How to Report on a Trainee Local Preacher

In 2002 the Local Preachers’ Office distributed a 60-page pack, Reflecting on Worship, designed to support a four-session one-day conference on how to give feedback on another preacher’s service. The Revd Neil Bishop condensed the substance of it into this helpful summary, which was originally published in the District Local Preachers' Newsletter No 9, December 2002.

• The report should be a consensus view arrived at with the preacher and those assessing him/her. The preacher’s contribution is just as important as any other.
• Remember that it is easy to criticise. The assessors should highlight strengths as well as weaknesses.
• Remember to take account of the context (building/congregation).
• We must be aware that we never see/hear how it was. We see/hear how it seemed to us. You will NOT hear everything the preacher says. Equally, the preacher may not be able to hear how they come ACROSS to some of their listeners.
• Only comment on things over which the preacher has some control! (This is where the steward’s observations will be crucial. They will know if the preacher was ASKED to do something by the church.)
• Normally, only brief comments should be made after the service, (preferably focusing on the positive aspects of the assessment), with a more detailed follow-up meeting arranged for later. Where several people are assessing a service, however, it is probably best – and less nerve-racking for the preacher – to ‘get it over with’ and have a 45 minute conversation together after the service, in a private room over a cup of tea/coffee.
• Remember to look at the service from your perspective, the preacher’s perspective, the congregation’s perspective and the perspective of the wider church/community. (What would someone have thought if they had wandered in off the street today? Perhaps they did!)
• When you get to any comments about perceived weaknesses, don’t tell the preacher how they could improve. (That’s for them to decide, unless they ask for specific advice about something!) Tell them what seemed to be a weakness from your perspective/the congregation’s perspective etc., and why. (E.g. ‘I liked the funky Gospel music but I’m not sure about some of the middle aged people at St Chad’s.’ This does not mean, ‘Don’t use funky Gospel music at St Chad’s.’ Nor does it mean, ‘Have one funky Gospel song and three traditional hymns.’ The preacher may feel that middle aged people need shaking up once in a while! You are just making them aware of the issue, in case they have overlooked it.)
• Try not to let your attitudes, (‘I HATE funky Gospel music), intrude too much into your comments. It is appropriate to say what you think, so long as you compensate for your personal opinions by taking account of alternative viewpoints. (Personally, I don’t like funky Gospel music, but I could see that some people were totally jiving today and I know a lot of people really dig it.’)
• Value what is distinctive about the preacher’s approach or style. (‘What you bring to our circuit is your love of funky Gospel music. We just have to figure out how best to use that for the Gospel!’)
• Don’t labour the feedback process by letting the report form dictate the way the feedback session works. If some of it seems needlessly repetitive on THIS occasion, don’t spend ages trying to think of something else to say. Just write, ‘Not applicable on this occasion’ or ‘See answer to Question N above’ and move on to the next question/section.
• Identify the choices open to the preacher. (‘You could carry on using funky Gospel songs with this congregation if you think that is helpful. Or you could suggest to the minister that a special funky Gospel service be arranged once a month. Perhaps you could be in charge of leading it.’)
• End on a positive note. (‘Funky Gospel worship is just what people under Fifty need around here to make the Gospel sound contemporary!’)