I am a huge fan of taking notes. Not too many seem to be these days. It could be that people have better memories than I do, which is a distinct possibility.

When I have a rare chance to sit and listen to a sermon (rather than preaching it) I love taking notes. There are several reasons:

1. It helps me stay focused. I may not be preaching because I am tired, so I use notes to help me stay focused.

2. It helps me follow the train of thought of the speaker or preacher. Do they have a train of thought? How is this developing?

3. It is an excellent opportunity for the Spirit to speak to me. I can highlight something the speaker said and go back to it. Sometimes I find myself writing furiously to capture a thought the Spirit is giving me in that moment. I want to develop it later.

I will often have my journal with me in a service even if I am preaching because there are times when I hear the Lord speaking to me in the worship time and I don’t want to forget what he is saying.

If we can’t remember what the message was from last Sunday, it might be a good idea to take a few notes. Stay focused. Listen to the Spirit.