Teaching

“Publish or Perish” is an expression often heard in the academic community to describe the pressure many scholars and researchers feel. They are expected to submit articles, research results, and more to appropriate academic publications as part of advancing in their careers, achieving tenure, or perhaps justifying receiving grants and funding. (see article on Wikipedia.)

However, I want to use this saying in a different way unrelated to the above. I realized early in my preaching and teaching ministry that the moment I stepped away from the pulpit or classroom podium, almost everything I had said was lost forever! I had entrusted my spoken message to the fallible memories of my audience, and the vast majority of what was said would no longer be remembered even one week later! Those who said, “Great lesson, preacher” on Sunday morning could seldom remember the main points by Sunday night.