Feeding forward

Imagine that you have been asked to preach a Bible talk at church.

It's a welcome invitation because preaching is something that you enjoy and would like to grow in. You are looking to be equipped and trained. So what happens next?

Most commonly, having accepted the challenge you’re given the Bible passage and maybe a commentary or two from the pastor’s library, and then you’re left to prepare and write the talk. Your progress is checked a couple of times but you’re pretty much left to your own devices. However, once you’ve delivered the sermon, you are very keen to get feedback on the talk so as to grow and to do better with your next opportunity.

I want to suggest a better way. I want to suggest that rather than feeding back we should be as much as possible feeding forward. By feed-forward I mean that, in this example, the talk should be reviewed by someone before it is actually delivered in church.

How might that look in our example? It simply means that the pastor or trainer should be involved in the preparation process at various key stages. They would certainly review the talk with you before the actual delivery, noting its strengths and weaknesses. You would share your thinking behind your approach and receive suggestions as to how to improve the talk. You would then incorporate those suggestions and changes and be ready to deliver the sermon in church.

What's the advantages of feeding forward? I believe that there are many. Feed-forward is more dynamic and collaborative. Even where there are lots of weaknesses everyone is working together towards making it better rather than simply pointing out its failings. The person delivering the feed-forward is much more free and honest in their review knowing that the actual event is yet to happen. Feed-forward makes the event a more significant training exercise. Feed-forward means that last minute preparation is impossible. Finally, people do not receive feed-forward as personally as feedback.

So, I’m appealing for more feeding forward in our ministry training! And let’s not limit it to merely preaching. And let’s not limit the trainer to be the pastor. The experienced scripture teacher could feed forward on a lesson by a less experienced teacher. The youth leadership team could make it a practice to review the talk together that will be delivered the following week.

Review and reflection is very important. Feedback is better than nothing. But feeding forward is far more helpful and effective.

Yes, it will take more time, but worthwhile things almost always do. It's an investment in people and their future life of ministry.