05 August 2009 | 2 comments

Why Johnny Can’t Preach (Part 3) Peter Sholl

Tony Payne05/08/2009 03:11 AM

Hi Peter

Thanks for this series. Really interesting.

Three quick comments:

- I can identify with the danger you mention with being too ‘literary’. I’m a reader and writer by profession, and when I preach I need to keep making the conscious shift into a different mode of communication. I’m probably more of a ‘writerly’ preacher than some, just because of who I am.

- However, if I understand what Gordon is saying (via you!), then it’s the engagement with the text of Scripture that needs to be literary, not the end product (the sermon). It’s the commitment to really read what is there in the text that will end up making our sermons Christ-centred, because the text is Christ-centred. How we then deliver that message is another question.

- In this connection, I can’t help thinking of Phillip Jensen and his preaching—he’s not at all a literary or ‘writerly’ preacher; it’s all very ‘verbal’ and persuasive (and from personal experience I can tell you that attempting to transcribe one of his sermons and turn into prose is a challenge!). But Phillip is precisely the kind of literary preacher I think Gordon may be referring to, in that he his utterly committed to reading and re-reading and nutting out the text, and then preaching what he finds there (rather than preaching his system, or anything else).

Thanks again for the stimulation.

TP

Peter Sholl05/08/2009 03:50 AM

Hi Tony,

You are exactly right - this is in the end largely a book about preparation rather than delivery. No one (Gordon included) wants a sermon to turn into a book reading! Rather, he is encouraging, as you say, careful literary and Christ centred engagement with the text, which will go a long way to producing a nourishing, Christ centred sermon.

There will be a bit more about this in the final post of the series.

I think you are exactly right in thinking of Phillip. A careful reader of literature he certainly is, as well as careful and faithful Christ centred preacher.

I’ve actually been listening to a series on Mark’s gospel of Phillip’s here in Mexico as I drive from dropping the kids at school to my house of pain (aka language school) and I’ve been reminded again of the need for careful reading and to preach what is there, not what you think, or what you would like to be there.

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Tony Payne

Tony Payne

Paul is one of the Staff Editors at Matthias Media. He is married to Cathy and has three fantastic kids. He loves student ministry, reading, writing music and playing the saxophone, and is looking forward to meeting Jesus face to face.

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