A COMPILATION OF ARTICLES ON PREACHING Article #1(of six) How to Preach Like Andy Stanley by Michael Lukaszewski Michael Lukaszewski offers six compelling reasons why Andy Stanley is one of the top communicators of our time. Here are six reasons why Andy Stanley is one of the top communicators of our time. 1. He Understands the People. I get the sense Andy truly understands the people sitting in the rows. I've heard him reference "your first marriage" many times. Recently, one of his application questions was about child support. This kind of understanding and the real-life examples he works into his messages build credibility. 2. He Is a Master of the Content. Andy doesn't use notes, and if you pay attention you'll see him reference a slide on the screen just before it appears. That's because he's prepared. He knows his material, and he's not reading it from a sheet of paper. 3. He Will Get You to Agree With Him in the First Five Minutes. I've listened to thousands of sermons from dozens of preachers in my life, and I've never heard anyone create tension like Andy Stanley. In the first five minutes of a message, you'll find yourself agreeing with something. He might say, "You've thought this ..." and you'll agree in 1 your heart. Even if you disagree with the truth, you'll agree with the emotion. This is incredible, because if you can get someone to agree with you about something early on, you'll be far more likely to get them to agree to take an action step in the end. 4. He Speaks to a Broader Audience. If you were to watch a video of Andy speaking, you probably wouldn't know when and where he was when speaking. That's because he's not just preaching to the people in the room—he's preaching to people in other rooms. He knows his audience is larger than the people looking at him. You may think, "I don't have the need to do that because we don't have other campuses and this message isn't on the Internet," but the process of speaking "evergreen" will make you a better communicator. 5. He Tackles Tough Topics With Grace. Last year, I heard Andy talk about the tough subject of marriage, divorce and remarriage. He handled the topic with grace, but also spoke the truth. He was courteous and recognized that everyone wouldn't agree with his message, but that didn't keep him away from explaining what the Bible said on the subject. People don't feel beat up, but they know they need to make changes. 6. He Speaks With Vision. Andy often uses the word "imagine" and paints a picture for people of what life would be like if they applied the principle he is teaching. He causes you to think about the future, whether he's talking about marriage, faith or finances. End of article one; beginning of article two: 10 Ways to Authenticate Your Preaching by Jarod Moore 2 Adding the context of your life to pulpit ministry means adding authenticity to your pulpit ministry. 1 Cor. 9:24-27 – Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. When I speak of adding context to your pulpit ministry, I mean adding authenticity to your pulpit ministry. If your church does not know you outside of your pulpit, it will be difficult to validate your message. Granted, if the Bible is the Word of God, it shouldn’t matter who preaches it, so long as they’re preaching what the Bible says, but your hearers often hear you before they hear the Scriptures. Also, if you’re preaching to lost people or immature Christians, they will often read you more than they read Scripture. If your people know you, the man behind the pulpit, then they’ll have a better basis for understanding your sermons, biblical interpretation, hobby horses, illustrations, etc. Furthermore, they’ll have a better basis for believing your sermons as opposed to the TV preacher who tells them something different. In other words, it adds context to your message when you preach on the family and your church knows that you’re a God-fearing husband and father. On the other hand, if an unknown person preaches, and the “context” isn’t provided outside the pulpit, then the audience will either assume the best or the worst. These assumptions will largely depend on how grounded they are in Scripture, their own personalities, and whether or not they’ve witnessed hypocrisy in previous pulpits. Moreover, if you read the qualifications for a pastor, many of them just describe who the pastor is to be in his daily life. If none of our church members witness our daily lives, how will they know if we’re continually qualified to be their pastor(s)? Here are the qualifications Paul lists in 1 Timothy 3:1-7: The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, selfcontrolled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own 3 household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. Here are 10 suggestions to help add context to your pulpit ministry: 1. Drive the church van. Driving the church van helps you build relationships with those onboard. Furthermore, it helps you gain more appreciation for a ministry that receives few thankyou’s and many complaints. Take one week every month or two to drive the church van. (I drive the church van every worship service. I love those children!) 2. Help clean up after dinner. When we meet we must eat. For the purpose of showing a Christlike example of servant-leader, you should do service type work that may not normally be your responsibility (John 13:1-11). The ratio between time spent serving and the context it will add to your ministry are minuscule. (I help clean up after almost every meal at church.) 3. Help the sick and forgotten. This is pure and undefiled religion (James 1:27). When you visit the sick, don’t treat them like they have the plague. When you visit the nursing home, a place which often feels like death is in the air, show these people you care for them. How much physical brotherly-love type affection do these people receive on a daily basis compared to the amount you receive? It must be noted that you shouldn’t get too touchy-feely with these people. Use your brain to help discern the personality of the person you’re visiting. Some people are huggers and some aren’t, but almost everyone likes a handshake (We’re Baptists after all). 4. Alternate attending each adult Sunday school class and/or Discipleship Training class. Doctrinal fidelity in your church is your responsibility as pastor/elder (2 Tim. 4:1-5). (It’s also the responsibility of the congregation: See Galatians). Thus, you should try to visit various Sunday school classes occasionally to examine what is being taught. Furthermore, from a practical standpoint, you will necessarily build relationships with the students in the class and the teacher(s). It must be noted here that you should be careful not to take over the class. Try your best to learn from who you’re listening to. Regardless how many theology degrees I earn, or how many hours a week I study, God the Holy Spirit still uses the average lay Sunday school teacher to teach me His truth (The Priesthood of the Believer). Furthermore, these Sunday school teachers have context as well that adds to their lessons. One lady that teaches Sunday school in my church has been married for 68 years, been a faithful Christian for over 50 years, and probably knows more Scripture than I do. She’s an excellent teacher. Finally, when you publicly thank your Sunday school or Discipleship Training teachers, you won’t be speaking about something you know little about. 5. Teach a Sunday school class or Discipleship Training class. If you only preach from the pulpit, and your church is never allowed to ask you questions for the benefit of all listening, then you may be doing a disservice to your congregation. If you take the pastor-theologian emphasis in Scripture seriously, then you should share your Scriptural knowledge and experience with your congregation (2 Tim. 2:15). Your congregation has questions concerning Scripture, God, life, etc., and, depending on their personality, they may or may not come to you personally. They also may forget their question between the sermon and the door due to being forced to stand in 4 line behind others in order to ask you a question. All pastors/elders should have some time when their congregation is allowed to ask them theological questions. 6. Fellowship with both the children and youth during their fellowship time. Most churches have some form of fellowship for the youth and children. Occasionally, participate in this time. Play a few games with the children, lead their devotion, etc. Show these children the love of Christ! 7. Attend the occasional seniors’ meeting. Most churches have some sort of seniors’ meeting. It may be called the Just Older Youth (JOY) Ministry. Enjoy God through enjoying the ministry of these people. Let them know that you support them. 8. Attend the occasional WMU meeting. Even though these meetings are largely women-only meetings, it’s an excellent ministry that you can be a part of. Pastors should show their interest and support for the various missions ministries of the church, even if they’re for women only. It must be noted here that you should speak with the leader of the WMU before you show up unannounced. Sometimes, since these meetings are women-only, the content is necessarily geared toward women. The presence of a man may hinder the desired discussion. 9. Periodically, fellowship with your church members outside your church building. You could organize this by inviting various age groups, Sunday school classes, or Discipleship Training classes to some form of fellowship in the community. You could catch a high school sports game with several folks, attend a local play at the community theater, go out to eat, go to the park, etc. 10. Invite the occasional Sunday school class, Discipleship Training class, youth group, children’s group, seniors group, WMU, etc. over to your home for games, food, and fellowship. Now, if you struggle financially, you could provide snacks, and have the event sometime after lunch, but before dinner. One of the qualifications of being a pastor is hospitality (2 Tim. 3:2). How hospitable are you? What are your thoughts? End of article two; beginning of article three Preach Our Story, Not Your Story by Joy Moore Provided by 5 "What do your listeners do with the sermons you preach?" asks Joy Moore. Many sermons begin with a funny story or captivating movie image told right after the reading of Scripture. This is the hook -- in homiletic technical speech -- a way to capture the attention of listeners who have gathered from various quadrants of the community with a multiplicity of concerns ranging from loss of faith to loss of employment. Our knowledge of the latest breaking news, international and local political unrest, and impending weather seem to provide the best commentary for acknowledging the shared existence of the community of faith. We know that there is a lack of religious literacy even among those who regularly hear sermons. From mainline denominations to independent communities, Christians today lack the capacity to express the biblical revelation of God's activity in human history as demonstrated in the life of Jesus Christ. The sermon's task is to counteract the amnesia that has undermined so much of Christian expression. A few years ago, one of my students prepared a sermon on Psalm 34 as capturing the fear and turmoil of David hiding from Saul in 1 Samuel. The sermon captivated us as we listened because we were invited by description to actually fear for our very lives. After the sermon, the other students asked how the preacher had imagined so clearly the anxiety. The student acknowledged that he described for us his own feelings experienced in a near-death incident in his own life. What made his message so captivating was that during the sermon, he never injected his life experience directly. While he had used a real-life incident, he didn't deviate from the biblical narrative by inserting a personal illustration. Instead, he described distress, despair, and disorientation, leaving the story of David central in our imaginations against these feelings of anxiety. This seamless narration proved more memorable than raising our sympathy toward the speaker as he recounted his own story. I marveled at the impact of this telling of the biblical story as it must have been originally passed down through the generations of ancient Israel. Since then, I have encouraged preachers to pause in writing their sermons to craft a biblical narrative rather than merely a biblical idea. 6 When one thinks of an illustration to insert or an idea to insert, consider if it truly belongs in the scene from Scripture one is rehearsing. If so, can the point be made directly in the biblical episode? An example is to describe John's care for Mary, the mother of Jesus, after the crucifixion, as ministry to a middle-aged Palestinian woman who has just attended her son's public execution. In our current political reality, these words carry the weight of both the death of Jesus and the massacre of young men today in ethnic wars. Who cares for their mothers? Or maybe one could describe Eve's parsel-tongue encounter as leading to the first residential foreclosure. While beckoning images of our movie-going imaginations, the context remains a narrative of detrimental consequences resultant of a verbal exchange with a serpent. Suddenly J. K. Rowling is not so original and the biblical narrative is recovered as humanity's foundational story. One-liners and intentional turns of phrases register the force of the biblical image against the realities our listeners experience today. God's people then, and now, can trust the comforting intrusion of the Holy Spirit. What do your listeners do with the sermons you preach? Are their lives a continuation of the drama of God or do they leave the Sunday service as consumers and commentators imitating and supplementing the world as presented by the networks? Just how do we captivate the imaginations of a high-tech audience with instant global news, and portable movie theaters on handheld devices? Timeline, Redefined Here we are, thousands of years later, reading an ancient equivalent to Facebook. Everything from the transcripts of the spoken messages of Jeremiah to the Letter to the Hebrews are ancient blog posts sent out through the progressive technological advancement in communication known then as writing. As the media continues to exploit negative images of religious practice, people of faith must negotiate the question of how to speak of spiritual disciplines in a secular society. A final example might be how to speak of sharing meals. From Adam and Eve's sin-filled snack in Genesis and the wilderness-wandering worship community's servings of fast food to Jesus' stories of banquets and practice of smoked-fish fellowships, gathering at the table to feast serves as a constant metaphor for community formation. Describing the multiethnic, intergenerational, bilingual fellowships in the Epistles with attention to the gatherings for refreshment rather than merely a weekly ritual, may invite Christian dining with neighbors rather than religious spates over Eucharist. Such fluency with the language we call Christian requires a grasp of the entire biblical narrative; an imagination informed of God's purpose and the speech to convey it in a world that can't conceive the divine intention to restore the goodness of creation. This requires conveying Scripture in order to expose the reality it is narrating. 7 What we craft as a Christian sermon should expose our listeners to the drama suggested in the storied testimony to God's justice, in such a way as to make discernible its demonstration in the life of Jesus. Such a message will recover the witness to the God of Jesus Christ as the shared knowledge of the community of faith called Christian. I believe the most effective proclamation of the word of God ... the most effective way to tell this story ... is to tell it in such a way that the drama it tells happens all over again -- first among the listeners who call themselves followers of Jesus. End of article three; beginning of article four: The Essential Me-First of Biblical Preaching by Ken Burge Are you afraid to use yourself as the example fo your sermon? First-person application for the preacher can be an unnerving task. How can this generally overworked individual possibly find the time or the occasion to apply what he has studied before the delivery of the sermon? Furthermore, the average preacher speaks several times a week. (For the first 15 years of my ministry, I heralded God's Word four times a week.) As no preacher can assimilate everything he has studied during the week, which text should he focus on to apply during this period of time? This article will not only address the necessity for first-person application on the part of the preacher, but will offer a systematic approach to accomplish this vital quest. 8 Foundational Biblical Texts for Me-First Preaching Ezra's paradigm to the study, application and proclamation of the sacred text is worthy of emulation. Ezra 7:10 states, "For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observation of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel." Ezra began his exegesis by scrutinizing the text to see what the biblical author was saying. Once he understood the concept of the passage, he applied that message to his life. This circumspect scribe then pronounced the message to his audience. His modus operandi was interpreting the biblical text (to learn the proposition of the third-person author), personal application (first-person implementation) and culminating with trumpeting the message (to the second-person audience). Ezra clearly practiced me-first preaching, because he first applied the text to himself before he taught others. James 2:14-26 is the New Testament locus classicus on the necessity of first-person application—demonstrating one's faith by virtue of his or her works—the concept of which is easily transferred to preaching. James was apparently from Missouri (the Show-Me state) because he wrote in James 2:18, "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do." James cited Abraham and Rahab as examples of individuals who personally applied saving faith to their lives (first-person application) that was then portrayed to others by their deeds. You have heard it said that imitation is the highest form of flattery. Paul, the great missionary, practiced what he preached. In 1 Thessalonians 1:6 he said, "You became imitators of us and of the Lord." Did you notice the order of the text? First, the Thessalonians mimicked Paul, Silas and Timothy and then the Lord. Moreover, Paul in 1 Corinthians 4:16 said, "Therefore I urge you to imitate me." In Christian living, as well as biblical preaching, imitation is the highest form of flattery. Those who are called to proclaim the Word of God boldly are held to a high standard (see James 3:1). Paul illustrated this principle when he queried in Romans 2:21: "You, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?" Spurgeon, the prince of preachers, concurs with Paul's sentiments when he wrote to his preaching students, "It is important that we be under the influence of the Holy Ghost, as He is the Spirit of Holiness; for a very considerable and essential part of Christian ministry lies in example." Me-first application in living and preaching are greatly endorsed by Old and New Testaments. The General and Specifics of Me-First Preaching General Application The preacher is first and foremost a child of God. He is expected to cultivate a walk with God that includes, but is not limited to, prayer, Bible reading and study, meditation on Scripture and the employment of the principles he learns from his daily walk with God. He, as are all believers, is to heed 2 Peter 3:18, which states, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 9 Moreover, the master preacher, the Lord Jesus Christ, commanded His followers in John 15:4, "Remain in me, and I will remain in you." Jesus practiced what He preached. Isaiah 50:4 predicted the ultimate Servant would have a me-first attitude toward applying Scripture: "The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He awakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught." Jesus daily walked obediently with God and then proclaimed His marvelous Word based on that relationship. No wonder Jesus declared to His followers in John 15:5 (in the context of abiding) that "apart from Me, you can do nothing." Paul emulated Jesus' example of me-first preaching. He called the Ephesian elders together and warned them in Acts 20:28 to "keep watch over yourselves and all the flock." He exhorted them first to care for their own spiritual well-being before ministering to the flock. Paul emphasized to these leaders their need first to adhere to God's precious Word in Acts 20:32 where he declared, "Now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which can build you up." The great apostle then continued in the following verses (33-35) to share how he himself modeled Christ to them and how they should follow his pattern of living. The standard set by Jesus and demonstrated by Paul also was communicated to Timothy. Paul's younger associate was exhorted by his spiritual father concerning his pulpit ministry in 1 Timothy 4:13: "Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching." What precedes this edict? The answer is found in 1 Timothy 4:12: "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." That is, Timothy, first apply God's Word to your own life, then proclaim it to others. This order of application will ensure a fruitful ministry as Paul assured Timothy: "Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save yourself and your hearers" (1 Tim. 4:16). Me-first preaching always begins with the general application of God's Word. In other words, the preacher must walk with God and allow that life-changing Word to govern his life day by day (as shown by Jesus and Paul) before he preaches to others. Now that the need for general application is established, what plan should the preacher have for specific application? Specific Application As a result of studying homiletics for two decades, I have come upon many definitions of biblical preaching. My favorite description is by Haddon Robinson. He defines expository preaching as "the communication of a biblical concept, derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and experience of the preacher, then through the preacher, applies to the hearers." The dean of expository preaching shows that once the student has grasped the meaning of the passage, he is then, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to apply that text personally and experientially before communicating the message to others. Robinson's definition is valuable. However, how is the preacher to apply the text personally and experientially if the sermon preparation isn't completed until a few days (sometimes less!) before 10 the preaching event? This limited window of opportunity generally doesn't allow sufficient time for the employment of application. Therefore, a sermon should be completed at least a week prior to its delivery to allow adequate time for rumination on the biblical concept of the message and for its courier to practice what is to be heralded. There are many advantages to having an entire week—rather than the traditional couple of days—to apply the timeless truths of God's Word once the adjustment is made to the pastor's preparation schedule. The preacher can set aside a block of time each day to review the message and meditate upon the application. There is perhaps no better situation for reflection than during the pastor's devotions. He can use these sacred moments to seek heavenly direction on how to customize the personal application. Another choice occasion to reflect on the text and its applications would be before retiring for the evening. Either setting will facilitate keeping the message and its applications as his primary focus throughout the week. On a more practical note, it is also advisable to write out the application(s) on a 3"X5" card and carry that card with you. The applications can be meditated on while jogging, mowing the lawn or driving to an appointment. Our gracious Lord can use all these opportunities to imbue one's mind with insights to personal application. The obvious next step is to implement the action as revealed to the herald. A Working Model The author has a seven-fold model for sermon preparation. First, he applies F.I.R.E. to his biblical passage to be preached. The acronym F.I.R.E. stands for familiarity, interpretation, relationship and employment. Next, he develops his preaching points; they are the exegetical, theological and homiletical points. The homiletical points are the application points or timeless truths to be applied. We will use Revelation 10 as our preaching text. The apostle John is commanded by Jesus Christ to write the Book of Revelation. Revelation 1:19 reveals a three-fold division of the book. In the third part of the outline, the seven-seal, seven-trumpet and seven-bowl judgments occur. Revelation 10 is part of an interlude that takes place between the sixth and seventh trumpets. John sees (in a vision) a powerful angel coming down from heaven with a little book in his hand (vv. 1-2). After descending on the earth, three times this heavenly messenger is depicted as standing on land and sea (vv. 2, 5, 8) signifying judgment on both. John is then commanded to take the book from the angel's hand, eat it and prophesy (vv. 8-11). The homiletical or applicational point derived from the sermon preparation is, "Digest God's Word, then proclaim it." Following the preparation paradigm as suggested in this paper, the preacher has now almost a full week to digest this point and make personal application. As he daily reflects and prays about this concept, he might choose to listen to a sermon (from his favorite preacher) on evangelism, then look for an opportunity to proclaim Christ's death and resurrection to an unbeliever. The 11 selection to give ear to a sermon will enlarge the pastor's faith because, as Romans 10:17 states, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of God." Moreover, the preacher might choose to be blessed by reading the entire Book of Revelation (Rev. 1:3) and then seek an opportunity to proclaim what he's learned. Also, he may select a portion of Scripture pertaining to missions. He could study, memorize or meditate on its meaning, all while asking the Lord to give him an open door to share that message with another. Imagine the delight of the pastor after he has applied his preaching text and then faithfully stands in the pulpit declaring, "Thus says the Lord." Me-first preaching is a crucial component of sermon preparation. It is not only the model exhibited by Ezra, Jesus, Paul and Timothy, but also is the pattern practiced by modern biblical expositors of God's Word who lead lives of integrity. The above proposed paradigm when practiced will safeguard the modern bearer of glad tidings from being the most reprehensible creature known to the pulpit: the hypocrite. The rewards for adopting a me-first attitude to biblical preaching are plenteous. First, you are succeeding a fellowship of great preachers, such as Jesus and Paul. Also, you become a preacher worthy of imitation, unlike the Pharisees of old. May Jesus never have to say of you what He said about these hypocrites in Matthew 23:3: "So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do." Finally, there is a calm assurance that when you mount the sacred pulpit, you truly know in the depth of your heart you are practicing what you preach. End of fourth article; beginning of fifth article: The Growing Church Communication Gap by Barry Whitlow Seventy percent can no longer relate to how most churches in America communicate their message on Sunday. 12 As a pastor and church leader, I’ve always been sort of a rebel. I look at things not as they are, but as they could be. That’s not an easy path, particularly in the church world where, along with the bad economy, safe often is the understated status quo. One reality in the church world is that 70% of the people living in most American communities now CHOOSE not to get up and go to a church service on Sunday. I’m pretty sure if Batman heard that amazing statistic, he would shout: “Holy church frustration!!” The experts say there are lots of reasons for this stat, but the one that I don’t ever hear is the one that I feel should be at the TOP of the list: There is an ever-growing CHURCH COMMUNICATION GAP. The 70% can no longer relate to how most churches in America communicate their message on Sunday. THEY watch videos (3 billion a day). WE talk to them. THEY love variety. WE do pretty much the exact same thing every Sunday (greet/music/message/music/dismiss/repeat-repeat-repeat-repeat). THEY live to be entertained. WE package the most important message on Earth in a mostly verbal communication in a oneperson sermon. THEY learn from ‘multi’media through the week. WE teach them with lectures and a quick splash of multimedia. THEY want choices. WE remain the same. 13 THEY want God to be relevant to THEIR world. WE want them to be relevant to ours. So what’s it going to take to reach the 70%? Change-change-change, and the RIGHT message communicated in the RIGHT way. End of fifth article; beginning of sixth, a response: How We Addressed Our Growing Connection and Communication Gaps as a Church by Kem Meyer We launched the Table at Granger last fall. Since then, I’ll regularly get emails and voicemails from other churches wondering why we made the choice, how we rolled it out and what’s happened since the launch. Last week, I took some time and answered all the FAQs over on the Table blog. Hope it’s helpful. Part 1: Why did you feel Granger needed its own private social network? What made you pick the Table? How did you get leadership buy-in? Part 2: What kind of response has the Table received at Granger? What’s your favorite feature of the Table so far? Part 3: What do you think are some things that helped your launch be so successful? What kind of roadblocks did you run into post-launch and how did you deal with them? You guys do a ton with Facebook. Is the conversation different on the Table? How so? Part 4: Resources…links to our launch communication plan, teaching clip from launch weekend, welcome video, Table video and landing page. End of sixth and final reading. 14 15
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