The Preacher's Dilemma
One of my New Year's Resolutions was to be a more prophetic preacher-- being the person who is less afraid to take risks, being the person who is able to stand and proclaim whatever I hear in the text during the week, even if I know it is not what the people want to hear.
Prophetic preaching is all the buzz in seminaries these days. There are courses taught on this kind of preaching in particular. Many scholars even decide to do their thesis on what it means to be prophetic. Among pastor types, there is much esteem granted to those who preach in this way. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement in America, Bishop Peter Storey or Desmund Tutu in South Africa during apartheid, to name a few of the great. I sat in a theology class taught by Peter Storey in seminary and got goosebumps every time I heard him describe his tough experiences in preaching filled with truthful courage to simply say what was in his heart.
"I want to be like that," I told myself.
Yet, when it is you in the role of pastor/ preacher to a particular congregation, the picture looks a lot more cloudy.
You know the congregation better than any outside voice does. You know what topics make them uncomfortable. You know how far they like to be pushed. You know their history with past preachers who have challenged them too far so that they stop listening.
So, you ponder how much of preaching is pastoral care-- giving the congregation bits of gospel they can accept, even if the whole message is not there. You know that your career is not based on one sermon.
"They'll be more opportunities to preach like that" many say.
And, still the call of the gospel in a particular text is still there. It rings loud. As you continue to sit with the text, you realize you don't see the gospel as a tame flame, but as a fire. The gospel is all together different than you ever imagined it to be. It keeps you up late at night because you know what you must say. And you know that stones could be thrown at you for saying it.
How I'll preach this week exactly remains to be seen. I pray for discernment and confidence to rise to the challenge.
Prophetic preaching is all the buzz in seminaries these days. There are courses taught on this kind of preaching in particular. Many scholars even decide to do their thesis on what it means to be prophetic. Among pastor types, there is much esteem granted to those who preach in this way. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement in America, Bishop Peter Storey or Desmund Tutu in South Africa during apartheid, to name a few of the great. I sat in a theology class taught by Peter Storey in seminary and got goosebumps every time I heard him describe his tough experiences in preaching filled with truthful courage to simply say what was in his heart.
"I want to be like that," I told myself.
Yet, when it is you in the role of pastor/ preacher to a particular congregation, the picture looks a lot more cloudy.
You know the congregation better than any outside voice does. You know what topics make them uncomfortable. You know how far they like to be pushed. You know their history with past preachers who have challenged them too far so that they stop listening.
So, you ponder how much of preaching is pastoral care-- giving the congregation bits of gospel they can accept, even if the whole message is not there. You know that your career is not based on one sermon.
"They'll be more opportunities to preach like that" many say.
And, still the call of the gospel in a particular text is still there. It rings loud. As you continue to sit with the text, you realize you don't see the gospel as a tame flame, but as a fire. The gospel is all together different than you ever imagined it to be. It keeps you up late at night because you know what you must say. And you know that stones could be thrown at you for saying it.
How I'll preach this week exactly remains to be seen. I pray for discernment and confidence to rise to the challenge.
posted by Musings @ 10:59 AM
2 Comments:
At 3:08 PM ,
Anonymous said...
I love what you say about the gospel being a fire rather than a tame flame. It is so easy to forget how Jesus was received for pointing out the elephants in the room. Thanks for your commitment as you begin the year, as it is a challenge and reminder.
At 9:08 AM ,
Kristen said...
I'm a seminary student now and i am serving a small country parish where I am the solo pastor so i preach every week and I also think about this every time I sit down to write a sermon. It is hard to know where and how to push the congregation , i tr to use us and we as much as possible so they do not feel as angry at me. I value your commitment to doing this i think that it is the only way there can be real change in the church.
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