FEATURE
43
LET’ S BE CLEAR, THE SERMON ISN’ T ABOUT US AND WE MUSTN’ T DOMINATE IT OR GET IN THE WAY. BUT THE PREACHER IS A HUMAN BEING, WITH RELATIONSHIPS AND EXPERIENCES
them of the need to be patient and gracious in their deep differences. Now, who doesn’ t know of a congregation needing to be reminded of that?
An example that appears irrelevant may hold within it a principle that is vital. Distance is reduced when the preacher recognises that, and relays and applies it clearly and sensitively.
We’ re beginning to talk about application, but taking care to note that what is applied, and how it’ s applied are key in terms of reducing distance. Donald English, himself a consummate preacher, used to say‘ I’ ve got to the stage that if I can’ t“ so what it” I don’ t preach it.’ It might sound a bit routinised but I sometimes run through a mental list of how a text might impact the people making up a congregation. How might this teaching apply to individual living, life in a family, a workplace, in local church life, the local community, in relation to national and world affairs, etc?
Apt illustrations, well relayed, remain good vehicles to reduce distance between a text and a congregation.
My own understanding of the role of an illustration has changed over the years. Time was when I, like many, sought to explain the passage, apply it, then illustrate the application, often with a‘ moral’ story. Writers such as Susan White taught me other ways to use story and illustrative material; ways which seem to connect well with contemporary people who are so used to multiple modes of communication.
Try to start with story. Involve people, and names and faces rather than abstract ideas. A story can be told like this:‘ I want to tell you about a person who is one of the kindest people I know …’. Alternatively, it can be told like this:‘ Jane gets up early every weekday, drives across town to her friend, Jennie, where together they get Jennie’ s children breakfasted and off to school. Jennie has severe MS and Jane has been helping her friend for nearly three years …’. In the first method I’ ve told people what to think. In the second I’ ve let them come to their own judgement, and they have met faces and names.
When I first trained to be a preacher it was frowned upon to include your own stories. But I think we shouldn’ t be afraid to bring our own faces into the sermon alongside others. Let’ s be clear, the sermon isn’ t about us and we mustn’ t dominate it or get in the way. But the preacher is a human being, with relationships and experiences. How we dealt with X or Y, whether there was a time when, grief stricken and bereaved, we sought God, and struggled, and waited, recounted honestly, warts and all, roots us in common human situations, and helps lessens distance. Which leads us to …
THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE CONGREGATION AND THE PREACHER
This distance is reduced by knowledge, sensitivity and trusting relationships. If you know a congregation well – or even belong to it – sensitivity is vital. Please don’ t abuse your position or your knowledge. If you’ re a visiting preacher, make contact, acquaint yourself with the context and situation. Not just‘ are there any children’? Find out what’ s been happening. Is the congregation joyful at having a new family join or completing the refurbishment of the hall? Or is it reeling because Frank or Felicity, stalwart of the congregation, godly and gracious, collapsed and died last Tuesday?
An Early Church leader said to his students,‘ preach to those in front of you’. Effective preaching has always been, and remains today a life-changing engagement of text and context. Effective preachers seek to overcome distance, supremely because God’ s way of revelation and communication is less by megaphone and more by incarnation.
Revd Dr Martyn Atkins
Revd Dr Martyn Atkins is Superintendent Minister at Methodist Central Hall. He has previously been principal of Cliff College, President of the Methodist Conference, General Secretary of the British Methodist and Secretary of the Conference. He is chair of the board for Fresh Expressions Ltd.
Photo: © MCHW / Steven Creamer