as his writings, served as an influence in my early pastoral ministry. Sadly, on December 28, 2016, Dr. Powell passed away at 83 years of age in Tyler.
I only had the privilege to meet Dr. Powell a couple of times, but I will never forget reading in one of his books about conducting and preaching someone’s memorial service. Although exceptions occur, I have practiced these three principles to this day. I must admit that while I remember the three principles from many years ago, I did not remember what Dr. Powell said about each one. I have, however, learned a lot about each of the principles over the years. It is amazing that what I learned in these principles in my very early twenties, I am still sharing with other pastors. These three basic principles are from the overflow of pastor and leader, Paul Powell.
1. Be Biblical
A sermon for any person’s memorial service needs to be based upon a biblical foundation. It may be from one verse, a section of verses, or even a chapter. Whether a person was a Christ follower or not, the sermon people hear from the pastor conducting the service should be a biblical sermon.
In this sermon, the pastor should be unapologetic in his conviction relating to salvation being in Christ alone, experiencing eternal life and the promise of heaven to everyone that believes. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the one who died or the uncertainty of any matters relating to it or to the family themselves, as pastors we need to share the message of salvation for each person who believes and that God has given us a future and a hope.
Therefore, be biblical when you preach a memorial service.
2. Be Personal
Regardless of the size of the church membership, it is difficult for the pastor to be personal with every member. You are called upon at times to perform a service for someone you may not even know. What do you do?
Ask the family to send to you anything they would like for you to share that would be helpful for those who attend the service or at least provide a background that may help you to understand the person more. This information can be shared via email or a phone call, but nothing is more valuable than a personal meeting. Pastor, your message will rarely surpass your intentionality in being personal with those who attend. It just takes it to another level.
For example, two weeks ago, I preached the memorial service for a member of our church that I knew quite well. Yet, due to his condition the past few years, this limited my interaction with him and the family. I asked the family to send me anything they would want me to share or to call me to talk. They not only sent me some interesting information, some of which I knew already, but a member of the family called me. I was out of town and arrived home the evening before the service, therefore I was unable to meet with them personally prior to the service.
Therefore, when you preach a memorial service, be biblical and be personal.
3. Be Brief
While being biblical and personal can always be done, being brief is dependent on the person themselves and the desires of the family. I realize people are not there to simply hear a sermon, they are present to show their compassion toward the family.
Most of the time, preaching a brief sermon at a memorial service is best. I consider being brief to usually be somewhere between 18-25 minutes. Yet, please know, there are times when we have the privilege to preach the sermon at someone’s memorial service who was deeply connected to us or our church and perhaps even a person regarded as a living legacy. While this may take the sermon more into the 25-33 minute range, we do need to remember, the message is not about us, but about how Christ was exemplified in this person’s life and legacy of leadership.
There may be experiences when several people are asked to speak. In that case, plan on each of them having three minutes or less for their comments. If you have three people speaking and one or more go over their time limit, you should cut your time, being sensitive to the moment and situation. The family will be appreciative as well as the guests attending.
Pastor, whenever you are called upon to perform the grand task of preaching someone’s memorial service, always practice these three principles: Be biblical. Be personal. Be brief.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
The #1 Need in America is Still the #1 Need
The #1 need in America is still the #1 need in America: the next great spiritual awakening.
Some would say the emergence and election of our president has brought about a political awakening in America. Regardless of one’s opinion of the President, it would be hard to ignore that his election is nothing short of a wake-up call in American politics.
However, in this volatile environment in America, it is certain that some would choose to disagree with this. In the present generation, we have never witnessed anything like what happened and is occurring before the entire world.
What America and the World Need to See
By no means do I believe this political awakening will lead to spiritual awakening. Yet, without a doubt, the American church specifically prayed more for this past election than I can ever recall. Everywhere I went all over this nation, Christians were praying.
This is encouraging. It shows the church believes in the power of prayer and in God’s involvement in human affairs.
This is why I am deeply convicted that what America and the world need to see more than anything is the next great spiritual awakening. Without the supernatural invention of God Himself demonstrating His great mercy and grace upon us in spite of the conduct of our nation, this spiritual awakening will not occur.
The Obvious is More than Obvious
The obvious is more than obvious to everyone: America is divided and living on the ragged edge of despair and danger. Personally, this grieves me greatly.
Accusations and sarcasm have contributed to our divided nation. Fake news is often vacant of any grain of truth, believed by whichever group is accommodated in their persuasion. This is sad, very sad.
Operating in this post-truth culture, pundits and spinmeisters are awarded the prime time on networks, exaggerating their persuasions. While this is occurring, the streets of some of our cities are filled with protests, riots, violence, and hateful vitriol. In this unstable climate, the world continues to watch while hundreds are killed by ISIS, thousands are persecuted for their faith, and we all witness the greatest global humanitarian crisis of our lifetime. While all of this happens, the national security of our nation is at stake.
Regrettably, while America needs it elected officials to lead as one, many in our nation’s capital are playing political games over the future of our nation.
America, it is inescapable, even for our great nation, to ignore the words of Jesus Christ as written in Matthew 12:25:
Knowing their thoughts, He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.”
I feel it is more than obvious that America is very divided and living on the ragged edge. We have never needed divine intervention like a spiritual awakening more than now.
Where is the Church?
Where is the American Church? The Church can and should do what no one else can: Stand together as one and pray for God’s leadership for ourselves as His people and for the future of our nation collectively.
The tone of the Church in this day is not very different than the tone of the world. It is amazing that the church is divided over the same things the world is divided over.
We need to push pause, get before God, listen to what God is saying to us in His Word, grab hold of our personal emotions and desires, and lead. We need to lead as one in this needed hour, becoming a voice for what God says and desires rather than just another sarcastic, critical voice that may get us the retweets of a carnal church or the world itself.
I plead with us: It is time to come together in the Church. We can come together believing the Bible is God’s authority for life, Jesus is the only Savior of the world, and the greatest need we have in America is spiritual. Let’s cease letting anyone or any source divide us.
The greatest need in the Church is a mighty spiritual revival, a moment when the manifestation of the presence of God is realized.
Yes, the #1 need in America today is still the #1 need: the next great spiritual awakening. We just cannot pray alone, but practice actions and attitudes that serve as a crying invitation for God to come upon America anew and again.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church
*******
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the Senior Pastor of Cross Church, immediate past President of the Southern Baptist Convention, and founder of the Cross Church School of Ministry.
To request an interview with Dr. Ronnie Floyd
contact Gayla Oldham at (479) 751-4523 or email gaylao@crosschurch.com.
Visit our website at http://ronniefloyd.com
Follow Dr. Floyd on Twitter and Instagram @ronniefloyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.