David Needham

Just a quick quote today, again taken from Jay Adams, Preaching With Purpose:

Most homiletics books speak about “illustrating” truth and making it “vivid.” But those terms refer to communication by means of appeal to but a single sense: the sense of sight. That failure, so inherent in the very single sense vocabulary of homiletics, has led to dull, lifeless preaching. Of course, there are many dull, lifeless preachers for whom it is difficult to “paint word pictures” that appeal to the sense of sight, let alone learn to help congregations to taste, touch, smell, and even hear with the ear.

I think this is a helpful point. Listeners have five sense and preachers can communicate to every sense by means of carefully chosen words and well-crafted delivery. I remember sitting under the teaching of David Needham, a master of using words and emotion that caused us to salivate as he described the taste, smell and sound of the golden delicious apples of his Californian childhood!

Adams goes on in the same paragraph to make the same point I want to make today. When we appeal to the full range of human senses, we only do what the Bible does so often. Be sure to look carefully in your preaching text for any sense appeal that is already there. Then think carefully about your message, each detail, and how it can deliberately target various senses as you preach.

Who’s the best preacher you’ve ever heard? What was the best sermon you ever listened to? A few months back I sat in Westminster Chapel for a day conference on the resurrection. During the breaks I imagined what others have raved about – the ministry of Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. I was about 35 years too late. But even so, I’ve heard some good preaching in the last 20 years.

What was it about that preacher that so impressed you? I think back to composure, the natural style and the command of Scripture I saw in Joe Stowell when he visited England in the mid-nineties. I think back to the obviously captured heart of David Needham as I sat under his teaching at Multnomah. What impressed you in a preacher or teacher you’ve heard?

What was it about that sermon that resonated so deeply? I think back to the sermon on heaven that stirred my heart heaven-ward and my life world-ward that evening in Minehead. I think back to the overwhelming power of the cross at that Saturday afternoon service where the missionary to the Muslims shared so simply. I think back to how my God seemed so big and my heart was stirred to worship by the little Chinese preacher with the presence of a lion. I think back to how my life was provoked to pro-active faith action in a world of lost people by that weak missionary speaker in a bizarre jacket.

Take some time to reminisce the best preachers and the best sermons. The ones you remember without effort, even though hundreds or thousands of sermons have come and gone since. Thank God for that speaker, for that sermon. Prayerfully re-live the impact as you reminisce. It’s amazing how biblical preaching can resonate so deeply that it rings loud and clear years after the sound waves have dissipated.