How to . . . ?

The Struggle to Simplify

/ Peter Mead / Leave a comment

Thank you to Matthew for this comment – I found your blog through the Church Leaders post you did on the 11 Types of Preachers. I find that I am in the “Professor Preacher” type and have been at a loss for some general principles to help simplify and bring clarity to my preaching. It is hard to remove pieces and connections that seem to grip me in the study. Help!

I am glad to see I am not the only one!  It is so hard to be gripped in the study, but then slim down the content in the message.  For one thing, nobody wants to come across as simplistic or uninformed.  More than that, the complex layers of interdependent history and texts makes a matrix of information that is fascinating for the student of biblical history.  But the challenge remains – we don’t want to overload listeners with good information that will keep them from feeling the impact of the text we are preaching.

Here are a few pointers for myself, Matthew and any other “Bible-history-oholics” that might be listening in.  My thoughts are slightly on the background issues as I am working on a message from Jonah and was in that phase, but will turn my thoughts to other aspects of co-textual complexity, perhaps tomorrow!)

1. We should never cut down our understanding of the complexity in order to preach simply.  This will only result in simplistic explanation and errors on our part.  This won’t help people.  We have to go the more difficult route of informed simplicity, rather than uninformed simplicity, if we are to handle the Bible well.

2. We need to make sure we allow time for clarification of information, not just accumulation.  It is so easy to steal time from prayerful consideration of listeners, from sermon formation, from family and even from sleep, when we have the scent of a good trail in biblical history and context.  There is seemingly no end to connections and facts and insights and maps and cross-references, etc.  We have to impose an end for the sake of everything else.

3. We must pause and consider the key threads of detail.  That is, stopping and thinking through this question – “If I only had a couple of minutes to explain the background and context of this passage, to someone who is neither super-informed, nor longing for me to impress them, what would I include?”  Later, in light of the main idea of the message, as the message is formed, we need to do this again (lest our historical background comments take the entire time and turn the sermon into a Bible school lecture!)  We do the same in sharpening the main idea itself, as well as the message shape.  It takes much more work to preach clear, than to be complex!

Tomorrow, let’s add some more thoughts related to this quest.

Clarity of Source

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This seems so obvious, but I wonder if some preachers are self-deceived.  We need to preach the message of the text we are preaching.  This is not the same as preaching a message that only has points of connection with the text we claim to be preaching.  That is, reading a text and preaching a message that isn’t really the message of that text, simply isn’t acceptable.  But it is common.

As people look at the passage in the Bibles sitting on their laps, can they see how your message comes specifically from that text?

If people cannot see how we get our message from the text we are preaching, one of three things can happen.

Possibility number one is that they will be impressed and so want more of us, rather than more of the Bible.  They might be impressed because we can find things they would never have seen.  They might think we have special knowledge, or a direct hotline to God for new revelation.  They might even think we have a grasp of the Greek that far exceeds that of the entire translation committee for their Bible version!

Possibility number two is that they will feel intimidated and so not pursue Bible study for themselves, since they have no expectation of being able to get something so good out of the passage.  Might as well wait until next week.  Why bother trying in the meantime when all it takes is a bit of patience?

Possibility number three is that they will subconsciously lose trust in the Bible and begin to trust in the system we force on the text.  After all, the person they are looking to for spiritual leadership shows no real confidence in the Bible.  If he uses it as nothing more than a tool for preaching, then why should they submit to it in their lives?

If they can’t see how we get our message from the text, one of three things can happen, and all of them are bad.

Details and Clarity

/ Peter Mead / 2 Comments

This week I am reworking old posts as I transfer my family back across the ocean.  Here’s one on details.

Preparation and presentation are not the same thing.  For example, consider the issue of details in the preaching text.  In one sense every text is made up of details.  Nouns, verbs, adjectives, participles, grammatical constructions, quotations, allusions, etc.  It can be a narrative, a speech, a letter, an exhortation, a poem, a wisdom saying, or whatever.  Every text is made up of lots of details.

In preparation we begin with an interest in every detail.  It is important to see and interpret every element of a text.  It is often helpful to note what is not present too.  As diligent exegetes we consider every detail important enough to study and interpret in its context.  We continually move back and forth between analysis and synthesis, between details and big picture.  However, during the course of the study process, some details will be seen as more critical to a solid understanding of the text.  Every detail matters, but not every detail is equal.  The goal in preparation is, in part, to find clarity in our understanding of how all the details are working together.

In presentation we are limited by time and motivated by purpose.  Our purpose in preaching is not to present every avenue of inquiry that we have pursued at our desk.  Our purpose in preaching is not to download (or dump!) all of our acquired knowledge to our listeners.  Our purpose is tied to our main preaching idea and its application.  So we carefully cut unnecessary explanation of details that do not drive forward the main idea and purpose of the message.  It takes cutting to achieve a preached clarity.

In the study, diligently analyze the details.  In the sermon, remember that some details need no more than a passing comment, others just a careful presentation in the reading.  However, some details are critical and central, calling on us to highlight them and clarify their significance to our listeners.  We don’t want to lose the forest for the trees, but in order to enjoy the forest fully, some trees have to be highlighted.  Details.  They all matter, but they are not created equal.

Preparing to Preach OT Narrative – 4

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So I am preparing to preach Ruth.  I know that all preachers are tempted to overcome the perceived lack of relevance by multiplying applications from the details of the story.  Yesterday I suggested that the details are there for the sake of the plot, rather than as automatic teaching points. But there is more to be said on this matter of applying the text.

Furthermore, (2) I have to remember that narratives were not given to us merely to instruct our conduct.  It is not just conduct that matters in facing the horrors life can throw at us (Ruth 1), it is also truths applied at the level of personal belief, and even affection.  Ruth didn’t cling to Naomi, and give up everything to go with her, based on knowledge of “the right things to do in this situation.”  She did it all because of the God that had gripped her heart.

I don’t want my listeners to have lists of behavioural applications, but untouched hearts.  That would make a mockery of the force of Ruth.  Relevance doesn’t have to be just a to-do list.  Relevance is more to do with the impact of the text on the heart of the listener so that they leave the service as a changed person.

Finally (although not definitively), (3) I need to recognize that the relevance in the text is not on a merely human level.  It is tempting to look at people interacting with people and consider applications that can come straight over into our seen world.  But all biblical narratives are about the seen intersecting with the unseen.  There is a God alive and yet often not seen.  The narrative is about lives lived under the constant question of trust or non-trust in the Word of God.  If my listeners finish with great insight into an ancient narrative, but without a greater sense of God (both then and now), then I have failed to be truly relevant.

Tomorrow I’ll ponder another practical issue in preparation…

Preaching the Person in the Old Testament

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The Old Testament reveals the same God as the New Testament. Sometimes the focus is on the Father, sometimes even the Spirit. Let’s be sure to preach the triune God of the Bible as clearly and effectively as possible.

Now what about preaching Christ in the Old Testament? This is an important subject. I think there are many ways to preach Christ in the Old Testament. But not as many ways as some seem to think.

1. Christophanies – Ok, don’t worry about the technical term, but when we see the LORD walking on two legs, what we have is a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. I think Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration knew Christ not simply because he’d been with the Lord after death, but because they had met face to face in the tent of meeting. Others encountered the LORD in similar ways. Abraham, Jacob, Manoah, Isaiah, and others.

2. Explicit predictions – There is a lot of prediction in the Old Testament from the very beginning. The seed of the woman, right the way down the line to the great promise to David, and so many generations in between. When we preach the Old Testament we should be stirring our listeners to anticipate the One who has already come! The already come-ness of Jesus should not dull our delight at the divine plan as seen in the Old Testament.

Tomorrow I will complete this list, and offer one way that we should be wary of preaching the personal God in the Old Testament.

Planks and Slices 2 – Preaching Plank Grains

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Yesterday I introduced the idea of tracing a grain through the length of a Bible book. Today I’d like to offer a few more thoughts before moving on to the bigger idea of tracing themes beyond the borders of a single book.

1. “Knowing tones” don’t do the job of preaching the richness of the Bible. It is easy to preach through a book and emphasize certain terms with knowing looks, vocal emphases and passing remarks. This doesn’t mean that you are doing anything significant. People may not get the point that unity has emerged again in Philippians 4 after taking a back seat in chapter 3, just because you intonate in some way. They haven’t been soaked in the text as you have…

2. Be overt in highlighting some grains if it is helpful to the listeners. Not only should we be overt to help people spot it, but we need to be clear in explaining what we are referring to. We can’t assume listeners have picked up on something subtle. If we make only a subtle nod toward a theme, then we can’t rely on that nod to carry the sermon forward significantly.

3. Be clear in explaining how a thematic grain is worth noting. Most people aren’t collecting biblical trivia as they listen to us preach. Some love that kind of stuff, but most tend to value things based on their perceived value. We need to be clear how the theme is present and what the writer is doing with it.

4. Preaching thematically doesn’t negate the need for deliberate message unity and purposefulness. It may be tempting to see thematic grains as something that is overlooked by preaching textual slices, and therefore a shortcut to preaching “something new” . . . this is not the goal. We need to preach clear, biblical, relevant and engaging messages. Help people see the grains, but do so with a purpose in line with the purpose of the text itself.

5. Beware of repetitious overload in a series. We need to repeat things in preaching, but beware that a shorthand reference to a theme can creep in, especially in a series. The negative here is that some may not understand the knowing tones and passing asides, while others who have heard about it before may not be finding the rediscovery of a theme as a wonderful delight. Be sure that each sermon preaches effectively, and that the whole effect of the series is sensitizing rather than dulling to listeners. Let the main thought of a passage drive the message. Sometimes this means that a theme may recede in a particular message, even if present in the text.

Tomorrow I’ll start to ponder canon-wide thematic grain issues.  What would you add here?

Planks and Slices

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If you take a log, there are various ways to cut it. It doesn’t take much skill to hack at it and get it into chunks. But a skilled woodcutter can produce a beautiful slice showing all the rings. Or, they can produce a long plank of wood that reveals some of the grains working their way through the entire log.

Typically sermons are like slices. We take a unit of thought and seek to bring its impact into the lives of those listening. But there are times when we should be working with planks, and specifically, with tracing a grain or two through the whole book or Bible. Let’s probe issues of producing planks for the pulpit!

Today let’s think about working with a single book. Here are some thoughts:

1. Every book has grains working through it, and the best way to find them is to spend a lot of time in the book. Seems obvious, but if we preach after only spending time in a slice, we will miss the grains that are present. Be sure to read whole books multiple times.

2. Some grains will be more pronounced than others. It isn’t a competition between grains, but we should be alert to those that are real building blocks for a book. It would be a shame to spot the eschatological hope theme in Romans, but miss issues of justification, righteousness and faithfulness. In Mark a lot of comments go to the “immediately” and the “secret” themes, but we mustn’t miss the question of who is Jesus, or the issue of the cross.

3. Some grains will be located in a section, others will traverse the entire book. The theme of the eschatological city in Hebrews 10-13 is massively important for that section of the book, but it might not register in the earlier two-thirds. However the motif of forward momentum does carry the reader through the whole sermon to the Hebrews.

4. It won’t be possible to have every grain have impact in a sermon, so select carefully. For instance, in John’s gospel, themes abound including belief, glory, light/dark, world, truth, I am, the Spirit, abiding in, etc. To preach with all possible grains highlighted in any section will probably overwhelm listeners.

5. Tracing the grain can bring great variety to a series. Instead of just chopping a book into chunks, why not introduce and conclude with an overview that traces a particular grain through the whole. It will bring out a whole new dimension for people.

I’m pondering table fellowship in Luke, but also pondering how to not overwhelm with a theme that pops up in almost every chapter.

The Personality of the Preacher 4

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Last few in the list:

8. The Power Preacher – This person likes to be in charge, they naturally lead groups they find themselves in, and they always look for ways to influence others.  Preaching can be a bit of a no-brainer role for them in some settings.  Now there are massive connections between preaching and leading.  But there are also massive connections between our content and a non-worldly servant leadership model of the inverted pyramid.  This preacher will be able to communicate vision and may have people naturally respond to them.

But it is important to have people respond to the Bible, rather than just to the preacher.  Perhaps every personality type would do well to check their motives for preaching, but perhaps this type should do so quicker and more thoroughly than some others.

9. The Performer Preacher – Typically people-oriented, very extrovert and fun-loving.  Naturally enthusiastic and potentially highly engaging.  They like to be the center of attention in social situations.  This person will bring energy into the preaching moment.  They will bring enthusiasm and joy.  They will bring more emotion than some personality types could dream of expressing.  Some visitors will feel enthused, some regulars will excuse and enjoy.

However, this personality type needs to know that their personality will aggravate some others.  The energy will grate.  The emotion will be considered a false front.  The hype will be seen as a poor attempt to hide a lack of content.  This personality type can be perfect for some situations.  In every situation there needs to be care for content to come in the package of energetic delivery, otherwise the naysayers will be proven right.

10.  The Inspirer Preacher – Another natural communicator, with a natural ability to engagingly explain and apply biblical truth with intensity.  This person will be seen as a good preacher by others, whether or not the content is as profound as they give the impression that it is.  However, sometimes the intensity may seem to come with the public speaking, rather than from the power of the content.  This personality type needs to channel the same energy into their study as they naturally produce in their delivery.  They probably need to understand that some personality types will struggle to maintain the level of inspired intensity while listening to them!

11. The Visionary Preacher – Intellectually quick, they see a preferred future in most situations, and are able to communicate that sensitively and powerfully.  They may have energy for creative planning, but lack energy for maintaining the important routines in personal life and church life.  People in churches without clear vision and direction can feel starved of leadership.  This type of preacher can be a real blessing to such a church.

However, not every visionary statement can be followed through on by all listening.  This personality needs to be sure to affirm and to support and to encourage the present activities and routines, where appropriate, rather than only seeing the better future and continually presenting that.  People appreciate direction and vision, but they don’t do well being constantly critiqued and evaluated negatively.

I have deliberately avoided 16 types, for obvious reasons.  There could be many more than the 11 I’ve listed.  What would you add?  Perhaps more importantly, what are some of the features of your personality and how do they influence your preaching?

The Personality of the Preacher 3

/ Peter Mead / Leave a comment

Here are some more musings on the multi-faceted complexity of our inner world.  How does your personality mark your preaching?

5. The Writing Preacher – A clear thinking and able wordsmith who can write with considerable natural talent.  They can’t imagine living in a non-literary age, nor living without books.  There are obvious pros and cons here too.  Preaching is also communicating, and being able to think through to a point of clarity is a key skill.  However, writing and speaking are very different communication forms.  Clear writing can lose listeners.  All of us need to learn to write messages in spoken English, rather than written English.  Alternatively, we need to not write our messages at all, but to plan them as spoken events.  That thought would set off some personalities, and not just the lovers of writing!

6. The Professor Preacher – This person loves and retains information.  They read, they memorize, they analyse, they store tons of biblical, theological and historical data.  What an advantage for preaching.  The ability to make links with other texts, to hold it all together in the mind, and to draw it all in from various sources without having to chase things from scratch.

But there is a downside.  Relevance might get lost.  Preaching is not a data dump.  Listeners may struggle to follow apparently tenuous connections, or just get tired of information overload.  The person with this tendency as a preacher will need to learn to cut and edit maliciously.  Most struggle to simplify messages enough.  This personality type will struggle more than most.  Listeners also would probably like to know the preacher beyond the obvious ability to handle and connect information.

7. The People Person Preacher – Great people skills are worth so much, and so complex to have to learn, but nice for those who are naturals!  Ability to connect, to interact, to feel comfortable, to tell stories, to be vulnerable, etc.  While a lot of preachers may be more introverted, the advantages of focused solo study can be balanced by difficulties in communication (or more commonly, in post preaching interaction).  The people person preacher can stand up and say the alphabet in a way that makes people feel warm and connected.  And hence both pro and con.

Tomorrow we’ll finish the series, but perhaps only start our ponderings!

The Personality of the Preacher

/ Peter Mead / 5 Comments

The fourth world.  That’s what Haddon Robinson called it.  He took John Stott’s two worlds of preaching – the world of the Bible and the world of the contemporary listener’s culture, and he added two more.  First the specific culture of the local congregation (which may differ sharply from the contemporary culture in general).  Then the fourth world – the inner world of the preacher.  We have to understand all four worlds to preach effectively.

I’d like to probe that fourth world in respect to personality types.  Now I know these are controversial.  There are those in favour, and those against.  There are advocates for this taxonomy and those pushing for another.  Some oppose them altogether.  Some people refuse to be labelled (perhaps a personality thing), others love it (ditto).  I’ll let you chase the type tests and theoretical discussions elsewhere.  I’m going to try to avoid an exhaustive taxonomy of personality types, and instead probe various possible features with a focus on preaching.

Before we dive into this non-exhaustive interaction with some aspects of personality types, let’s be clear on the premise.  If you are a preacher, you preach.  As much as I understand the spirit behind the prayer, “Lord, let me be invisible today, let us all only see you!”, the reality is that people will see you.  And you will show in your preaching in more ways than just your physical presence.  Your personality will be a grid through which the message passes multiple times in preparation and delivery.

So let’s jump in:

1. The Dutiful Preacher – Some personalities are strong on issues of duty.  They are serious and diligent, responsible and dependable.  They tend to promote tradition, work hard and work steadily.  I imagine that this type of person will be sure to follow a preparation process carefully (and as a teacher of preaching, I feel encouraged that someone might!)  The hours needed for good preaching preparation will probably be found by this personality when others somehow won’t be able to find the same!

I feel like I spend a lot of time affirming preparation on this site, but the picture is not all rosy here.  There may be a tendency to look for duty and to prioritise the presentation of duty.  Perhaps the motivation will be assumed in others.  Energy may be poured into what should be done, without focus on why, or understanding of why some seem to be, well, irresponsible.  When the gospel sweeps through the hearts of a community, it will change that community for the good.  But there is always a danger, for many personalities, to assume that community good is the goal, and to short-cut directly there.  Changing hearts cannot be by-passed.