Pastoring God's People
For all those who have been commissioned to
pastoral roles of all kinds.
Reclaiming the teaching sermon
by David Greiser
For the past 20 years or so, the most popular form of preaching has been the use of narratives. Preachers have been encouraged to see themselves foremost as storytellers. The Bible itself, it has been argued, is a story and should be communicated in story form. Furthermore, storytelling connects well with a culture that is immersed in television and film media. The case for effective storytelling in the sermon is well-established.
Beyond storytelling
But preachers need to be more than spinners of tales. Leaders of faith communities in Bible times were called rabbi— teacher—as, indeed, was Jesus himself. Good preaching has always contained an element of teaching. With biblical illiteracy a growing reality in many denominations, how can disciples be equipped to think Christianly about divisive issues such as abortion, war, the definition of family, or the place of political debate in the church? Church members need to think critically about culture using elements of a Christian worldview as a measuring stick. All of this suggests that we need to recover the teaching function of preaching.
The question is not whether teaching sermons are necessary, but whether pastors can create sermons that teach effectively
Those who object that, in a postmodern world, the day of the teaching sermon is over might want to listen to the preaching that is happening in some young adult congregations. For example, at the fast-growing Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Pastor Rob Bell holds the attention of several thousand young adults each week with a 45-minute teaching sermon. The question is not whether teaching sermons are still necessary, but whether pastors can learn to create sermons that teach effectively.
Teaching preachers are trustworthy
The foundation of effective teaching is trust between teacher and learner. People will learn when the preacher communicates personal trustworthiness. Speakers are trustworthy when they are transparent (the same person inside and out) and knowledgeable about their subject, when they refuse to give easy or dogmatic answers to tough questions, and when they create an atmosphere of respect—a safe space—for those who differ.
There are five basic tasks in planning and preparing good teaching sermons.
1. Determine what needs to be taught
What does the congregation most need to learn in the coming weeks or months in order to apply a Christian worldview to faithful living? In most settings, preachers do well if they alternate a series of sermons on a Bible book or extended passage of scripture with a series on practical or controversial topics. Preachers need to model fruitful Bible study along with clear critical thinking. As preaching professor Robert Hughes has said, we cannot overestimate the value of a clearly thought-out response to people who are silently asking, “How can I know this is true?”
Preachers need to be more than spinners of tales
2. Determine the congregation’s receptivity to the topic
Will the majority of the congregation be enthusiastic about the subject? Will they be positive but uninformed about it? Will they be apathetic? Will they be resistant? When the congregation is apathetic, we need to ask what will motivate them to listen to a message on the subject. When we sense resistance, we need to understand why. In some cases we might convene a group of members beforehand for a discussion of the proposed topic. As we prepare a sermon, it’s a good idea to list some questions that are likely to be on the hearts and minds of the listeners and to anticipate possible objections.
3. Determine what you hope will happen as a result of the sermon
If the congregation is largely uninformed about the subject, our main concern will be to inform with a view toward reshaping attitudes and behavior. If the congregation is apathetic or resistant, we will want them to develop a new respect for or a broadened attitude toward the topic. Ideally, every teaching sermon will have both an informational and a behavioral or attitudinal objective.
4. Determine how much content the congregation can handle in one sermon
Teaching sermons frequently become too content-heavy. Remember: you have been thinking about this subject for a week or even for months, but the congregation will only have 20 or 30 minutes to absorb what you say. When it comes to content, less is often more.
5. Determine the focus of the sermon; summarize it in one declarative sentence
Every sermon should include this step. An example of a focus statement is: “Since we see in Jesus that God is for us, we can be confident of God’s love even when our experience seems to deny it.” If we are unable to state the essence of the message in a single declarative sentence, it is unlikely that the congregation will be able to fully grasp what the sermon is about. The Purpose-Driven Life author Rick Warren says, “When there is mist in the pulpit, there’s a fog in the pew.”
David Greiser is director of the pastoral ministries program and a member of the faculty at Hesston College in Hesston, Kansas. Together with Michael King he edited Anabaptist Preaching: A Conversation Between Pulpit, Pew, and Bible (Cascadia, 2003)