I Never Knew That Until Now

Last updated on: May 24, 2022 at 1:59 pm by C. Don Jones

I Never Knew That Until Now 2022-05-24T13:59:15-06:00 C. Don Jones

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Few things are more gratifying to a pastor or teacher as a person saying, “I never knew that before today?” It happens from time to time. Sometimes I am amazed that something I think of as basic knowledge is now heard by someone for the first time. Listeners usually draw satisfaction from these times as well. But there are times the response is one of consternation on the listener’s part. I always wonder if I was unclear; or if I am dealing with a deeper issue for the person who takes me to task for something they heard me say. And then there are the ones who never considered the idea at all.

Never Being Told

“Don, you need to get what you are saying down to the trough so the pigs can get to it.” A well-meaning person offered me this advice when I first started preaching. It is true I have a large vocabulary. But I never think of the people in pews as pigs. I did not reply. “Do not throw your pearls before swine or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.” (Matthew 7:6) Is a most interestingly placed text. Matthew puts right after Jesus discussion that begins “Do not judge.”

I find that many of my colleagues did not teach what they learned. It may be they fear the trampling underfoot and mauling will occur? But that is a judging before the facts. Are we more afraid of offending someone than the person who would gladly offend other people? I cannot relay here all the names I have been called. But I admit some of them are accurate.

Preachers are bad about trusting their congregations. We don’t teach what we should, keep our heads down, and bide our time until something else changes. And we starve congregations of some real spiritual guidance. The people in the pews then look elsewhere and receive bad spiritual teaching from people who are willing to give it to them.

Developing A Style

A church member once told me how he thought his regular Sunday school literature was great until he took the Disciple Bible Study. His greater knowledge turned to a greater appreciation for what the pastor might know. And he spent a lot of time after the study picking my brain for more information. Disciple was not merely taught by someone with a workbook and video. The publisher wanted the teacher to take training to know how to teach it.

Preachers and teachers need to develop a style for what they do. I use a more or less conversational tone when preaching. I am no orator. But I do speak in complete sentences. Some people are very good speakers who make homilies and lessons sound like speeches.

Style of delivery is not much use unless their is something to deliver. I was once asked to teach a certain book of the New Testament that many fundamentalists keep trying to decipher. I explained to the fundamentalists in my church who asked for the lesson to get used to how I teach first. It made the impact of what I said less devastating. Only one person swore she would never attend again. I was relieved she left.

Listening But Never Hearing

We have all run across people who only wish to have their prejudices confirmed. Progressive pastors dread the conservative looking to take offense. But what about the quiet person in the pew who is afraid to speak up? I mean the person who would take a more open position if only they could find an ally? What is it like for that person who is listening but never hearing what they know should be said?

The resources provided by progressive blogs and books by progressive leaders do help such people. But they are also isolating. Hopefully, progressive pastors reading this blog and others are encouraged to speak up prophetically. The existence of these blogs proves there are readers. (We are paid for by advertising) Some of them may be nearer to you than you think.

Finally, there are the people who were taught all about “gettin’ saved” and want to know what a Christian should be doing in their lives. These are the people who are surprised by what I think should be basic knowledge. What should they never have to hear?

Biblical Interpretation

Previous Post

May 19, 2022

Good Guys With Guns

Next Post

May 25, 2022 I Was In School; And You Let Me Die - Jesus

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Addiction Advent Afghanistan Anxiety Ascension Sunday Baptism Barack Obama Biblical Interpretation Bigotry Book Banning BSA Buddhism Choice Christmas Church Discipline Community Conscience Conspiracy theories COVID-19 Culture Wars death cults deconstruction Devotional Divine Judgment Donald Trump Earth Day Election Day empathy Environmentalism Evangelism Exploitation of the Poor Faith False Claims fascism Fear Forgiveness Genocide government Grace Gun Violence Halloween Hate Health Hillbilly Elegy Hindu Holy Communion Holy Week Homelessness Hope Identity Integrity Islam Joe Biden John Hagee Kamala Harris Labor Lent Liberation Theology Lies Love Love as action Neurological disorders Non-Christian Religions Online Worship Original Goodness Pandemic Peace Pentecost Philosophy Preaching Progressive Christianity Racism Redemptive Violence Myth Resentment Saint's Days Satire Sobriety social media Spiritual Self Care Spirituality Technology The Kingdom of God The United Methodist Church Theology Transfigurations Sunday Transgender persons Truth Uncategorized Violence Wesleyan Working Class

Select a Month September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 March 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 September 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 January 2025 October 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 October 2018 September 2018 July 2018 February 2018 January 2018 August 2017 May 2017 November 2016 July 2016 June 2016 November 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 January 2015 November 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 June 2013 March 2013 February 2013 December 2012 August 2012 July 2012 May 2012 February 2012 December 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Where was Jesus Born?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Jerusalem Shiloh Bethlehem Nazareth