I have shared with many of you before that there are two kinds of people in the world: those who talk to think and those who think to talk.
People who talk to think are also known as verbal processors. They are the kind of folk who will talk to you for ten minutes and at the end of it exult, “and THAT’S what I am trying to say!”
Think to talkers are the reverse. They tend to be cautious and prepared, carefully measuring out their words before speaking them.
I am a think to talker through and through. I may preach without notes, but by and large I know what I’m going to say and when I’m going to say it. Because I am a think to talker I am not good at debate and lose most of my arguments. Like most think to talkers, I am full of post conversational regret: “Oh! I SHOULD HAVE said … ” “Why didn’t I answer THIS WAY … ?”
I give you that background because this past Sunday I had a talk to think moment during worship. I was explaining how we in leadership at Good Shepherd believe the biblical library is “inspired, eternal, and true” and because of that we lift it up together before the sermon. I typically try to disarm guests by acknowledging that this is a strange moment.
Here’s a bible lifting moment at our Zoar Campus.
On Sunday I added to that in a way that was completely impromptu: “It’s a moment of oddity that helps shape our identity as a community.”
I talked to think it. But I like it well enough that in upcoming Sundays I might just think to talk it.