I dont have any great answers…but I sure do agree with this letter’s statements about spiritual direction. I think pastors and congregation alike need much greater access to that kind of relationship. Pastors need it exactly because of things like this (and many other scenarios) and the congregation needs it because it seems like most pastors are too busy to meet anyway.
I do wish the best to this letter writer and that she finds her way through this.

“What is preaching? Who is it for? How do we learn to do it? How do we judge if we?re doing it well?”
Great questions! Unfortunately they are not asked very often. While I realize not everyone will agree, I believe there is much to learn from Pagitt’s “Preaching Re-Imagined.”

Pastors should have pastors or at least help each other out.
When I left seminary I started a group to talk about ministry for a few of us from seminary. Now that I have a call in rural Saskatchewan I was getting together with a friend who had a ministry. This was expanded by our regional minister, who does his best to be a pastor to pastors. This is one thing that an associational church should do. (I use associational very loosely as episcopal, presbyterial or associational baptists. Independent congregations I find aberrant.)
I think you need to look over why you did some of the things you did. What ministry required you to preach 3-4x a week? Was the expectation original work each time? Why? What understanding of the congregation (or was it an audience, big difference) did you really have?
Personally, preaching is a big problem for me, mostly because I feel inadequate. Sometimes because I am a people pleaser and I know that certain sermons are not going to please all people. I just grit my teeth and say to myself, “they can just live with it.”
I preach because the word of God needs to go forth. I preach to teach them how to approach the scriptures. I preach to a group of people whom I know and understand their problems. This last sentence needs to underscore that my pastoral work informs my preaching. Nothing ever direct, but it gives me an understanding of where people are and where we need to go. As for doing it well, the ONLY judge is the effect it has brought to your congregation. Though, even that may be unreliable if the congregation is thoroughly unrepentant. Any other criteria is a style implication. Jonathan Edwards is noted for his incredible effect on people, yet he read his manuscript, making little effort for eye contact, in a monotone voice. This man would fail a preaching class.
I am for preaching classes, you will learn something. But as with all things there are some parts that may be best left in the classroom.

I would definitely recommend Chris Erdman’s new book “Countdown to Sunday.” It really gets to the idea of why we need to preach, what preaching is to do, and paints with broad strokes at the inspiration behind preaching.

i actually don’t think there is much biblical basis for the standard “up the front” church preaching or exposition. there is certainly a biblical basis for preaching of the gospel to those who are not believers, but i don’t believe there is any evidence that the early church carried out a church service with one person up the front delivering the sermon. thats not to say that preaching on scripture up the front to the congegration is wrong, it just means that i don’t think people who go into the ministry or congregations should think that teaching the bible must exist entirely through preaching or that the sermon is the most important or necessary part of meeting with other christians. Many christian books on preaching simply read their own ecclesiology back into the pauline letters and then use the pauline texts to justify why we need to preach and why we need practices like ordination. this fails to deal with the fact that Paul often doesn’t mean what we think he means
i personally found Mark Strom’s (current principle of bible college of new zealand, went to westminster and wrote a very good biblical theology text in the late 80′s called the symphony of scripture) book Reframing Paul really helpfull for understanding Paul’s view of church leadership and how much it clashes with our tradional evangelical unquestioned norms about church life. he looks at Paul’s teaching in the context of greeco roman models of leadership, especially at corinth and then looks at the problems of authority and experience within the evangelical world. really helped me understand why alot of people find seminaries difficult places, and why so many evangelicals stop going to a local church. Robert Bank’s book on the concept of Community in Paul’s letters is also good.

What a heart-rending, resonant post.
The aspiring faithful – disciples, in various spots on the path to Christlikeness – need to be reminded continually of the reasons for their discipleship. For the believer who toils day in and day out in the world, surrounded by the relentless forces of carnality, hearing the Word of God proclaimed afresh is like a cold glass of water on an August afternoon. What we often receive, unfortunately, is just a warmed-over, christianized take on self-help: how to resist temptation, how to do this or that, etc. But we do not have set before us the singular Christ, who defies all human categories, so we are not reminded why we believe (the resurrection) and why we follow (the radical, transforming force of the cross). Sometimes I wonder if modern evangelical preachers have decided that the cross and the resurrection have turned out to be exhaustible topics after all…
This young (man?) might find some benefit in Brueggemann’s _The Prophetic Imagination_. Its latest edition ends with a bit of a whimper, unfortunately; Brueggemann should have left application to the reader’s imagination and creativity. But the central thesis is that a minister’s prophetic task is “to nurture, nourish, and evoke a consciousness and perception alternative to the consciousness and perception of the dominant culture.” There are many ways to run with that, and Brueggemann’s book does a fine job of exploring it through Moses, Jeremiah, Isaiah/deutero-Isaiah, and finally Jesus. Aside from the last chapter, which seems tacked on as an afterthought, this is an inspiring tour de force.
Among the great pastor’s pastors is Eugene Peterson. Whatever one may think of his translating work in _The Message_, his deeply compassionate, forthright, and humble understanding of the pastoral commission never ceases to move me toward Jesus. The titles that come to mind are _The Unnecessary Pastor_, _Working the Angles_, and _The Jesus Way_; there are many more, of course.
In particular, _The Unnecessary Pastor_ has formed my thinking in the ways of humility; your young correspondent’s note suggests that he has been deeply wounded by pastoral arrogance and is fleeing from it. Peterson and his co-author, Marva Dawn, will provide both comfort and assurance.
Nouwen’s _In the Name of Jesus_ is a short masterpiece. There’s not much else to be said about it, but it is a poignant, real-life rendering of Jesus’ teachings about the value of the one and why his disciples do what they do in a pastoral mode.
qb

Telling God’s Story by John W. Wright looks to be a good one!

Your agony and frustration are felt in this letter.
Our brother’s raw authenticity reminds me of the late Mike Yaconelli’s book, “Messy Spirituality.” In this book, Yaconelli shares his frustrations with such candor and how he transfers that into his leadership. His preaching differed from the norm. Along with the other book recommendations, especially Peterson and Nouwen, I would recommend this one for you.
I’m wondering if the writer is wrestling with more than the questions he asks us, “What is preaching?” Do you feel God’s nudge and the desire to lead a faith community? Does ministry fit with your giftings and natural abilities? Obviously, God will use our weaknesses and does ask people to do things that initially seem contrary to our thinking and goals, but these are questions we need to ask ourselves.
That said, if your answer is yes, then wrestling with how God wants you to speak (or “preach”) and lead seems to be the pertinent issue. Maybe you’re asking for permission to do it differently than what you’ve always been taught, seen, and known. (Not that you need anyone’s permission.)
It may take some time to find your comfort zone as you break away from what is the “norm” in your mind and upbringing, but continue to take steps in that direction until you find that place of rest and comfort for you. That may look like a facilitator/leader of a small group in a house-church setting rather than standing in front of a congregation in a pulpit. I don’t know.
Here’s a preaching-type quote, which you’ve probably heard, that may provide some encouragement: if you always do what you always did, and you always think what you always thought, then you’ll always get what you always got.
Blessings my brother.

I resonate with much of what Richard (#5) writes about the lack of NT evidence for the kind of preaching we have become used to. And that type of ‘stand up at the front’ teaching is rightly giving way to a different kind of learning, a different way of working out together what God is saying to a Christian community and how we can live together and put that into practice.
Even mission/evangelism is being done differently. Less of the proclamation by one (usually) man from the front and more in a one-to-one relationship, or small group talking things over, or getting alongside people where they are.
It’s interesting that he feels called to minister and not to preach. He should be true to his calling – and not preach. There are other creative ways to lead a congregation, to help them discern the will of God, to introduce Jesus to those who don’t yet know him, and to disciple people and help them learn.
For those who feel called and gifted to preach in a traditional way – go for it. But we need a mixed economy in the church, a both/and scenario, where those who can lead in a different way are given permission – even encouraged – to serve the way God has called them.

As an inexperienced, mid 20′s young man who became a Senior Pastor of a struggling church , I sympathize with the whole “preach cause I have to” feeling. I found myself falling into the trap of becoming a “Professional Pastor.” Reading for illustrations, being results driven, and focusing on ministry rather than a relationship with God. This is what God showed my about 8 months ago:
Focus on relationship. All ministry should flow from my intimacy with Jesus. I share the truths of scripture because the Lord is consistently sharing those same truths with me! The Bible becomes such joy to me personally, that I just have to share it with the people around me! This is my personal, “why of preaching”. This mindset has made my life MUCH EASIER and the congregation is growing in their love for the Word which gets them to focus on God and not ME…woohoo!! I preach the Word I feel the Lord leading me to (while in prayer), I don’t begin working on preaching (exposition, outlining…)until I have spent a while with my precious Lord. This keeps my focus right, and ministry is no longer a burden. It is a light yoke because the focus is not on me, my church, or my pastoral ministry. Everything just flows from my walking closely to God!
Sometimes we make things more complicated then they have to be… Hope that helps brother! Blessings upon you!

Dear Honest Friend,
I was trained at one of the best seminaries for producing Bible expositors. I learned to communicate well. I’ve been a pastor since 1975. In my middle 40s I hit a wall about “preaching.” I felt like a sermon machine–the people put in their money and out popped another “excellent sermon, pastor”–the up front, one man (or woman) show. I came across the pastoral ministry shaping writings of Eugene H Peterson and Henri Nouwen. My lesson (and I still do ‘preach’) is this: pastoral ministry is 90% a ministry of compassion outside the pulpit (or away from the acrylic stand) and 10% communication (the 20-30 minute “talk”). You are made to serve. I am saddened that the center of most evangelical church life is alleged and necessary high-powered sermon (from a “gifted” communicator). And is a culture of evangelical superstars (on radio and TV), the average pastor in the vast majority of churches is unfairly evaluated against the ‘famous’ guys (or ladies). And here’s the sad fact: people remember very, very little of the sermons they’ve heard. In one ear and out the other literally. One meaningful redemptive conversation casually and informally engaged does more to provoke Christian formation in the conversational partners than 10, 000 expositions of the text.
Pray, read and study and speak…but speak deeply from who you are. No formulae, no comparisons, no “I gotta do better this week than last…” As Parker Palmer writes, “Let your life speak.”
God bless you, my friend. You are prayed for.
John

As a ?pew-sitter? most of my sixty years I?ve seen preaching under go dramatic changes. I grew up with ?Bible pounding? and have experienced various degrees of change to telling ?stories? and all sorts of gregarious means of engagement with the audience. I took a step away from my church?s methodology and entered a larger world of contemplation, conversation, books, discussions, and through spiritual direction became open to a disciplined and examined life. I experienced a spiritual awakening that had not happened for me listening to hundreds of sermons. However I choose to come back to the church every week but with a different engagement. I hear the sermons from a different perspective and expectation. Passive attentiveness to sermons should be discouraging but preaching to a hungry heart wanting to live the Jesus Creed might just be worth standing up for.

Dear brother in Christ,
My heart goes out to you.
I heartily agree with Post #6. Eugene Peterson is wonderful. So is Marva Dawn. So is Henri Nouwen.
One of my favorites and my husband’s favorites (that I read in seminary) is The Art of Pastoring: Ministry Without All the Answers by David Hansen. It is beautifully reflective and nourishing. Eugene Peterson endorses it saying, “This is the freshest and most honest book on pastoral work you’re ever likely to come upon.”
Also, in seminary (Northeastern Seminary –Rochester New York, a wonderful school) we had faith sharing groups. We met twice a month in groups of about 8 to listen to each other. Each person had a chance to speak without interruption, the rest of us were to practice listening. It was a group for pastors and other seminarians. It was refreshing and insightful because those in the group had similar experiences. In the group (confidentiality a must) things were expressed that couldn’t be anywhere else. If we wanted advice we could seek it, but the point was to be heard and to listen. Lots of spiritual direction occured. We helped each other solve some difficult conflicts within the pastorate (or other work). We kept each other accountable. There was a designated facilitator for the group. Sometimes we read spiritual formation books together. Some of these people are still some of my best friends in the world.
I attended Rochester Christian Reformed Church and the CRC pastors in the region would meet together on a regular basis to encourage each other. At the time, my pastor was the pastor to those pastors. Yet, he also received encouragement from them. Could you spearhead such a thing with pastors in your area?
By the way, our faith sharing group was multi-denominational– baptist, pentecostal, AME, Christian Reformed, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Free Methodist, Roman Catholic. So, it doesn’t have to be just those from your own background.
I hope these are some crumbs of encouragement for you.

I think preaching is more than words and speeches… It involves pictures, the arts, dance, writing, music/song, ritual etc. It is a creative whole that helps God’s people envision and embody his kingdom in this earth.
A young girl in my congregation danced interpreting a song visually and gracefully… she preached the gospel in a very powerful way and many were startled by her “words” embodied in the dance.
I think preaching is something we do together as a whole congregtion not simply something the pastor does alone. While a pastor or minister might be knowledgable and communicate good theology and good interpretation… Preaching belongs to the church. The church then communicates or recommunicates the message in their daily lives, where they live and work and are.

Some questions:
If its misguided to equate ministry solely with preaching, why isn’t it equally misguided to equate ministry solely with spiritual direction? Are these polarities necessary? Can we look beyond the Bible to understand what preaching is and what pastoral ministry is?

I agree with John #11! I’m also wondering if the letter-writer should perhaps consider a change in denominational affiliation whose expectations for their pastor/minister would align better with his/her convictions about ministry.?

A break from reading… « Random Bloggings

[...] I happened across this post on Scot’s blog (by which I mean to say it was in my feed reader). I think that the author of this email has some excellent question. I’ve often asked “why do we preach?” In all honesty, I find little use for it. I think that if we feel a need to “learn” or do “discipleship” during a Sunday morning worship gathering that a format more similar to teaching (complete with questions from the congregation) would be far more effective at helping people learn what a passage is saying. Of course, I’m not sure if learning is the point. [...]

My advice, keep it simple:
1. If you’re giving 30 minute sermons shave them down to around 15. (Depending on your congregation this might have to be introduced gently)
2. Get rid of unnecessary illustrations (I know pastors who spend half their sermon preparation scouring google for that stuff)
3. Find a good long passage in Scripture that makes to step back and reflect on something. If that’s a stumper choosing a passage from the liturgical calendar is always a safe bet.
4. Dig into the heart of what that “something” is.
5. Dig into how you arrived at that “something.”
6. Find a way to lead your congregation through the process of how you arrived at that “something.”
Presto!!
7. Spend the rest of your preparation time praying for forgiveness for the times you deviated from what the Scripture revealed and for guidance to become a more faithful witness to Jesus.

Thank you for posting the letter Scot. I have struggled (and continue to struggle) with the same questions this letter asks: What is good preaching? Wouldn’t it make more sense to just sit and have dialogue for 30 minutes instead of a sermon? What is the precedent for preaching in the Bible?
With these questions my primary conversation partner has been Richard Lischer. His book “The End of Words” is one of those books that I spend an entire week meditating on a single sentence. (ie- “A vocation puts an end to you to disclose your true end.”) Powerful stuff for me.

My seminary homiletics class was truly dismal. It at least sounds like yours was better than that.
For me, preaching is a sacramental, communal encounter. When it happens as I hope for it to (which of course is hit and miss), I have encountered the living Christ in the text of Scripture and then share that encounter with my community, hoping they will also experience the redemption and mercy and presence of Jesus as well. Where it happens, when it happens – those are issues that I think are cultural and contextual.
Eugene Peterson’s _Working the Angels_ and Will Willimon’s _Pastor: The Theology and Practice of Ordained Ministry_ are the two best I know – Peterson is hands-down my favorite for pastoral theology, but Willimon’s addresses the preaching act perhaps a little more directly.

I think all of these comments are sharing really good things… my thoughts are simply to see “preaching” and teaching as an extension of true “pastoring,” i.e. shepherding. If we as pastors are to be caring for, tending, and protecting the sheep, then the act of preaching is part of the way we feed and nurture them. Lead the sheep, heal the sheep, comfort, strengthen, encourage, guide. There’s always the aspect of proclamation to those who are outside the faith too; but I don’t see the art of shepheding and evangelism as mutually exclusive. Those that are apart from Christ will feel His love and care through preaching, and will be drawn to their Good Shepherd as well. Preach from your shepherd’s heart, not the expectation of a lofty pulpit. I am praying for you today!

It sounds like the community’s giving you quite a reading list. I’m going to add to that list. First is the book from my preaching prof in seminary: Sidney Greidanus, The Modern Preacher and the Ancient Text. I know others who didn’t attend Calvin Seminary but really appreciate this book, as it presents such a high view of Scripture. Preaching comes out of the text.
The other book is David Wells’ God in the Wasteland. Although this book appears to be more of the critique begun in His response to postmodernism calls on ministers to preach the grand narrative of God. Most people wouldn’t call Wells’ writings ‘inspirational’, but I find that in that book, he assesses the postmodernism well, and calls us beyond ourselves to the larger history of God’s great works in Scripture.
I moved recently, and so had to boil down my library. I kept God in the Wasteland as an essential tool for preaching in this postmodern age.

I hear you my friend. The church I attend in Victorville, CA would be considered a mega church. There is only one pastor among several on staff who can deliver the goods as it were. He is an engaging communicator. But the longing of my heartr is not the message. I can and do feed myself intellectually and spiritually. As a matter of fact, I loathe that common complaint among church folks about getting “fed”. Everyone can and should feed themselves. What I long for is to see and experience the living Christ truly worshipped in church as he is in heaven.

One day I looked around while the preacher was preaching, I looked at the faces in the congregation staring at him, and wondered, wondered what they were thinking.
Some seemed to be trying to follow the sermon during the 60-minute monologue, others seemed to be thinking about just anything other than, while still others probably wondered how long they have to put up with this, never mind why they have to do it.
Apart from some house church where a few share and there’s ample time for questions and answers, and besides the fact that it’s been 2000 years of Christianity and we’re not the early church anymore, there we are, stuck with seminarians and non-seminarians delivering the sunday monologue.
So if that’s why you really want to do for the rest of your life, I suggest you make it shorter and more practical. I remember one pastor having a “ask me anything” Sunday morning once in a while, where it was more conversational in a sense.
So, if you must, must preach to people (man that sounds bad…) then tell stories. Rather than spending one entire year or two going though Genesis, tell stories instead, both biblical and personal. Present yourself in a human way so it’s more relational to those who are stuck in their chair for that long of a time.
“The kingdom of God is like two city bus drivers. There was a homeless old man who used to get on a bus, go to back and tried to sleep in the comfort of that chair. The first bus driver used to turn the AC really cold back there so the homeless guy could just leave his bus instead of bothering other passengers with his bad-semelling presence. The second bus driver though used to turn the heater on at the rear to keep the homeless person warm and help him to rest awhile before having to face the streets again. So, in your daily life try to be like the second bus driver to those around your office, school, home, in your city. I tell you, the second bus driver went home that night justified. He who has an ear, let him hear. ”
I’ve heard hundreds of sermons in my life, I never ever forgot that one.
Go and do likewise, brother.
Loving God, loving others … right?

My thoughts and prayers go out to you. I can relate in some ways… Grew up Baptist, saw some unhealthy overly controling models of leadership, struggled with what people told me preaching, and ministry in general was ‘supposed to be,’ even while feeling called to ministry at the same time.
As far as books: I have not found many great practical guides.. but as far as theology/philosophy of preaching, you can’t go wrong with the books mentioned in post #6; Brueggemann, Peterson, Nouwen, all are amazing… and I’m biased (because he was a professor of mine), but John Wright (#7) usually has good things to say as well.
Some have mentioned this, but do these questions go deeper? Some of your questions cut more to the heart of your ecclesiology than you might realise… I would incourage you to keep going on that journey, and allow your ecclesiology to shape your preaching and teaching. Too many fall back to the practical ‘how to,’ or ‘just get it done’ of preaching and don’t ask ‘why,’ or even ‘where,’ ‘when,’ and ‘how.’
Though this is harder to do in larger Sunday morning gatherings (though some, like Doug Pagitt have tried), create space for teaching/preaching to be more interactive.. questions, discussion, dialouge. Of course, this also depends on your context.
It helps me when preparing a message, to take some time with a text without trying to ‘get something out of it.’ Just me, the text, and God… what is God saying to me through this text? And then move out from there… how is the congregation wrestling with these issues? Are there questions they would ask about this text that I haven’t yet? What in the life of our church/city/world blocks us from hearing this as God’s word for us? This takes discipline… and just trying it a few times.
It’s also helpful to me to try not to be the ‘solo pastor’ (which is part of that old ecclesial model)… get feedback from other people: leaders in your church, friends, wise pastors/teachers… begin to build an ‘interpretive community’ you can call your own.
Then it’s not preaching as you may have known it… It’s closer to a minister/spiritual director opening up Scripture to (and with) the Christian community as a resource for their life with God, in the world. And isn’t this Scriptural?…. teaching so that “God’s people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:17

I want to take a somewhat different line of thought here. Still on-topic, I hope, and I see the germs of comment that touch upon this question, but I’m curious as to the experiences of people in different types of denominations in regard to the issue of needing “pastors for pastors.”
For example, is a more “connected” denomination, such as a Presbyterian or Episcopalian denomination, better able to give pastors and priests the spiritual attention they need; compared to a “congregational” polity, such as the Southern Baptist church or a non-denominational congregation, where individual pastors are more often than not left to their own devices?
Part of the reason I’m thinking this way is, oddly perhaps, the comment that “The worker deserves their wages ? but I can?t afford ?em right now.” This is a comment that itself resonates strongly with me, as I feel church workers and leaders are often taken for granted: they’ll do things “for free” because “that’s their job” (how’s that for a contradiction?). In a more “connected” group of churches, two things can happen that (at least theoretically) would partially deal with this problem: 1) pastors and priests with common struggles have occasion to meet fairly regularly, and are able to help each other out (at least in theory), 2) a group of “connected” churches is better able to specifically hire a person tasked with helping pastors and priests in this way, with funds for that person’s employment drawn from many churches, so pastors of poorer churches can still have access to a paid professional, rather than only “churches with money” being able to conceive of such a paid position.
Thoughts?

Someone above mentioned Henri Nouwen’s In the Name of Jesus and I want to briefly concur. This little book says very little about preaching, but helps us clarify our intentions for our ministerial actions.
Like many preachers, I am tempted by megalomania. All the attention is put on me once a week. It is very addicting. But, we must return to view our intentions for our actions. Preaching must have a purpose. Here’s my take:
1. Preaching should be a challenge. People should be motivated to do something in the week to come.
2. Preaching should be encouraging. People should take heart from the communication.
3. Preaching should be healing. People should find solace in the proclaimed gospel.
4. People should be worshipful. People should experience God’s reality. The sermon is a part of the worship service/mass.
Finally let me ask you to notice who is being served in all three of the above. The people, the listeners – it is all about them. We are not preaching for ourselves, we preaching to serve. Therefore, preaching ought to be a exercise in humble servitude and not a conceited speech.

Preachin’ « Third Watch

[...] Scott McKnight is hosting a conversation about preaching over at Jesus Creed (click here) . He starts by sharing a very honest letter from a pastor who wonders why we should preach at all. What’s the use? [...]

B-W
When I was on church staff (not as a preaching pastor, but directing a ministry), it was impossible for me to find any kind of spiritual direction in the church.
Our senior pastor was great, but he already had his hands full – his feeling was that he hired me to be help, not more work.
So, as to your question, I dont know….maybe it works the same way for senior/preaching pastors who are part of a denomination – there are people around, but no one who can really help.

A few thoughts:
1) On the need for pastors of pastors. I have no idea where the writer lives or what is feelings are to the Catholic Church, but if he lives in an area with a Catholic presence, he should look to see if there are any Franciscans or Dominicans present. I suggest this for a couple reasons. First, often these religious oroders run shrines where they will offer counseling and spiritual direction for free or a good will offering. It’s part of their mission in many places. It may seem strange to go talk to a Catholic friar if you are not Catholic, but why should it be? They may have great insights into preaching (after all Dominicans are the order of preachers) and they’d be happy to share them. I hardly think they would care one iota that the person is not Catholic and I don’t think some one should fear approaching them. So if you are looking for some source that’s free, why not there? After all, test everything and keep the good, right?
2) As for what is preaching? Well, it certainly isn’t a speech. And it isn’t a lecture, either. It isn’t intellectualism. It is instructive, but I don’t think it is best to conceive of it as instruction. I think I would lean towards saying that preaching — when done right — is witness. Witness to an Other, to Christ. And so, while it might focus on a gospel passage, etc., I think it is best when it connects with experience. And I don’t mean, by that, hoky stories or anecdotes. I mean the activity that we are all called to in terms of verifying what Christ and the Church proposes. Who do you say I am and Who am I are the great questions and good preaching draws us back to those and reminds us that we are concretely called to respond to them in act and with our heart. In that way, I definitely don’t think a preacher needs to pretend he’s the “enlightened one” and has “all the answers”. It is a journey that we are all on, and some are in a more leadership role than others, but we all are ultimately following the One sent to us by the Father. There is a reason why we are a Christian people and not isolated individuals who all happen to adhere to Christianity. We need the help of one another, the provocation of something from outside of ourselves. If a preacher keeps this in mind, and thus avoids any articial pretense of having it all worked out, I tend to find that there preaching is more impactful.

Watchman’s post (# 27) has some very good tips.
Some preaching and teaching might convey the meaning of scripture well, but I don’t see that as the primary task. When I’m preaching to the congregation, my hope is to inspire them to right action and right attitude, not just fill their brains with info.
I try each week to have one main point of contact from the sermon to the life of the Christ follower – what is the Godly attitude or action that is being emphasized. One of the ways I challenge myself is to ask – ‘Am I enabling believers or inspiring followers?’ Because I’d rather do the latter.

I think of preaching in Sunday worship as an act of hospitality–welcoming the church family into the sanctuary and serving them a well-prepared and well-presented Sunday meal, tasty and nutritious, hearty and well-balanced. The specialness of the meal comes not only from the food itself, but also the atmosphere, the family spirit, the warmth of being together and sharing the experience.
One meal a week, however, makes a poor diet. The special experience of the Sunday meal is enhanced when we have shared meals and conversations throughout the week leading up to Sunday, and when we look forward together to the events of the week to come. Preaching nourishes a congregation best when it grows out of a common life of mutual love and mission.
I also think the old conundrum of whether I am studying to feed my own soul or preparing for a message can be overdone. What true cook doesn’t find great joy in preparing a meal for others? She also gets the privilege of nibbling on the food all during the preparation process! And when the meal is served, she takes her place at the table with everyone else to enjoy it. If I’m truly preaching, I’m being fed as well as feeding.

Why do we preach? The simple answer is to communicate God’s Word in language understood by the listeners. This is what Moses, Ezra, Peter and Paul did. This is what Charles Spurgeon and Dwight Moody and thousands of other preachers, ancient and modern have done and are doing. The personality, character, and the homiletical work of the preacher influence the effectiveness of the communication, but ultimately God’s Word does it’s job (Isaiah 55:9-11). Keep on preaching.

Not that reading another book is ever a sufficient answer, but I must chime in with those who have mentioned Eugene Peterson. When asked in my interview to seminary what a “successful pastorate” would be to my imagination, Peterson is the first name that popped out of my mouth. The guy continually calls me back to being faithful, first and foremost. I have struggled myself with the modern day sermon as being THE Protestant sacrament (not that it necessarily is, but if not, we should form our average Sunday gatherings a bit different). But any time I bring these questions up, like the person in this letter, I just get a lot of “go be a Catholic if that’s really what you value” or “the marks of the Church include ‘where the pure word of God is preached,” but with little exposition on what the word “preaching” really entails. Does it have to be the way it has be a 45 minute sermon with a preacher at the pulpit (or if he/she wants to be relational, down in the front aisles)? Ask that

Not that reading another book is ever a sufficient answer, but I must chime in with those who have mentioned Eugene Peterson. When asked in my interview to seminary what a “successful pastorate” would be to my imagination, Peterson is the first name that popped out of my mouth. The guy continually calls me back to being faithful, first and foremost. I have struggled myself with the modern day sermon as being THE Protestant sacrament (not that it necessarily is, but if not, we should form our average Sunday gatherings a bit different). But any time I bring these questions up, like the person in this letter, I just get a lot of “go be a Catholic if that’s really what you value” or “the marks of the Church include ‘where the pure word of God is preached,” but with little exposition on what the word “preaching” really entails. Does it have to be the way it has be a 45 minute sermon with a preacher at the pulpit (or if he/she wants to be relational, down in the front aisles)? Ask that question and it’s like you are walking on sacred ground.
On the other hand, sometime last year, when I was really struggling with the need for preaching at all, I ran into Karl Barth’s words in his Dogmatics on the subject. Certainly he takes a high view (maybe even to sacramental lengths), but his view on “the EVENT” that takes place when God speaks through the pastor in an act of proclamation–it was enough to renew my faith in the traditional sermon.

Dear friend,
Thanks for your honesty in asking the questions you ask. Just asking those questions is a huge step forward in my mind. I found the answers you’re received quite moving and insightful. I’ll add a bit of my own experience (I’m sneaking up on 20 years as a preaching pastor).
The first year or so my goal was simply to survive each Sunday. Preaching was such an intimidating, fearful thing that I just wanted to avoid embarrassing myself.
The new few years I wanted to preach good sermons. Then I wanted to preach powerful sermons . . . on and on. Now, I can honestly say that I mainly want to communicate well to the dear people who have shown up to worship. I can’t begin to explain it, but when the Scriptures are shared honestly and humbly, God often does a deep work in the lives of those who hear. I have the privilege of serving in a church where people show up actually wanting to hear the voice of God (not merely my voice).
Eugene Peterson is my hero when it comes to pastoral ministry. I agree with the recommendations others have made.

Jennifer in #29,
Just to clarify, I’m not talking about “denomination” vs “no denomination”, but rather “connective” denominations vs. “non-connective” denominations that leave each church (and more specifically, each pastor) more or less on their own.

Thanks for posting this most sincere letter. How refreshing! Also, thank you so much for your practice of asking permission first. You honor that person by not presuming on them. I think that is a practice that needs to become habit for more than just this list.
As for the letter writer’s questions, I personally am shocked and appalled that there are so many that think that they always have to have something to say on things! I think this blog site is a good place to continue asking and discussing things without penalty. It is safe here. No one is going to exploit you or your honesty. So turn over the rock and check out what’s underneath. Wait humbly for insight and wisdom.

In line with Richard’s comments (#5), the idea that the church’s gatherings revolve around oratory strikes me as more super-apostolic than apostolic. My suggestion to the letter writer would be to move the church away from being pulpit centered in favor of being table centered.
Scot’s imagery of pulling up at Jesus’ table is much richer when the idea becomes visible rather than mainly a metaphor.

I found this post and the comments very stimulating. What John Frye said at #11 made a lot of sence. I also think Eugene Peterson is one a pastor’s pastor. What theonlypi siad at #31 also summarise the way i see it: “When I?m preaching to the congregation, my hope is to inspire them to right action and right attitude, not just fill their brains with info.” But I also try to take them through the same process I went to discover that “something” in the text.

I am late getting to this post. However, I was inspired and encouraged by the quality of so many of the comments. Thanks to everyone.

Wow: John writes (#11) ?One meaningful redemptive conversation casually and informally engaged does more to provoke Christian formation in the conversational partners than 10, 000 expositions of the text.? Others seem to similarly depreciate the value of public preaching in favor of say, dialogue or interpersonal relationship or small groups.
I?m not sure that an ?either/or? approach is helpful here. I think we can all agree that preaching is not the only gift of value in the body . . . but neither should its impact be minimized. ?The eye cannot say to the hand, ?I don’t need you!? And the head cannot say to the feet, ?I don’t need you!?… But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.? (1 Corinthians 12:21, 18)
I would never diminish the value of ?redemptive conversations? ? and yet, for me, many times the ?exposition of the text? has been transformative and life-changing. It strikes me that in Luke 24 Jesus on the road to Emmaus engaged in both a ?redemptive conversation? and an ?exposition of the text? ? ?beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.?
The combination was galvanizing: ?Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us??
For me, many times someone has ?opened my mind so I could understand the Scriptures? (Luke 24:45) . . . sometimes in a sermon, sometimes while reading a commentary (okay, I know I?m wierd), sometimes while engaged in spiritual reading, sometime while studying/listening to/praying the scriptures together in a small group, sometimes during a movie when my imagination is sparked and the Spirit ?brings to my remembrance? a word of Jesus, sometimes in a ?redemptive conversation.?
Hearing from a brother or sister ? in any context, public or private ? who has allowed ?the message about Christ, in all its richness, to permeate their lives? (Colossians 3:16) is priceless. Through such gifts God has begun to reshape my distorted thinking, melt my calcified heart, soften my rebel spirit, solidify my apathetic will.
I love the approach expressed by Winn Collier (#20): ?For me, preaching is a sacramental, communal encounter. When it happens as I hope for it to (which of course is hit and miss), I have encountered the living Christ in the text of Scripture and then share that encounter with my community, hoping they will also experience the redemption and mercy and presence of Jesus as well.?
To our inquiring friend whose letter prompted this intriguing thread: perhaps instead of recommending a book on preaching, I might recommend actually listening to preachers who have been shaped by God?s Word. I have found that practice to have informed my own preaching, but more importantly, to have spoken God?s heart into my heart.
The counsel of Paul in Colossians 3:16 is addressed to the entire body ? if everyone in a community were to live this out, just imagine the spirit and atmosphere of that place! ? but it speaks powerfully to us individually as well, and perhaps supplies a beautiful prescription for those of us involved in the process of preaching:
?Let the message about Christ, in all its richness,
penetrate and permeate your lives.
[And then] teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives
through psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit,
singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.?

Great questions, great comments.
My understanding has been that modern day preaching is prophecy or teaching (and sometimes both), but that modern Protestant churches have elephantitis in those gifts.
What does that mean for preaching today? I would agree with many here that preaching should not be a one-person show but one gift exercised among many; preaching should be from your own heart discoveries in Jesus; preaching should be bounded by Scripture and speaking into your particular community; and preaching should be sharing Jesus.
No worries.

My top 3 books on preaching:
The Supremacy of God in Preaching – John Piper
Between Two Worlds – John Stott
The Sacred Anointing – Tony Sargent
and of course . . . the bible

this is late – but have you considered chaplaincy?
I agree with #11 that pastoral care goes a long way should be emphasized over and above preaching.
Ronald Sisk in his book The Competent Pastor says flat out, people do not come to your church because you preach well – they come because of strong pastoral care abilities.
I am glad you are struggling with preaching issues – more need to do so – too many get arrogant and preach with little to no fear of God in their hearts – preaching the Word of God should be done with fear and trembling (in my opinion) after all it is the Word of God – it should not be handled lightly.

The Margins » Billy’s Bucket

[...] Scot McKnight posted a letter he received the from a young future pastor wrestling with what it really meant to preach in the local church today. “What is preaching? Who is it for? How do we learn to do it? How do we judge if we?re doing it well?” were his questions, and Scot opened up the comments for his readers to respond. I started to leave a response a couple of times that day but never finished it. I think that what I would tell this future pastor is that preaching is a lot like Billy looking inside his bucket and describing the amazing things he sees. This past week, a dear friend mailed a sweet package to Mercy, and in it was a tiny envelope bearing my name. Inside was a card with this verse written on the back: “Your road led through the sea…a pathway no one knew was there (Psalm 77:19).” These words brought tears to my eyes as they do even now in writing this. How marvelous and mysterious are the ways of God. Oh Lord, please give me the eyes to see. [...]