Preaching

This past weekend, I spoke about how through Jesus we can approach God with confidence (Hebrews 4:14-16).  To open my message, I shared a story from my freshman year of high school. I was stopped in the hallway one day by a senior football player.  My first thought: he's going to stuff me in a locker.  Instead, he asked me, "Is your name Ken Hensley?"  My second thought: what have I done? Before I could answer, he asked me a second question: "Is your dad the lead singer of Uriah Heep?  His name is Ken Hensley."  For those of you who don't know, Uriah Heep was a popular band in the 1970's and the lead singer was in fact Ken Hensley (see picture below -- total resemblance). I had two choices: lie and be popular for about a week ... until he found out the truth and then he'd stuff…

"Boredom is a preview of death if not itself a form of death." - Fred Craddock A couple of times a year, I will go back and reread certain books on preaching.  Right now I'm working my way through Fred Craddock's first book on preaching: "Overhearing the Gospel."  It was originally delivered as part of the Lyman Beecher Lectures on Preaching at Yale University (1978). One of the early points Craddock makes is about boredom -- it's not good.  He argues against those that think the only thing that matters is content.  As he would say, some are only concerned about the "what" and not the "how."  In some opinions, to be concerned about the "how" is to reduce the sacredness of preaching. Craddock would say, to ignore the "how" reduces the sacredness of the content ... because people won't hear it.  They'll be asleep, fidgeting, passing notes, thinking about…

At the Yale Lectures on Preaching in 1877, Phillips Brooks offered a definition of preaching that has stood the test of time.  He defined preaching as "the communication of truth through personality." There are two parts to this definition. Preaching speaks truth. Preaching is delivered through a preacher. Assuming that the content of a sermon is true, that it is communicating truth, then the second part of the definition becomes critical.  The impact of a message increases or decreases depending upon the human connection the audience feels with the preacher.  This is not about being boring or relevant; it is about being human. Your audience wants to hear a word from God.  They want to hear what is true.  But -- and this is important -- they have chosen to hear it from you. Here are a few quick tips when it comes to forming a human connection with your audience:…

Many people have a fear of public speaking.  They get nervous, clammy, and dread standing before a group of people.  Here's one reason why: they are more concerned about themselves than their audience. Will I say this the right way? How do I look? What if they think I'm boring? As long as your focus is inward instead of outward, you will never excel at public speaking (and this includes preaching). Here's why: audiences are selfish. In simple terms, audiences are asking that age-old question: "What's in it for me?"  They are looking for something that adds value to their life, their business, or their marriage.  Or, they may be willing to give you thirty minutes of their time in order to leave with a little more hope. This doesn't mean we don't challenge false assumptions or simply give people what they want to hear.  Sometimes what is best for…

In Proverbs 29:18, the King James Version of the Bible reads, "Where there is no vision, the people perish ..." Everybody needs to have a living, breathing vision inside of them.  Your kids need your help to see their own potential.  Students need a teacher to birth a vision within them of what can be.  Adults can navigate tremendous obstacles when compelled by a compelling vision. Helping people see God's vision for their lives is another reason I love preaching. As humans, we are confronted with the realities of living in a fallen world.  It's not just "them" that need help; it's me.  Long after he had penned the words to "Amazing Grace," John Newton reflected: "My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Savior.” While it's true that biblical preaching shines a light on our…