Preacher’s Personal Life

Truth Through Personality 4

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Personality Face2Preaching involves a preacher.  It isn’t simply about the message, it is also about the messenger.  And one thing that matters, perhaps more than almost anything else, is that the preacher be a living, breathing, genuine fruit of spirit kind of a Christian.

So far we’ve looked at joy, peace, patience, kindness. . . let’s probe a bit more:

Goodness – Surely there should be an inherent goodness in our speech that reflects well on the Christ whom we claim to represent?  We are surrounded in our culture, and by choice through the media, by all sorts of degraded, obscene and morally bankrupt speech.  If we don’t consciously think about it, we may naturally default to a level that others will find offensive.

I’m not talking about the “easily offended” Pharisees that prowl around some churches looking for anyone active in ministry whom they can devour.  I’m talking about other believers who have chosen to filter the filth that feeds their thoughts and therefore have a cleaner grid through which to hear.  Preaching shouldn’t be a place where a lack of goodness in what is said should ever hinder people from hearing God’s Word proclaimed.

Last week we considered inappropriate ways to grab the attention of listeners.  Any hint of a lack of goodness springing forth from our hearts in our speech may well achieve attention, but not a healthy kind of attention.

Gentleness – There are times when we must forcefully persuade, of course.  But this can be done without discarding this fruit of the character of Christ in our lives.  Paul spoke of the “meekness and gentleness of Christ” in 2Corinthians 10.  Peter spoke of being ready to give an answer for the hope, but don’t forget his follow-up comment that this should be done with both gentleness and respect.  Being too bombastic, too loud, too “in your face,” too confrontational, too abrupt, etc., simply doesn’t help anything.

There certainly have been some feisty characters in the history of the church.  Remember that the fruit of the spirit is not always recorded in the caricatures of selective church history.  Recognize that while some feistier folk have had great impact, history has not recorded the detrimental effect of the many more who left no positive legacy.

Next time we’ll wrap up the list, and perhaps answer the question why I missed one too . . .

Truth Through Personality 3

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Personality Face2This series is built on a simple thesis.  Since preaching involves the communication of biblical truth through the personality of the preacher, it is best if that personality reflect the reality of the fruit of the Spirit.  We’ve considered joy and peace, let’s push further into the list:

Patience – Biblical preaching requires patience.  Yet we live in a culture that thrives on hastiness.  The instantaneous nature of social media, for example, leads to some very disappointing tirades from people who would claim to be representing Jesus.  Solzhenitsyn told Harvard graduates that hastiness is a “psychic disease” of our era.  And lest we just cast stones at the culture around, how easily we get drawn into the same.  We want to see results and we want them now.  But you don’t grow an Oak in a few weeks, Balsa perhaps, but not Oak.

So we must beware of shortcuts.  We may be tempted to manipulate response and enforce compliance.  But this is not a Holy Spirit characteristic in our ministry.  Biblical preaching will yield moments of radical transformation, but these will come in the context of a very steady drip feeding process.  Let the Word shape people and shape a church, and before too long, the evidence will be there.  How long?  Probably a little longer than most of us would prefer.

We also need patience with individuals.  Just as a parent learns that children don’t get things first time, so we need to re-preach truth to the same people over time.  They, like us, will fail and fall short.  Thank God that His patience is so great toward us.

Kindness – Let’s start at a very basic level.  Public kindness begins at the level of civility.  Sadly we have to start there because there are not a few preachers who haven’t yet reached this level.  Building on basic civility, consider how your preaching is an act of kindness toward your listeners.  Do you have a giving heart in your preaching, or a grabbing one?  Are you all about serving them, communicating with them, connecting with them?  Or are you about impressing them, making them see you a certain way, etc.?

Kindness will show in choice of vocabulary, attitude and manner, etc.  As with each of these, we can fake it, but why would we need to?  Kindness should be a growing characteristic both in and out of the pulpit, in our attitude, in our action, and in our speech.

Truth Through Personality 2

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Personality Face2The preacher preaches a message.  The message matters.  So does the preacher.

There has to be a consistency and integrity between the preacher and the good news that is being proclaimed.  The preacher should, even in their demeanour and manner, evidence that the Spirit is at work in their life.  The fruit of the Spirit should, by definition, show.

Joy – A bond is created between listener and speaker when there is a sense that the speaker is enjoying what they are doing.  After all, the list of gifts piles up when we start talking about preaching.  The gift of the learning, the gift of the preaching skill, the gift of the listeners, the gift of the opportunity.  Many gifts should combine with real gratitude to manifest in an attitude marked by joy.

But the joy has to be genuine.  There is something hollow about comedians who act joyful, but everyone knows their private life is in turmoil and they are depressed.  Such an act, even if entertaining, is profoundly sad.  The preacher should not be faking joy.  Rather, there should be a joy in lovingly serving the listeners, and there should be a greater joy in walking with the Lord whom we preach.

Peace – The preaching of the Word should promote relational harmony, the kind of shalom we see all over the Bible.  The enemy would love to undermine this and apparently he has been somewhat successful – churches are known as battlegrounds, instead of places of genuine peace.  The church should not be a venue where people pretend to get along.  Rather, the preaching of the Word should promote the flourishing of genuine relationships.

The preacher’s attitude should convey this fruit of the Spirit.  Preaching is not a place to score points or land blows.  A warlike attitude should not characterize our preaching, no matter what may be going on in a church.  There are times when this will be challenging.  Perhaps only by praying through a situation thoroughly before preaching can we guard against our inner angst coming through.  Maybe that is in line with what Paul was urging in Galatians 5 – walk in step with the Spirit, otherwise we will gratify another set of desires.

If we come across as preachers gripped by a sombre and/or contentious spirit, something is going wrong.

Truth Through Personality

/ Peter Mead / 1 Comment

Personality Face2Phillips Brooks’ was considered one of the great “princes of the pulpit” in the nineteenth century.  Perhaps his most lasting legacy were his Yale lectures on preaching in which he defined preaching as the “communication of truth through personality.”

Brooks was no pulpit performer.  He was a shy man who spoke rapidly, had a stiff delivery style and poor eye contact.  Yet he drew the crowds.  He was meticulous in his study of the biblical text.  He spoke conversationally and had a distinct sincerity and intensity, despite his evident shyness.  He cared about his listeners and developed relational bonds with them.

So he was no pulpit performer.  He wasn’t trying to sanctify his own style of preaching with a definition when in reality he simply wanted to affirm his own personality.  Rather, he was convinced that preaching is a communication act in which a person is involved.

I do wonder whether we all grasp this simple reality.  I am not saying that anyone needs to perform or be something they are not.  What I am saying is that if the personality of the preacher does not offer something of the gospel, then maybe they should reconsider their passion to preach.  That is, you can be shy or extraverted, humourous or serious, loud or quiet, demonstrative or reserved.  Be yourself, however…

However, none of these elements of a preacher’s style are what I am concerned with.  It is those preachers who preach as if only their declaration of truth matters.  They seem not to care if their manner is bombastic, or arrogant, or sarcastic, or sharp-edged, or ungracious, or dour, or harsh.  I believe we should all care.  These are not issues of personal style.  These are issues of personal character.  And if the gospel has not marked our character and personality, why are we stepping into the pulpit to preach the gospel to others?

This week I would like to probe some of these issues of character and personality.  I am not suggesting we perform, that would be bordering on deceitful.  I am suggesting that we have personal and personality integrity.  Where we don’t, we undermine the very message we claim to be called to declare.

Providence and Preaching 4

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This week we have thought about how God’s providence actually works in the lead up to preaching a message.  This isn’t the same as looking for direct revelation to supersede Scripture.  But neither is it the same as living in a personal bubble, oblivious to God’s Spirit at work in the days before preaching.  So we’ve thought about interactions, and pieces of information, and different perspectives.  Here’s another one that may be the most common of all:

Unexpected discouragement may be a great blessing – I’m sure you’ve tasted of this experience.  You are flying high in the approach to a preaching opportunity.  You can’t wait to go give ’em Jesus.  Then discouragement strikes.  Surely it would have been better to preach in the adrenaline of the “in the zone” moments you had the day before, or earlier that morning?  Maybe not.  Why not trust God and take it as a divine invitation to lean more fully on God?

There are almost countless examples of this:

a. Criticism – it can be direct and aimed at your ministry, or it can be disconnected but deflating.  It is not the false size of an inflated ego that makes good preaching, but dependence on Him.

b. Relational Tension – every preacher / parent knows that children are harder work on Sunday morning than any other day of the week, sometimes their other parent is too!  Don’t leave familial tension unresolved to build (sometimes there may only be time for commitment to fix later), but don’t let it wipe you out either.  Prayerfully crawl back to the one who understands why relationship matters so much and can hurt so deeply.  Perhaps anticipate causes of tension in the home and pre-empt a little too!

c. Sickness – it doesn’t take a terminal diagnosis to knock the stuffing out of our zeal to preach.  Colds, sore throats, bugs and ailments.  They do seem to like Saturdays and Sunday mornings!

d. Spiritual Warfare – All of the above, and other things too, can be part of the spiritual battle in which we are engaged.  But again, remember, even a direct attack of the enemy can be, and should be, a blessing.  Our God is greater and our increased lean God-ward should only help our ministry!

Providence and Preaching

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In the past I have repeatedly challenged us to be diligent in grasping the meaning of the text and preaching that message.  What we can make it say is not as good as what God made it say.  Part of this is a high view of Scripture and the need for society to be reached and church to be fed with the Word of God.  At the same time, I have warned of the danger of implying or relying on direct revelation from God.  Many people will drop the Bible as a primary resource in the face of an offer of direct hotline info from above.

But does this mean that God is not involved in the preparation process and in preaching?  Not at all.  Over recent months I have been struck by God’s providence in anticipation of preaching.  Where in the past I might have been flustered or annoyed by something, now I seem to be more sensitive to the possibility of God working all things together for good, even in preaching.

Let me explain, and then we can probe the thought in other related areas:

The unexpected interaction is not a distraction.  In the past I would head toward preaching with an “in the zone” mentality.  As the message drew nearer, I would become more and more focused.  There’s a lot to be said for that.  Not least, prayerfulness is entirely an appropriate feature of pre-preaching days.  But in that “zone” I would sometimes get annoyed (maybe only internally, but still annoyed, nonetheless), at interactions that seemed to confuse my “zoneliness.”

It could be a comment relating to someone who will be at the service.  It could be a query of my view of the forthcoming, or the preceding message.  It could be any number of things.  Careful, don’t knock my “zone-ish-ness!”

But actually, I have grown to see how God has providentially provided help on many occasions through these means.  A sensitivity to a different type of listener.  An awareness of a potential misunderstanding.  An opportunity to be slightly more on target.  An opportunity to connect that little bit more.

I was preaching a series some time ago and after one message I was asked a very direct question.  I might have been annoyed that the person asking didn’t know better, but prayerful consideration prompted me to a clearer understanding and explanation.  I answered the question in the next message.

He thanked me for clarifying.  I should have thanked him.  I thanked God.

Preaching & Application 4

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Part four of this series on application . . .

13. Be servant-hearted, not the model of perfection. It is so easy to come across as if you have already been mastered by and have already mastered the text. It isn’t about understanding. Be better at that every time you preach. But it is about whether you stand with the listeners as one who is also receiving from God’s Word, or are you just a dispenser of instruction, always? The servant-hearted part comes in when we realize our task is to serve others, not to impress them. Look to equip and enthuse, don’t look to show off so they feel obligated to you.

14. Be accountable to the text, not a red phone to heaven. Sometimes preachers come across as having a unique and Moses-like access to God. They seem to have spent the week face to face with the angel of the presence of the Lord, but it doesn’t stir the heart like Moses might have. Somehow it can instead be a bit intimidating. A bit of a spiritual superiority vibe that leaves others feeling spiritually inadequate. Don’t couch everything in terms of direct revelation if you actually prayerfully considered what to say and this felt right. That is very different than the red phone flashing on your desk and Gabriel passing on a direct message. Let your authority come from the Bible well-handled, rather than from an implied super-spirituality that may over-imply in places.

15. Be willing to describe the application. Don’t just preach truths and then leave them hanging in the air for people to grab and apply personally. They won’t. They will affirm you, but they won’t be touched themselves. Instead seek to spell out the difference this biblical truth might make in a life. They will translate that application to their own situation, but only after they see that you are offering more than just a nice spiritual thought.

16. Be specifically descriptive in applications. As you describe what it might look like to live in light of the passage, be specific. What does the truth of the Incarnation mean when I am struggling with my boss’s attitude tomorrow at work? What does it look like to trust God’s providence when everything seems to be conspiring against my marriage? What would be different if the peace of God gripped the ethos of our church with its grapevines and back-biting festivals?

Application & Preaching 2

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Carrying on with more thoughts on application in preaching…

5. Be aware of the specific people to whom you preach. Just because a church is in a neighbourhood, this doesn’t mean the people in the church are typical of the people in the neighbourhood.

6. Be aware of the people whom the church is trying to reach. Here’s where number 5 becomes tricky. You may be preaching to one group of people but trying to reach a quite different group of people. Application is about targetted preaching – aiming vaguely is never wise when trying to hit a target.  So do you preach to those who are present, or to those you’d like them to feel comfortable bringing?  Both is a good idea.  Neither seems ludicrous.

7. Be applicationally authentic. While it is easy to throw stones at post-modernity with all its relativizing of truth and denial of absolutes, let’s not miss the underarm throw that sits up invitingly before us as if to taunt us. This culture craves authenticity. It doesn’t get excited by authority or formalized religion or establishment stuff. But it does crave authenticity. Where else but in the community of God’s saved people can people go to find authenticity? But will they find it with us? Honesty, vulnerability, transparency, authenticity. We need to find a voice that is personally real, rather than offering application at arms length and so coming across as tipsters from a bygone era.

8. Be courageously bold. Paul told the Ephesian elders how he did not hesitate to proclaim the whole counsel of God. Do we? Do we apply the truth of God’s Word to the quirks and distinctive corporate personality of a local church? This takes boldness. You’ll get praise for critiquing the sins of others, but don’t go touching local sin if you want an easy life! At the same time our culture needs a sensitive, yet bold, propheticc voice to speak out. This is where preaching from personal proof texts doesn’t look good. But preaching through books or sections can allow a greater freedom since the agenda is coming from the text.

Application & Preaching

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Our task as preachers is not only to explain, but also to apply the Word. How can we improve as “applicational” preachers?  Let me throw some thoughts your way over the next days.

1. Be responsive to the Word. This means that as you read it, and as you study it, you respond to it. Rightly handling the Word involves work. Some of us are diligent in our exegetical processes, but light when it comes to personal response. Others are quick to respond, but weak on understanding it first.

2. Be convinced by the Word. We live in an age that is increasingly unconvinced by “well, the Bible says so!” Ok, I’ve understated it. Almost nobody is convinced there is a link between Bible and ultimate truth. So we must be increasingly convinced. This isn’t just about accurate handling of the text, with well-infomed awareness of historical, archeological and cultural backgrounds. It is also about living a life marked and shaped by the Word. It isn’t just explanation that must convince us, also lived application.

3. Be aware of the world. We don’t need to feast on sin to know how it tastes. But we can’t hide in religious ghettos and simply throw stones at the world around. Loving people means knowing people. It means finding out what makes them tick. Do we understand the shifts in thinking and communication between modern and post-modern worldviews? Do we know the difference between the modern Boomers, the hinge generation – Gen-X (who were raised modern but live in post-modern world), and the truly post-modern Millennials? Do we think through the shifts in communication, how in an electronic and virtual reality world there is a shift away from printed page communication, almost back toward an oral world, only now with overwhelming noise hitting both eye and ear?

4. Be in touch with your local context. Churches aren’t simply islands in the large ocean of contemporary culture. They sit in local contexts. Some urban, others suburban, still others very rural. These are all different. Local contexts are regional, with all the prejudices and blind spots that come within a region. People in an area tend to have similarities, perhaps in education, perhaps in outlook. Don’t go preaching urban sophisticated application in depressed rural regions.