Over the last couple of days I have written about the preacher’s fear of disengaged listeners.  Yesterday I began to respond to the critique of those who might suggest the responsibility is that of the listener to “do the duty” and “have the discipline” to listen to God’s Word preached.  My first response to that is somewhat pragmatic (“maybe that’s true, but if people struggle to listen, then why not do everything legitimate to help?”) and hopefully very pastoral (“my love for the listeners drives me to be as engaging as possible”).

Let me offer two more thoughts on this matter:

A. While “responsibility” may not be the best word for it, the issue of responsibility is not black and white.  Whose responsibility is it that the sermon be heard?  The listener’s?  The preacher’s?  God’s?  I suppose the answer is … yes.  On the one side, if a listener is disengaged during a sermon, the first place to look for cause may well be the heart of the listener.  (I’m tempted to say that if too many listeners are disengaged during a sermon then maybe we should look at the preacher, but that would distract me from my point here!)  On the other side, if a flock does not exhibit greater maturity over time, then it does not seem inappropriate to look at the shepherding that flock has received over time.  That is to say, the “responsibility” seems to land on both sides.  And at the same time we must know that unless God builds the house, or transforms the lives, then we labour in vain.

B. I don’t see any reason for preachers to abdicate their responsibility, as long as they pursue their ministry in total dependence on God.  That is to say, I am responsible to handle the Bible well.  I can’t preach error from the text and simply state that it is up to God to transform lives.  I am responsible to preach a clear message.  I can’t preach confusion and simply state that it is up to the listeners to sort through it (or point to one or two people who thank me afterward and therefore assert that God’s hand is on my ministry).  I am responsible to preach relevantly.  I can’t simply preach historical and distant content and finish by suggesting that the Spirit will apply to our hearts the truths we have seen in His Word.  I am responsible to speak engagingly.  I can’t simply blame listeners for not listening, or claim divine sanction to be as poor a communicator as possible so that God can get the glory.

Is God at work and am I totally dependent on Him in order for anything good to transpire?  Yes.  “Apart from me you can do nothing.”  Is it the state of the listener’s heart that will influence how they hear?  Yes.  But at the same time do I have a stewardship in this ministry that behooves me to prayerfully and by faith do the best that I can?  I would say so.