Piper, Preaching and ... Water?
On the last day of the T4G conference in Louisville I greeted John Piper at the speaker area on the floor of the auditorium. Here's how part of our conversation went:
Matt: Would you like water on the platform for your talk?
John: Too late.
Matt: I'm sorry?
John: It's too late. I learned a long time ago that taking in water while you're preaching doesn't do any good; you have to take it in before you preach. I take in as much water as I can one hour before I preach.
Matt: Would you like to know where the restroom is? (OK, I didn't say this last line, but I really wanted to!)
I had never heard this, but it made a lot of sense so I thought I'd pass it on to all you preachers.
Another hint about water and speaking? In one of Ronald Reagan's last interviews while still in the White House he was asked what contributed to his success as the "Great Communicator"? Reagan, unlike other speakers who had cold water at their side, always had warm water at his side to loosen and relax his throat.
I now am officially tapped out on all I know about preaching and water.
RWR is right, the warm water is better for loosening the throat.
I'm not so sure I buy the too late bit. It's true that preventative maintenance is good, but an unexpected case of dry is helped by liquid on the spot.
The best to take before speaking, I've heard, is hot tea with lemon & honey.
That's a bit much for me, but a hot cup of coffee during Sunday school and a bit more prior to the sermon works quite well for me.
Gunny Hartman, pastor
www.ProvidenceChurch.info
Garland, Texas (SBC)
Posted by: GUNNY HARTMAN | Apr 28, 2008 3:32:15 PM
before or after, i think h2o has a crucial function in our physical condition while preaching. i saw a preacher who had an evian water bottle in his hand and drank it every five min. i think it was his habit,but it was distracting while listening to sermon. either before or after, i believe what pastor piper was trying to convey was to be faithful to a preaching opportunity God has given him as much he knows how from his own experiences. go preach it pastor piper!
Posted by: Joe Lee | Apr 28, 2008 4:12:34 PM
Taking in a good amount of water BEFORE preaching is what we are taught in homiletics here at Puritan Reformed Seminary as well.
Prof. Lanning will get you if you are drinking and preaching.
Posted by: Nate | Apr 28, 2008 9:41:50 PM
The only thing that gets to my throat is reading to my kids at night. If I have a cup of hot tea just before reading to them I am just fine, but if I take in a cup of water and drink when my throat "needs" it, it really does nothing. I have given many hour-long lectures and have never had a problem, but reading definitely does a number on me at about the fifteen minute mark.
Posted by: Brett R | Apr 29, 2008 10:05:59 AM
Actually, it takes as much as 24 hours of proper water intake to adequately hydrate the vocal cords. The vocal cords are not hydrated from without (as that would cause choking) but are done so from within through the body system.
The body has a "priority list" of organs to hydrate with the brain, the heart, etc. at the top and the vocal cords at or near the bottom! That's why it takes so long.
Therefore, as usual, Piper is correct partially. He is incorrect in the amount of lead time needed to help the throat. Preachers should be drinking lots on Saturday, too!
Hope this helps!
BTW, this information is from my wife, a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist and has been of great help to me in my ministry.
Posted by: Thomas Clay | Apr 29, 2008 11:14:35 AM
I'm told that drill seargeants in the British Army have a glass of port before they go on to the parade ground...
Posted by: Steve Walton | Apr 29, 2008 11:51:07 AM
Matt, I was thirsty at the t4g conference and you never asked me for a glass or even a bottle of water, when you saw me placing out the freebie books and helping greet the 5000 pastors from around globe who were there for the gospel. Oh well. Maybe you can redeem yourself in '10?
Thanks for ALL that you did for the conference. I was blessed far beyond what I could write here. BTW- I've been having great opportunities to share the gospel with sinners who need God's grace and to those who have been called unto Himself already.
Posted by: TW | Apr 29, 2008 4:14:30 PM