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Pastoral Wisdom for Responding to Sermon Pushback

Pastoral Wisdom for Responding to Sermon Pushback

Last updated on: October 15, 2026 at 3:23 pm by Leah D. Schade

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Pastoral Wisdom for Responding to Sermon Pushback 2026-10-15T15:23:53-04:00 Leah D. Schade

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How can preachers respond to sermon pushback when they preach about social issues? The book of Proverbs provides wisdom and guidance.

Relational sharing can help build bridges in the wake of sermon pushback.

Navigating sermon pushback on a social justice issue requires deep listening and relational sharing. Photo by Mart Production on Pexels

Even When You Did Your Best Preparation . . .

You did all the right things when you prepared your sermon on a social justice issue. You did careful exegesis on the biblical text. Your treatment of the issue was balanced and fair. You raised important theological points. The stories you used were solid illustrations that made both the text and the issue come alive. And you delivered the sermon in a way that invited further engagement and deeper reflection.

Yet after the service as you stand at the back of the church greeting people, one person refuses to shake your hand. This person loudly tells you their uncharitable thoughts about the sermon. Like a needle scratching across a record, the encounter brings everything to an awkward halt.

What do you do? What do you say? How do you respond when you get negative pushback on your social justice sermon?

Sermon Pushback in a Politically Volatile Time

I recently led a session for clergy in the Moses Project about navigating sermon pushback, and I want to share some of that wisdom more broadly. (See the companion blog I wrote for them: “When Jesus Isn’t Common Ground Anymore: How to Pastor Across the Moral Divide.”) Since 2017, my research team—the Rev. Dr. Amanda Wilson Harper, Dr. Wayne Thompson, and I—has surveyed thousands of mainline Protestant clergy across four waves about preaching and social issues. The latest wave, conducted in 2025, tells a sobering story. The share of preachers who say they feel free to engage with social issues dropped from 63% in 2021 to 57% in 2025. Those who wanted to engage these issues but felt inhibited rose from 33.5% to 41%.

The backlash is real. About two in ten respondents noticed people staying away from worship after a controversial sermon. About two in ten received angry words, letters, or emails. And 13% said they either feared for or received threats against their safety. If you’ve ever experienced this as a preacher, you know what an emotional, physical, and spiritual toll this takes.

At the same time, 56% said their congregations wanted to hear more sermons addressing social issues, and 65% said their people wanted opportunities to discuss them. People want and need biblical, theological, and ethical frameworks to discern issues such as immigration, the climate crisis, racism, gun violence, and LGBTQIA concerns. But when the pushback comes, how can a preacher respond?

For guidance, I turned to the book of Proverbs. Here is what I’ve learned.

First, breathe

“One who is cool in spirit has understanding.” (Proverbs 17:27b)

When someone confronts you after worship about what you preached, take a breath before you respond. This allows your heartrate to slow and your body and mind to become less reactive. Even a brief pause can create space for the Spirit to work.

Second, say “thank you”

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1)

This may seem counterintuitive because the person seems to be in attack mode. But saying thank you is a way of de-escalating. Respond with: “You could have talked to other people about this behind my back, and I would never have known how you felt. So thank you for being honest with me and sharing this with me directly.”

The person may be ready for a fight. But by affirming their good intention, you begin to lower the tension.

Four Ds to Avoid, Four Es to Employ

From there, Proverbs offers four things not to do, each paired with something to do instead:

Do not

Do

Be dismissive

Engage

Be defensive

Enquire

Debate

Emotional and relational connection

Get discouraged

Equip

Let’s go into these in more detail.

Do not dismiss.

“If one gives answer before hearing, it is folly and shame.” (Proverbs 18:13)

When somebody complains, we may be tempted to brush them off. Sometimes people think they heard you say something in a sermon that you never actually said. But we don’t want to dismiss their concerns. They came to us, and there’s a reason for it. Even if we don’t agree, we should hear them out.

Do engage.

“A generous person will be enriched, and one who gives water will get water.” (Proverbs 11:25)

Approach the conversation with a spirit of generosity. This is an opportunity to learn something about this person, and for them to learn something about you. The receiving line after church, however, is not a good time for an extended exchange. Instead, ask, “Can we meet for coffee?” or “Can we schedule a time for a walk in the park?” Choose a place where you both feel comfortable instead of your office or their home, neither of which may feel like neutral ground.

Then engage in a process of relational sharing. It moves through six steps:

Set a supportive physical environment. Walking together or sharing warm drinks eases tension and makes sharing feel more natural.
Signal empathy and curiosity. Ask what they were feeling in that moment. We’re not trying to psychoanalyze them. We’re just dealing with the affect and emotions they felt.
Explore the “why” behind the perspective. “Tell me a story about something in your past that this triggered for you.”
Address feelings of isolation or judgment. When somebody comes to you, they are taking a risk that they may be judged or brushed off. Assure them they are safe to ask questions with you.
Identify the need or desired outcome. Ask, “What do you wish would happen in the future?” They don’t get to tell you what to preach, but their answer may reveal the concern beneath the reaction.
Transition to collaborative action. Ask, “How can you imagine us moving forward from this?”

Do not get defensive.

“One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and one whose temper is controlled than one who captures a city.” (Proverbs 16:32)

When we feel criticized or attacked, our natural response is to become defensive and put up a wall. If we remain open instead, we create room for building the relationship.

Do enquire.

“The purposes in the human mind are like deep water, but the intelligent will draw them out.” (Proverbs 20:5)

One way to draw out those deep waters is to listen for the moral frameworks within their response. In The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided By Religion and Politics, Jonathan Haidt describes those frameworks as: care v. harm, fairness v. cheating, liberty v. oppression, loyalty v. betrayal, authority v. subversion, and sanctity v. degradation.

How does this work in preaching? Suppose you deliver a sermon on the Holy Family fleeing to Egypt as refugees escaping violence, and frame the sermon through care versus harm. A listener may respond, “It’s not fair that those people are jumping the line” or “These immigrants are taking our jobs.” That listener is viewing the issue through fairness versus cheating.

Instead of combating them, try this: “Hmm. So it sounds like fairness is really important to you.” They were expecting a fight, but you’re not feeding that. When you recognize that they have a valid moral framework, even one you disagree with, it takes the temperature down. Ask them to tell you more. Then ask, “Can I tell you a little bit about why I think caring for them is so important?” This can create bridges of understanding.

Do not debate.

“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs 12:18)

A debate is about who wins and who loses. That’s not what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to repair or strengthen the pastoral relationship.

Do focus on emotions and relationship.

“A discerning heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” (Proverbs 18:15)

Notice the heart and the ear. Ask, “What did you hear me say?” Not “What do you think I said?” but “What did you hear?” That gets at the lenses we’re each using. Then, be genuinely be curious about this person and their perspective, even when the conversation feels uncomfortable.

Signal that you’ve listened, and invite them to go deeper into their story:

“What emotions came up for you in that moment?”
“How did it feel in your body?”
“Can you tell me more about that?”
“I can really relate to that, because one time I heard a sermon where…”

Now the sermon becomes something you can examine together rather than something you must fight over.

Do not get discouraged.

“A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.” (Proverbs 15:13)

Pastors are the spiritual guides, the theologians in residence, the biblical scholars, and the pastoral caregivers of God’s holy people. We do not want our spirits to be broken. How we handle these moments of pushback will shape not just the immediate situation but our ministry and sense of vocation more broadly. Even when the process is painful, we can treat these moments as opportunities for growth.

Do get equipped.

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)

If someone has brought an issue to you, maybe they’re not the only one who thinks this way. How could you involve others? Ask: “Do you think we ought to have a forum? Would you like me to write a newsletter about this? Should I lead a Bible study? Would you want to do this with me?” Then they become collaborators with you rather than opponents of you.

Obviously, this only works with people acting in good faith. But when everyone is, there are real possibilities for building mutual understanding, not just between the two of you, but across the congregation.

Also, check in with a trusted mentor or colleague about the exchange afterward. Getting support and having a sounding board can help you process your own emotions and thoughts. This can equip you for the next steps of the process.

clergy soul-searching after sermon pushback

Receiving sermon pushback is never easy. But it may offer opportunities for growth. Photo by Freepik

Apologize for mistakes, not for the gospel

If someone confronts you about something you said in a sermon that was unintentionally harmful or incorrect, own it. One time I accidentally referred to a group in a way I should not have. A person came up to me and said, “I was really offended by that.” I said, “I am so sorry. Thank you for alerting me to it. I will correct that in the future.” I felt chagrined, but I didn’t try to defend myself. I just owned it, apologized, and said what I would do differently going forward.

Apologize for mistakes and hurt feelings. But if you preached the gospel, do not apologize for that.

Conclude with dignity

When an exchange like this concludes, everybody wants to come away with their dignity intact. Sum it up: “We disagreed on some things, but we agreed on others. We learned something about each other that we didn’t know before. Where might we go from here?” Points of commonality and trust become next steps.

However, you may also reach an impasse. It’s okay to pause and say, “Things are getting a little heated,” or “We’ve been talking for an hour. Can we put a pause on this? You pray about it, I’ll pray about it, and we’ll come back later.” You’re not cutting them off forever. You are protecting your own boundaries of time and space.

When feedback crosses into the danger zone

Sometimes sermon feedback crosses into the danger zone. In our 2025 survey, 5% of respondents were either threatened with job loss or forced to resign. More than 120 respondents described experiences ranging from physical and online harassment to vandalism, death threats, and violence.

If you are dealing with people who have been catechized as true believers in Christian nationalism, for example, you are not obligated to engage them if you don’t feel safe or they are not acting in good faith. You may not be the right person to have this conversation, or it may not be the right time. You do not need to subject yourself to abuse. See Pamela Cooper-White’s The Psychology of Christian Nationalism: Why People Are Drawn In and How to Talk Across the Divide (Fortress Press, 2022), for approaches you can take in these situations.

For more on safety, see the Clergy Emergency League and Wisconsin Council of Churches panel, “Trolls, Doxxing, and Threats, Oh My!” and my earlier post, “What to Do When Parishioners Leave – Because of Politics.”

Affirm your call to preach

This is a tough time to be a preacher. But you are here for a reason. You are not alone in this, and you are right where you’re supposed to be.

Not every sermon has to be bold and blunt. In Preaching and Social Issues, I describe three approaches to a sermon addressing social issues: gentle, invitational, and robust. A gentle sermon is just as important as a robust one. You may be able to be invitational on one topic and have to go gentle on another. To gauge the risks and strengths for yourself, your church, and the relationships within it, take the free five-minute Assessment Tool for Ministry and Social Issues. Better yet, have your leadership take it too, and talk about what you learn.

And if you’re looking for more support, the Clergy Emergency League is a grassroots network of more than 3,300 clergy who help one another preach, teach, and witness against Christian nationalism.

As iron sharpens iron, we sharpen one another. When pushback comes, take a breath, respond with curiosity, protect appropriate boundaries, and keep building relationships with the holy people of God. Then keep preaching the gospel!

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