New notebook, same mission
How capturing sermons on paper fuels my spiritual growth
It’s time for a fresh sermon notebook!
As you can see from the photo above, I just wrapped up my blue notebook — 100 pages filled over 46 months.
Interestingly, my previous notebook, with only 80 pages, took me 71 months to fill. Clearly, I’ve been jotting down more notes lately!
I come to church armed with my Bible. Literally “armed” since the Word of God is described in Ephesians 6:17 as the “sword of the Spirit.”
But I also come with my sermon notebook, a highlighter and colored felt-tip marker.
I love marking up my Bible and capturing sermon notes in the moment. Later, I review and highlight them at home, and then I write a short summary of the message (which I post here on Substack).
It’s my way of extracting the most value from each sermon. For me, listening and note-taking go hand in hand. And when I review, highlight and summarize, my understanding and retention skyrocket.
I’ve been taking sermon notes for decades, but it became essential when Anne and I joined Good Shepherd Anglican more than nine years ago. The preaching here has been that good — truly life-changing.
For most of that time, we were blessed to hear Kyle Wallace preach. His dynamic, biblical messages were a big part of why we felt at home at Good Shepherd. Like many others, we were encouraged to go hear “this really good Anglican pastor,” loved what we heard, and never looked back.
Kyle recently decided to move on after leading Good Shepherd for 17 years. While we search for a new lead pastor, Bishop Thad Barnum has been faithfully shepherding us. Every Friday, he drives four hours from the South Carolina coast to share the Gospel.
For 30-35 minutes each Sunday, he stands before us with just his Bible — no notes — and passionately calls us to follow Jesus and carry Christ’s message of salvation to the world.
He often shares this tongue-twister with us:
“Here’s the beauty of the Christian mission and message: When you’ve got it, and you know it, and you’re changed by it, go and give it. And that’s what we get to do.”
Here are a couple of my favorite Thad sermons from the last three months:
As I prepare to break in my new notebook (this one has a green cover), I’m reminded that the practice of note-taking isn’t just a habit — it’s a tool for spiritual growth.
Each page represents another opportunity to dive deeper into God’s Word and reflect on the powerful messages shared each Sunday. Whether it’s Kyle’s impactful teaching or Bishop Thad’s heartfelt calls to action, these notes help me carry the message forward, living out the Christian mission.
I continue to enjoy (actually be impressed) by your writing. I usually use the back of the bulletin to take notes. I did so when Fr Kyle was with us. I have friends who listen to our sermons faithfully each week. I recommend that their presence would make the experience even more delightful. Thank you for sharing your gift.