(If you’re not this way before you preach, the following is not meant as a slam.  Just a window into my way of doing things.)

They say Spurgeon was abnormally intense before he preached.  Sometimes, they had to carry him out to the pulpit…the weight of the burden and the glory of God made it difficult for him to even walk.  He rebuked preachers who were jolly (Spurgeon’s word) and lighthearted before ministering the Word of God.  I wouldn’t take it that far, but…

I always felt guilty about not being able to shake hands and kiss babies before preaching.  Until I read this.  If Spurgeon was intense and anti-social before he preached, maybe it’s not such a bad thing.  Besides, it might be the only thing I’ll ever be able to claim I have in common with the great man.

For what it’s worth, if you were backstage with me before a service at Elevation, you’d witness the following ritual.  It might make you laugh, but it’s how I roll:

-Several volunteers prepare lots of wonderful food for me, but I’m rarely able to eat much of it, at least before the first service.  My stomach hurts too bad.  I’m very nervous.  I feel like I might throw up.  I never do, but I feel like it.

-I don’t really talk to the people around me.  I’m telling you, it’s intense.  They understand.

-I listen to one worship song, over and over again, in the background, and pace around the room praying…often out loud.  I lift my hands some, kneel some, etc.  Just trying to get in the right posture.
(Sometimes I jump around to get fired up.  I bet this looks pretty funny to the people around me.  So sometimes I make them jump with me.  Really.)

-I anoint my head, my eyes, my ears, and my mouth with oil before all 4 services.
I think the symbolism is obvious.

I’m grateful for the people around me who accommodate and endure my intensity every Sunday morning.  I just can’t imagine handling matters of eternity any other way.