The Craft of Preaching
Resources to strengthen authentic biblical preaching
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I have a recurring nightmare in which I am in a courtroom on trial.
The prosecution and defense lawyers have presented their closing statements eloquently and passionately. And then the judge pronounces judgment. "Guilty! Guilty of preaching straight from a manuscript!" The crowd cheers and the guards drag me out to my punishment—non-stop confirmation class! Then I awaken in a cold sweat. And I think to myself—Is preaching from a manuscript really such a sin?
Columnist Profile
Tom Teichmann
Pastor
Messiah Lutheran Church
Amherst, New Hampshire
I must confess a prejudice. As a biblical scholar, I prefer sermons that reflect deep engagement with the biblical text.
I want to sense that the preacher has "been there," head and heart, thoroughly immersing herself in the passage and its significance. I do not need the message to present a new or flashy interpretation, but authentic struggle with the text at hand makes all the difference.
Of average height, slight of stature, and graying around the temples, he didn't look like the kind of guy who was about to make an earth-shaking confession.
We were participating in a group discussion at a preaching conference when he raised his hand. "After the worship service at my church," he began tentatively, "we have what we call 'fellowship hour.' It's really just coffee and doughnuts, but it's when folks, having sent their kids to Sunday school, talk about what's going on in their lives." A few heads nodded.
Our family has a habit of going out for lunch Sundays after worship. More often than not, we end up discussing that day's worship.
One particular day my 13 year-old daughter reported, "What a boring sermon. I mean he kept going on and on, talking about nothing. I'm not sure he even had a point." Now that might have been overly harsh, but I wonder how often adults, or even church leaders, take into account what young people think about worship, and in particular the sermon. I am fortunate to worship with my two adolescent daughters on a regular basis, and often we talk about the weekly sermon. It is great to be in a congregation with vibrant worship. But my daughters believe sermons are just for the adults, and not for them. What about you? Who do you believe preaching is for? And to whom are you preaching?