Preaching for the

Long Haul

Challenges to Preaching Effectively

over the Long-Haul

The New Consumerism

“Without altars, we talk less and less about eternity and more and more about the here and now.”

Calvin Miller Marketplace Preaching

Church has become an addendum to American culture. Disassociation with the market-place centers preaching on “insiders.” “Separation from the world” is double-edged.

Christianity as a Subculture

“A sermon that loses its godly summons is at best a current event and at worst a morality monologue.”

Calvin MillerMarket Place Preaching

Loss of Appreciation for Divine Drama

A Church….Overly Influenced by the Secular

andA World….Hungering for the

TranscendentChurch “life” takes its cues from the self-centered “spirit of entertainment.”

We trade the demands of Christ for a larger crowd.

Altars are the meeting places between God and humanity where the transcendence of God transforms and “abundantly pardons and saves to the uttermost.”

Summary

New Consumeri

sm

Influence of seculars—reality of a continuing hunger for the transcendent

Christian Subculture

Loss of Divine Drama

Interventions

The why and who of preaching are prior to the how of preaching

“How do I become a living memory of God; how do I accept and connect; how do I lift up the individual story into divine history?”

Henri J. M.Nouwen

The message and the messenger are inextricably

linked

“The strategy of the principalities and powers is to disconnect us, to cut us off from the memory of God. It is not hard to see how many of our busy actions and restless concerns seem to be disconnected, reminding us of nothing more than the disorder of our own orientation and commitment.

When we no longer walk in the presence of the Lord, we cannot be living reminders of his divine presence in our lives. We then quickly become strangers in an alien land who have forgotten where we come from and where we are going.

Then we are no longer the way to the experience of God, but rather in the way of the experience of God. Then, instead of walking in God’s presence we start walking in a vicious circle, and pulling others into it.”

Henri J.M. Nouwen

The Living Reminder

All starting points must be connecting to the

authoritative reference point

USA Today

Current Events

Chance Encounters

BIBLE Daily Bible Reading

Listening

The Challenge of An Audience

Dear Speaker:I hear a lot of people like you. I don’t mean to be impertinent, but give me one good reason why I should listen:

Are you about to say something that I would find useful? Are you willing to promise me that if I do listen, I will hear something of consequence?

Exactly what kind of promise would I like you to make? Promise me that after I have listened, I will upgrade my bogus values, jettison my impure motives, and commit myself to something glorious and dangerous and heady and wonderful.

Promise me that all the time I sit listening and you stand talking that I will see things I was unwilling to face before you preached. Help me see my sin, or God’s glory, or Jesus’ power.

Promise me that I, who am riddled with inferiority, will at last believe in myself.

I have always been afraid of heights. Challenge me with Everest. Promise me that after your words, I will be able to scale those icy walls and with God’s help plant his mighty flag on the summit of all my doubts.

Promise me that I at last will know who I am and what I was born to achieve.

Promise all this and you shall have first my ear. . .and then my soul.

-Your Audience

We can no longer assume our preaching takes place within a more or less “Christian” culture. The great narratives of Judeo-Christian belief, the pivotal stories of the Bible’s characters, the events of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ either are not known or do not carry the meaning-making significance they did for previous generations Biblical knowledge, Christian doctrine and theological reflection must be presented and re-presented from America’s pulpit-yes even American Christians.

Craig Loscalzo

Apologetic Preaching

Preaching for Response

Historical Considerations

• Theological assumptions & historical realities impact sermon construction/delivery and expected response.

• The Reformation was a reaction to human effort at religiosity. The expected response to preaching became a conceptual response altering a belief system.

• Luther, Zwingli, Calvin would not be the best preachers to model in giving altar calls.

Charles Finney exemplified a reaction to the “old school”. Left brained religion wasn’t enough for Finney. Finney’s preaching for response exemplified:– His own encounter with God– His belief that the affections must be addressed

specifically– A verdict for Christ was necessary.– Invitations to an “anxious bench” were standard.

Moody, Sunday and Graham perfect Finney’s “new school” efforts.

Preaching for Response

• Shaped by theological assumptions

• Influenced by historical realities

• Response must not be taken for granted

• Biblical precedent exists

(Mt. 11:28; Luke 13:1-3; Acts 2:40; II Cor. 5:20)

Communication Realities that Mitigate Against Preaching

for Response

The central section of a sermon is least likely to be remembered

Listeners usually “round off” a sermon to a general idea

People tend to interpret messages on the basis of past experiences

Listeners tend to select material based on how interesting it is to them

Most listeners find it difficult to separate essential from non-essential in a message

A speaker’s delivery and person can be more influential than the content of the message.

Preaching for Response – the Bottom line

• Start before you begin

• Begin with the end in mind

• End with clarity

Start Before You Begin• Specificity increases clarity – in one sentence –

what is this sermon about? What do hearers need to know to act on this message?

• There is a reward for the hard work of forgiveness– What do I want them to do?

• What about your dad, who left you and your mom when you were 8? – Are you ready to forgive him?

• If Rick, the plumber, were to take this message to heart, what would the changes look like?

Begin With the End in Mind

• Consider your audience.

• Narrative is powerful

• Entertainment is expected

• Technology is omnipresent

• Connection rather than education is valued

Consider Your Support System

What about notes?

• Comfort yields confidence

• Confidence yields clarity

• Clarity yields effective communication

End With Clarity

• Response times depend on clear content, clear language, clear directions

• Lack of clarity at this point in the service creates confusion

• Clear content assumes a simple pattern• Billy Graham’s four points are:

– Admit you’re a sinner.– Christ’s provision on Calvary can cover your

sin.– You must repent of your sin– Will you receive Christ’s forgiveness?

Clear Directions

• People need to know what you want them to do.

• People need to know why they are being asked to respond.

• People need to know when to respond and what to expect.

Greg LaurieLeadership, Spring 1995

Preachers who preach for response faithfully can have faith in the God who

calls people to repentance and obedience.

Preaching for response is biblically rooted – can be hindered by lack of preparation – but never be thwarted because it relies on the Spirit’s empowerment.

James Forbes

The Holy Spirit and the Preacher

Preaching for response is a Pentecostal preacher’s responsibility because Pentecostal preaching bears witness to the resurrecting power of God which breaks into every aspect of God’s created order.

James Forbes The Holy Spirit and the Preacher