Today’s post is written by guest blogger, Coy Lindsey. (Coy is also my husband. We co-pastor the Highland Park’s Saturday Night Community. You can read his original post by visiting his blog.
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I had never heard the phrase before, “Tag-team preaching.” People started using it on their own.
It’s been used to describe the experience of Brooklyn (my wife) and I preaching a sermon together. It’s interesting how we’ve never used the phrase ourselves, yet every time we preach together different people will use it. People passing by after the worship service will say, “We love the tag-team.” Most recently, a friend posted about it on Facebook: “Great service tonight Coy and Brooklyn Lindsey. I loved the tag team.”
Originally, preaching a sermon together wasn’t our idea. It mostly emanated from the fact that Brooklyn and I are on staff at the same church. Both of us love to preach, and both of us would love the opportunity to preach in the main worship services whenever possible. So, rather than choose one of us over the other, they asked both of us to preach at the same time.
I think we’re going on our 4th or 5th time of preaching “tag-team.” To be honest, I struggled with it the first time. I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to do it again. It’s growing on me, though. We’re starting to realize what works and doesn’t work, which you can learn more about a previous post Sharing the Stage with a Woman Preacher.
Here are 3 advantages of “tag-team preaching” that we’re learning together:
- Women and men feel connected to the sermon. Tag-team preaching doesn’t always need to include a female and male preacher. But, there is an advantage. The audience is limited by one gender’s experience and perspective. We received a text message that said: “Both of you did a great job today. It is not easy to go back and forth. It helps women and men understand better.”
- The audience is less inclined to get bored. Today’s media trains us to expect a change of scenery. Too much of the same thing quickly becomes a negative. You know what I’m talking about. Think of your favorite TV show. How many times does the camera angle, scene, character, lighting, volume, and background music change? Tag-team preaching gives more space for some of this change to take place.
- Both preachers feel less pressure. This is true for 2 reasons. The first is practical. The pressure to memorize the entire 35 minute sermon is reduced. Each preacher only needs to focus on half as much. The second reason is emotional. Preaching can feel like a huge responsibility, especially when you do it alone. Tag-team preaching shares the load. Whenever others share the load with you, the burden feels lighter. Some of the pressure is released.
If you’re interested in seeing what tag-team preaching looks like, you can check out our latest sermon: Overcoming Overload Part 4: Simplicity.
Have you experienced tag-team preaching? What advantages did you experience?
If you’re a pastor, have you tried tag-team preaching? What advantages have you experienced?
Brooklyn-
Great post and thoughts.
I think my favorite thing from this video was watching the 2 of you preach with your Bible in hand. What a testimony.