Religion

Speech: More Than Pragmatic

/ Peter Mead / 4 Comments

I wonder if some of us are missing something deeply significant?  Preaching involves spoken communication, but what is that spoken communication?  Is it a tool we use to transfer the information that we need to get across?  Or is it profoundly more than that?

I’ve heard preachers who preach as if their speaking is about the information transfer, but little more.  So that sense of personal detachment, or coldness, or distance . . . is that just a matter of poor delivery, or is there something more going on?

What I want to scratch the surface of is the nature of speech itself.  Here are some quick thoughts on why speech itself is more than a pragmatic tool:

1. The Bible doesn’t treat human speech as just a tool.  There is a massive emphasis on hearing God’s Word.  Our response to what we hear defines us.  Our integrity of action to what we confess is critical.  The tongue is a powerful organ in the body.

2. The Bible is a story of “did God say?”  The serpent offered humanity an autonomous alternative to trusting dependence on God.  We can be our own gods.  Why would we want that?  Because of a distrust in God’s spoken word, which is a distrust of His gracious character.  Ever since then the hiss of the lie has been an ever-present.  And the question has always been, who will trust the word of God’s promise?

3. The Bible presents us with a God who speaks.  Why don’t we see more from heaven?  We can’t fathom that perhaps our eyes are not the senior sense.  We fell by distrust of speech, we are invited to trust based on God’s Word (and He even made His Word visible to us in a Person!)  But this isn’t some pragmatic condescension of God for our sake, He is eternally a speaking God.  What constitutes the reality of the Trinity?  We would do well to let go a little of a metaphysical conversation of substance, and ponder more the biblical revelation of a God in eternal communion.

4. The Bible seems to see speech as central to what it is to be a person.  Now we’re probing a bit more.  For centuries we’ve been caught up in the idea of personhood as being about rationality, will-power and individualism.  We’ve seen it as an issue of separation, of hierarchy, of a will to power.  What if what we are is not best defined by our CV/resume (skills, capacities, education, even references from the most impressive people we know)?  What if what we are is defined by who we have true relationship with?  We inherently sense that reality, but our world denies it.  And what if relationship is, at its core, a matter of speaking and hearing, of a mutual indwelling through communication?

Okay, enough for today, but here’s the thought I’m nudging us toward.  What if preaching is profoundly more about speech than we’ve ever realised?  Our God is a God who speaks.  A God who has spoken.  And at the centre of Christianity is our heart response to what He says?

Preacher, Be Amateur!

/ Peter Mead / 1 Comment

Never a fan of amateurishness in anything related to church ministry, I think we have to be amateur when it comes to preaching.  What am I saying?  Simple – if preaching is not done for the right love, it will be done for the wrong love, but love will drive our preaching.

Love for me is never good.  That is to say, preaching for the love of position, love of status, love of kudos, love of attention, love of affirmation, love of power, love of paycheck, love of significance, etc…all of this is sanctified incurvedness – which is not sanctified at all, it is sin.

Love for God is the right kind of love.  We love because He first loved us.  Our preaching should spring from the response of our hearts and lives to God.  Our love for Him should stir us to give of our best in order to please Him.  What the pulpit desperately needs is not skilled orators, no matter how great the content.  What it needs is true divines – those who know God personally, closely, intimately.

Love for listeners is entirely appropriate.  We become like whoever we love and worship.  So our love for Him should result in an increasing sharing of His values, including a love for the listeners.  That love should drive us not only to study His Word, but to seek to offer it to others for their good.  And we will do so not in a cold and detached professionalism, but in a warm-hearted, God-representing loving approach to ministry.

Love for the Word of God surely fits.  Just to reinforce what has already been said, let us never study the Word out of a requirement to prepare a message, but with hearts stirred to hear God there.  Hearing our God who has spoken and speaks in His Word is not some ministerial pragmatic issue – it is at the very centre of who He is and what we are called to.  We are made in the image of a communicating-relational God.  So we should passionately pursue His Word, inscribed and incarnate, for our hearts should long to know God.

And if that is what is meant by amateur – love-driven preaching… then I want to be an amateur for as long as I live!

Amateur: Not All Good

/ Peter Mead / Leave a comment

To put it simply, the term amateur can be used in reference to something being done out of a love for it (rather than as a paid job).  Or it can refer to something  being done in a way that shows lack of skill, being done not very well.  Let’s ponder the latter today and finish positively tomorrow.

Amateurishness can be seen in various aspects of preaching:

* Lack of preparation, inadequate study and research, use of poor sources, surface-only work with the text, etc.

* Scattered (dis)organisation of content, poor logical ordering of content, lack of effort with word choices, etc.

* Poor delivery, excessive verbal pauses, um, any self-presentation that appears to be hiding the self out of nervousness (acting like a clown, for instance), etc.

I’m sure we could all list plenty of ways to preach in an amateurish fashion.  There is also the bigger picture of the whole service.  What people will enjoy in a group of 50 will be intolerable in a group of 250.  But there are two further points to ponder here:

1. Critiquing amateurishness is not to say there is no place for weakness.  We all have weakness and should preach in a state of weakness rather than prideful self-reliance.  What we might critique as amateurishness is more an issue of not preparing properly, or not growing into effective homiletical skill or delivery skill.  It is an issue of poor stewardship, not something that we should justify in some sort of reverse sanctification by extension process.  By all means let’s appear as fools and as weak to a world that is arrogant in its upside-down state.  But let’s let the gospel message itself be the “foolishness” and the “weakness” – not our own lack of good stewardship of the ministry we have the privilege of participating in.

2. Recognize who suffers from unnecessary amateurishness.  Here’s the strange thing.  When a preacher is genuinely very limited in skill, ability, knowledge, resources, time, etc., then the same perceived weaknesses are often unperceived.  But when we simply show a lack of commitment or passion for preaching, then we can’t rely on some loophole that guarantees God’s intervention.

Unbelievers will judge the gospel based not on the gospel, but on our demonstration of its value to us.  Believers will be frustrated and distracted so that the focus will be on the poor preacher rather than the wonderful biblical truth.  Amateurishness that flows from lack of effort both in the preparation of a specific sermon, and in the longer-term failure to grow in the ministry of preaching, is ultimately an issue of love – a lack of love for the lost, the believers we are supposed to shepherd, and for the Lord who gave everything for us.

Tomorrow we’ll think about the good side of amateur!

Perils of Professionalism in Preaching

/ Peter Mead / 2 Comments

Yesterday I urged us all to pursue a “professional” preaching ministry in the sense of being well trained, well informed and well skilled. But there are negative associations with professionalism that I think we would do well to ponder:

1. Don’t be contractually defined. It is hard to stomach professional sports-persons haggling over how many tens of thousands they should be paid each week, and refusing to play until they get what they want. Surely it is worse to sense similar issues with preachers. Obviously the sums involved are considerably smaller, but the idea that a preacher will tell of the glorious grace of God with a smile as long as his own contractual terms are in place is simply wrong. It is difficult when there are employment contracts involved, but surely we preach because of something other than money (and hopefully others will recognize their role in making sure the preachers are provided for appropriately)?

2. Don’t be selfishly driven. There is nothing wrong with receiving finance in association with preaching. Whether it is a regular stipend, or a loving palm gift, we thank God for any funding given in association with preaching. However, the moment a mercenary attitude creeps in, something is broken. A preacher should be giving of themselves, giving themselves away in ministry. While they shouldn’t starve to death in the process, surely it should be others that are concerned to make sure that doesn’t happen. And when it isn’t a matter of starving, but moving to higher levels of luxury, a preacher concerned with what is received seems to be a preacher who has lost their true focus.

3. Don’t be self-reliant. Another aspect of professionalism that we must be wary of is the idea of self-reliance. That is, the loss of prayerful dependence on God and the loss of humility and perceived weakness. Even the most skilled and capable and gifted individual is still stepping out beyond their own strengths when they open God’s Word before a gathering of people. Let’s be sure never to lose that sense of utter inadequacy as we preach.

What else would you add, either positively or negatively in association with professionalism?

Preaching Professional and Amateur

/ Peter Mead / 1 Comment

Some years ago there was a big fuss about whether professional athletes should be allowed to participate (even unpaid) in the Olympic Games. Now it is hard to fathom what some of the unpaid athletes are receiving in sponsorship, so the issue has faded. I think preachers should be both professional and amateur, but also neither. Let’s explore this:

Preachers should be professional in the following ways –

1. As well trained as possible. I am not making an absolute standard. It is impossible to do so. But preachers should take advantage of the best training that is available to them. Training will not make a preacher, but it can help.  In fact, a lot of resistance to training is born out of personal insecurity and/or pride. There is a lot that can be learned from others in terms of biblical study skills, homiletical practice and so on. Preaching with constructive feedback can be priceless. So whether the extent of the training available is taking advantage of free online courses, or a local seminar, or pursuing a mentor, or a Doctor of Ministry degree – surely we should take the privilege of preaching seriously and get the best training we can find and afford.

2. As well informed as possible. I wouldn’t want to visit a physician that is fully qualified, but hasn’t looked at a medical journal since graduating in 1956. There is something about remaining informed that is part of what it is to be professional. For preachers I suppose this means we should be readers. Voracious readers of the Bible first and foremost. Always going deeper, learning more, growing closer to the Lord. And also reading helpful books on preaching (there is no end to the stream of new ones, but search for those that will stretch, not just reinforce the same perspective you already hold dear). There may even be a magazine or blog that keeps you on your toes!

3. As well skilled as possible. The training and the study has a goal in sight. Here is the good side of professionalism. Being the best that we can be. We must never rely on ourselves. Ours is neither a sport nor a job. But surely we cannot please the Lord by choosing to be less than the best stewards of the opportunity to preach? Let’s continually bare our soul before Him and ask Him to help us do our part better and better – not for any credit to our account, but because we are so hungry to give everything for Him who gave His all for us.

Tomorrow I’ll ponder some of the perils of a professional mindset…

The Personality of the Preacher 4

/ Peter Mead / Leave a comment

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 2

/ Peter Mead / 1 Comment

Continuing my unstructured thoughts on the influence of personality on preaching:

2. The Mechanical Preacher – This person cares about how things work.  Practical in skills.  Practical in life.  They esteem the uncomplicated things in life, yet achieve the complex from the perspective of others.  The end can justify the means, as long as a practical solution is found.  I imagine this type of person will preach with a good level of applied practicality.  Here is a solution to the challenge, go implement it.  People appreciate being given the steps to obedience, rather than just the expected behaviour.

However, there will be a limitation here.  People are not machines.  It is so easy to preach as if they are.  When you face this, do this, think this, remember that and then you will do well.  Actually life isn’t lived out in logical and practical steps.  There is a profound complexity to the motivational life of any person.  There is a responsive interconnectedness between individuals in relationship with God and others.  Practical preachers are a blessing to the church, but especially if they don’t treat people as simple machines.

3. The Nurturing Preacher – This person is kind and caring.  Sensitive to others and willing to give themselves away for those they love.  I imagine that this type of personality gets people quicker than others, although that quickness may come from lots of time caring, listening and praying.  Such tender sensitivity is a blessing to those loved.  We can all learn from the ways warm and caring people communicate warmth and care (but not to perform, we need to develop that inner reality).

Those who read others well need to be sure to read the text carefully, and to preach it honestly.  There is a danger that a high concern for others can bias the reading of the text, so that messages of help can be sought, rather than the message of the text.  And then when the text is understood, we all need to have the courage to preach that appropriately to our people.  Sometimes a fear of hurting feelings can undermine caring biblical ministry.  Care for people, and care enough to invest God’s Word in the life of the church.  Perhaps there should be another category of The Conflict Avoiding Preacher . . . but then I’d be repeating this paragraph!

4. The Creative Preacher – Developed aesthetic sensitivity, an eye for beauty, an energy for the new and the striking.  I suppose this personality feature will also offer benefits and dangers.  New and creative ways of communicating the Word can offer memorable and effective presentations.  It can also offer error.  Others do too, but there is something risky about the new in terms of the ministry.  Be careful to use the energy for creativity (a godly characteristic) in a way that represents Him and His Word well.

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.