Recently, I noticed a church Website was marketing a new preaching series on hot-button issues. Visitors could vote on topics such as drugs, divorce, eating disorders, cussing, etc. Ostensibly, the high-rated items would then be tackled by the pastor in future sermons. Of course, this model is not new. In fact, it follows the same narrative of fundamentalists of the past--although it's wrapped in much hipper packaging for today's po-mo audience suspicious of religious "do"s and "don't"s. Here's the drill:
Step 1: Observe cultural trend that is being "ignored" by the church.
Step 2: Formulate position on said cultural trend.
Step 3: Assemble unassailable barrage of proof texts and personal testimonies to tackle cultural trend.
Step 4: Market series through those church signs with the individual block letters (if you're old-timey) or the Wide World Interwebs (if you're cool).
Step 4: Preach, using above materials to sway the opinion of the listeners.
Believe me--I am as guilty of this as the next guy. When I was a youth pastor, I tried it. See two kids holding hands? It's time to teach on dating. Smell smoke? Let's polish up the ol' tobaccy sermon. Hear kids buzzing about a questionable movie? Turn in your Bibles to Psalm 101:3.
The problem with this method is its inherent arrogance. Preaching becomes about behavior modification, not exposing listeners' hearts to the scalpel of the text, allowing the Holy Spirit to do the rest. Besides, the alternative is far too boring: preach the scriptures and tackle issues when they come up in scripture. In context.
I once heard Walter Kaiser say that preaching should follow not only the content of scripture, but its contours. If I preach through books, chapters and verses, I will cover what the Holy Spirit wants me to cover, not what my agenda is, based on the perceived needs of my hearers or the culture at large.
9 comments:
Matt,
It is sound advice. On the one hand, you can damage relationships by always preaching at people or preach God's truth in His time. This way, one only has to say if someone felt picked on, "It was not me, it was God's timing to use the text as He chooses.
One does need to be careful with the use of illustrations though when it comes to explaining the text.
Shaun
@Shaun: "This way, one only has to say if someone felt picked on, “It was not me, it was God’s timing to use the text as He chooses."
Shaun, thanks for pointing this out. It was a point I forgot to make.
Good advice - more Scripture, in context, less text proofing. The problem for most preachers is that this takes work/study
Ah, expository preaching! It makes one deal with the text (even the hard stuff). Keep the faith, Matt.
Great point Matt, often we deal with the behaviors and God uses the Word to deal with the heart. Just thinking about a comment that Piper made how he preached once on the Holiness of God purposefully not giving any application. A family that was going through a really hard time (he didn't know about it at the time). The dad came up later and said that was just what he needed to hear. However, not something he would have given had he known this family's situation. Good words as I think of planning the women's bible studies this fall.
Just today at the drug rehab where I teach every week I had a young man say " everything I know about Christ, I learned from you". Wow this really frightened me. Am I preaching the Word or something else? Do I handle Scripture carefully and not just proof text?
In Russia I see a lot of proof texting out of context sermons - I am trying o pass on a legacy of expositional teaching of the Scriptures - thanks for this post Matt
Thanks, Mike. And thanks for your labor in the gospel over in Russia. So important.
I couldn't agree with you more! There is nothing more ackward to watch than pastors desperately trying to be "culturally relevant" whilst armed with nothing but wikipedia knowledge. I'm also a guilty party when it comes to this topic...I'm a youth pastor, what can I say? I'm not necessarily a mostly "expository" preacher, nor do I think it's the best or the only way, but I do absolutely concur with you on this! Truth must be wielded and preached by the unction of the Spirit, in harmony with the testimony of Jesus and in it's right and Biblical context. Anytime I've stepped out of those bounds and tried to "tackle cultural giants", it's seemed to be an epic fail! I was told my attempted "dating series", given last February, was as refreshiung as licking sandpaper. :) Thanks for continually writing challenging and "against the grain" stuff to challenge us with!
I agree that "expository" preaching is important and necessary. However we cannot ignore the leading and guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT in our ministration to GOD's people. We must always remember that we can preach the word without the "unction" of the HOLY SPIRIT. He is the one who is "Lord" in the church. It is possible to preach the Word without the "unction". 2 Cor 3:6. Also Isaiah 28:10 says "For precept must be upon precept....line upon line ....and here a little, there a little...." I believe we need to do what the whole counsel of the Scripture teaches. I have heard people emphasize expository preaching as if to say that is the only way to minister. Agreed that when ministers preach on hot topics to be relevant they are being led by the flesh. Now, there will be times when one will have no particular leading of the HOLY SPIRIT to minister along a particular line. At these times it is always good to preach the Scriptures.
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