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Preaching Controversial Theological Issues – Part 2

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Yesterday I began this post on how to preach a passage that may tread on some toes.  Sometimes there are informed members of the congregation who hold a particular position theologically.  Often there are relatively uninformed members of the congregation who hold a particular position tenaciously.  What should we do when we have to preach a passage that might stir disunity in the church?  Perhaps a passage touching on predestination, eternal security, eschatology, or a particular branch of Christian theology?  We should evaluate the choice of passage, preach the passage and preach wisely.  Furthermore:

Recognize, but don’t overqualify. It is often appropriate to recognize that there are different opinions on an issue that comes up in the text.  By recognizing it we assure people that we are not preaching unaware.  But don’t overqualify every statement and end up sounding like a politician who is saying a lot, but basically avoiding saying anything bad.

Watch your tone. It is important to choose words wisely, but don’t forget your tone.  Model a gracious spirit, never take cheap shots, demonstrate an attitude of harmony.  Make sure you are not using the opportunity and platform to win some points in a theological sparring match.  Fully pray through the situation ahead of time, not only in reference to the message, but also in reference to your relationship with key individuals in the church.

If appropriate, overtly teach theology. If you have the authority to do so, the situation requires it, you have prayed at length, etc., then it may be appropriate to ignore what I have written here and preach blatant theology (apart from watching your tone – always appropriate!)  Generally I would save this for the genuinely central issues – deity of Christ, salvation by grace/faith alone , the inspiration of the Bible, the trinitarian nature of Christianity.  The issues listed at the start of yesterday’s post are important, but not as central as these.

Preaching Controversial Theological Issues – Part 1

/ Peter Mead / 1 Comment

In different church settings there are different theological issues.  The kind of issues that may polarize a group of believers, or at least some within the group.  It may be the Calvinism/Arminian debate.  It may be some aspect of eternal security.  Or perhaps differing positions on the millennium.  Maybe there are both dispensational and covenantal proponents present.  Or conservatives and charismatics.  There are many such issues that see Christians diverge from each other.  What do you do when you are preaching a passage that could spark division among those listening?

Know your listeners. As best you can, know the people to whom you are preaching.  If you are a visiting speaker and consequently don’t know them so well, let that be a red flag before you wade into some theological controversy.

Evaluate the choice of passage. It is not automatically wrong to preach a potentially controversial passage, but it is worth thinking it through.  If you are preaching a stand-alone message, perhaps it would be better to preach another passage.  But if it is part of a series, do not avoid the tough passages.  People need to ear the whole counsel, including the parts that may make them uncomfortable . . . but it is fair to say that it is worth evaluating whether you, the passage and this particular occasion are a good combination for this to occur.  If it seems appropriate to preach the passage, then:

Preach the passage. If we preach the passage before us, we remain on relatively safe ground.  It is once we start adding theological labels and make a presentation of a position that we veer off into a mine field.  If you preach the passage and say what it says, then people can see it for themselves and are less likely to become contentious.

Preach wisely. Even sticking in the passage does not guarantee unity.  Be wise in your choice of words.  There may be a whole string of possible words to state a point in your particular passage, but some will definitely ignite a reaction, others might be just too much, others are safe.  Again, sticking with the terms of the text is usually better than importing terms from theological tomes (for various reasons).  We are not afraid of theology, but sometimes it is wiser to do theology without people realizing it.

Tomorrow I will complete this post with three more suggestions.  Feel free to comment now or after the next post.

Buy a Stained Glass Window

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There is always a danger for preachers preparing to preach.  It is easy to slip into a pragmatic mode of studying a text to find a main idea and develop a message.  All very accurate, very professional, but having lost touch of the reality of what is going on.  As we spend time in God’s Word we are listening to God, preparing to speak of God to a needy group of people.  We are preparing to proclaim God’s truth as an act of love and praise.

Michael Pasquarello III, writes in his book, Christian Preaching: A Trinitarian Theology of Proclamation, that he moved his preaching classes from a seminar room to the seminary chapel.  His goal was to change the ethos in order to change the students’ mindset and approach to the preaching process.  His goal is not just accurate preaching, but “doxological speech from the canon of Holy Scripture that creates the faith, life and witness of the church, which is the work of Christ and the Spirit.”

In the past I have found it very helpful to prepare at least some of the time, in the church where I would preach the message.  This isn’t practical for all of us.  So perhaps it’s time to buy a stained glass window for our study?  What have you found helpful to stimulate the reverence and spirituality of this highly spiritual process?

Vague Preaching Ideas

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When you study a chunk of biblical text, you are looking to state the idea of that chunk.  The idea encapsulates, condenses, summarizes and usually abstracts from the details present.  In terms of the hermeneutical process, we sometimes refer to the stage of principlization (coming between interpretation and application).  The reason for deriving the principle from the passage is to allow for an application of that principle in another setting, namely our setting today.

The first part of the study process involves understanding the author’s idea to the best of our ability.  It is all “back then” in focus.  The statement of the author’s idea will initially be historically specific.  In order for that idea to cross over the divide between then and now, the idea will need to become slightly more abstract.  For instance, “Israel” might become “God’s people,” and so on.  The challenge in this process, however, is not to go too far.  There has to be a limit to how much abstraction takes place in the move from interpretation to application.

Here’s the test I use of my own study and preaching, and the test I use when evaluating student sermons.  Does the end result remain sufficiently specific that it can be reasonably and directly tied in to the passage in question?  To put it another way, if I only hear the idea, is there a reasonable chance that I could identify the passage (presuming I know the Bible well enough)?  If not, if the idea is so vague that it could come from any number of passages, then it is too vague.  You’ve gone too far up the abstraction ladder.

Use this test of your last main idea, and your next one.  Is it really the idea of the passage (with all its details feeding into it), or is it merely a vague statement of biblical truth?

Minds Full of Questions

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Another variation on what I wrote yesterday.  People have questions.  But when do they get answers?  Perhaps perplexing Biblical questions are a good set up for a series of messages.  However, there are many questions people have that can be answered in a few minutes.  Consider having a panel Q&A, or a pastor Q&A, now and then.  It could be after a series on a subject, or it could be open to whatever people are thinking about.

I’ve been involved in these type of formats several times.  It always seems profitable.  Recognize and acknowledge that you may not have a good answer for some questions, but that you will try to direct people to the help they need.  Remember that it is usually better to sort and compile the questions ahead of time.

We preach and hopefully stir questions.  Consider whether it might be a helpful and potentially enjoyable church activity to take questions periodically.  The answers help people.  Seeing that you don’t have all the answers will help people.  Showing people how to approach the answering of such questions will help people most of all.

Congregational Calendar Input

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When planning a preaching calendar, don’t forget a key resource – your target audience.  I heard of one pastor who would ask his congregation for passages or doctrines they found hard to understand, then would schedule a series responding to those subjects the following summer.  The advantages included that people felt their needs were taken seriously, they attended purposefully in the summer (rather than slacking in attendance), and it forced the preacher to go where he might naturally steer clear.

It’s an intriguing idea.  Have you ever done something similar?  How did it go?

Preaching Psychologically Prepared

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I don’t want to stir up a reaction against the word psychology.  What I mean is that your emotional state as a preacher can and will color your message.  Before you preach, take time to process any tension in any relationships, any frustrations with how your week has gone, any worries about what lies ahead, anything that might color your ministry.  A bad mood will subtly alter your delivery and energy.  A fearful heart will undermine your presentation.

It can only be a good habit to take time before preaching and pray.  Pray for the message.  Pray for the people.  But pray also for you.  Cast all your cares on Him, because He cares for you.  Cast them one by one specifically.  Express your heart to the One who knows you and loves you.  Process before you preach.  Preach prayerfully prepared.  Your soul/spirit/mind/mood/emotions, etc. will all influence your preaching, so be sure to bring it all under God’s influence first.

And if you have a headache, take a painkiller too!

Invest Some Time to Save Hours

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Perhaps you are in charge of the preaching calendar.  Perhaps you are not, but sometimes get called on to preach.  Either way, it is worth investing time ahead of time to plan out some preaching plans.  Considering the needs of the people and how those might best be addressed from the Bible is an exercise well worth the effort and prayer you’ll put in.  Equally, listing out a set of sermons that you would like to prepare and preach is worth it even if you are only an occasional preacher.

Consider the alternative.  Without a preaching calendar you’ll find that Monday brings an impending sense of pressure.  Without a list of future sermons, an invitation to preach brings a tightness to the chest.  So many preachers waste so much time stressing about what they should preach next.  That time could better be invested in the next message’s preparation.  Whether you are picking a text or preparing to preach that text, you should be leaning on the Holy Spirit – so surely it is better to be preparing the message?  Whether you plan a year out or a week out, either way you should be relying on the Spirit of God to help you.

So don’t act like those hours of stress is a spiritual approach to an otherwise cold and professional approach.  Instead prayerfully plan ahead, thereby giving the Spirit more time to help you be ready when that Sunday finally arrives.  You can always change plans closer to the time, but changing plans is different than having no plans and all the stress that comes with it!

Preaching Where Preaching Is Undervalued

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I received an email from a friend who feels alone in his passion for preaching.  Others don’t see preaching as a significant life-changing ministry.  Consequently the preaching that results is often content-heavy, but application-light, and regularly communication-ineffective.  The tedium of dull preaching continues, or worse, the random ramblings of unprepared preaching.  Just this morning I spoke with a couple who have moved into a new area (and country), and the husband has given up translating some of the sermons they’ve heard in churches because they actually made no sense.  Not unusual.

Why is true biblical preaching so undervalued by so many? It seems clear that many place no value on preaching, even though they may be preachers themselves, because they have not experienced the power and relevance of effective expository preaching.  I look back with gratitude to the stand-out examples I heard as a young man that so marked me, I have never contemplated the idea that expository preaching is worthless.  The mark of men like Joseph Stowell who preached at an event I attended years ago is a mark still evident in my own ministry passion.  Homiletics is not an elective in the ministry training curriculum, it is really the pinnacle.

So what can we do when others don’t get it? We have to recognize we can’t force conviction into peoples’ hearts.  It is something caught, not just taught.  We should strive to preach to the very best of our ability and training, hoping in some way to give a small taste of what expository preaching can be like.  We should seek to be enthusiastic grace-givers, rather than critical enemies of the pulpit, when others fall short of what we would prefer.  We should look for ways to share good preaching and good books with those that preach.  There is so much available online now, so perhaps you can find excellence and carefully share it.  Perhaps you can even fund a local Bible school so they can add a homiletics expert, rather than having the typical situation where preaching is taught by either a practitioner unsure of how to teach the subject, or an expert in another field who “covers” for the lack of a preaching prof.  Ok, maybe funding a Bible School faculty position is a bit much, but we must all do what we can.

Recognize that the value people place on something is a heart issue.  It can’t be forced.  But it can be contagiously spread.  Again, let’s be promoters and examples of true biblical preaching – spiritual, accurate, effective and relevant.  What else would you say to someone feeling alone in their commitment to expository preaching?

Planning a Gospel Series – Four More Suggestions

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Here are four more suggestions for planning a gospel series:

Decide how many messages the series will last, then select accordingly. You might only deal with a part of the gospel (such as the Upper Room Discourse).  You might select exemplary units that point to the flow in which they sit (such as Luke 19:1-10 with reference to the preceding flow of stories).  You might choose to preach larger chunks in order to cover the whole text in some way. 

Commit to learning the theology and terminology of whichever gospel writer you are preaching. Try to preach John in John’s terms and emphasizing John’s theology.  Luke has his own distinctive set of vocabulary.  Mark has his own style.  Try to let the details of the messages reflect the book from which they are taken. 

Preach the gospel you are in, not all four. Use cross-checks in a gospel harmony only to make sure you see what is emphasized in your focus gospel, and to make sure you don’t preach historical inaccuracy.  Avoid the temptation to preach the event rather than the text (the latter is inspired).

Try to plan the series to consistently reflect the uniqueness of the gospel. For instance, Matthew alternates between discourse and narrative sections – you might alternate messages from these sections (samples from within the two or three chapter chunks, or overview messages of those sections).

What other suggestions would you make for the effective planning of a gospel series?