Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Irreverin

Home
Progressive Christian
A Good Word

A Good Word

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 at 7:40 pm by Erin Wathen

A Good Word 2012-08-09T19:40:02-07:00 Erin Wathen

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.

On sabbatical, i had the opportunity to go to worship in other places. Like, just GO to church! If you have ever led worship and/or preached on a regular basis, you know that getting to experience worship on the other end, and not have to create or facilitate it in some way, is a gift. Several weeks of this made me realize how much i was missing, being always on the other side of the pulpit–and how i could be a much better preacher if i took time, more often, to hear what other folks are doing with the gospel.

What makes a good message? Here is my list. Please note, I am not saying that I deliver every one of these elements consistently. But, knowing what i like to hear, this is where i set the bar for myself. This is what people hunger for–and what they deserve to hear–when they take the time to visit our churches:

A message that:

1-Assumes the intelligence of the audience. Many churches treat every person in the pew as if they are hearing about Jesus for the very first time. There is something to be said for keeping those brand new ears in mind when you preach. But just because someone has maybe never heard the text you are reading, does not mean they are 5 years old. I really hate to be handed a ‘fill in the blank’ card that goes along with the sermon, and invites the listener to write in word-for-word quotes from the preacher. A truly good message invites folks to hear what we *mean–*and what it means for them– and not just repeat back what we are saying.

2-***Shares personal faith, but does not overshare.***A good preacher can give a glimpse of his/her own faith journey, share an experience of the holy or a time of personal trial –without making the message about oneself. It is important for folks to know that ministers struggle, too. That we doubt, that we are imperfect, and we have fractured relationships. But nobody wants to come to worship and experience ’emotional bleeding’ from the pulpit. People also want to hear that we have mountaintop moments–face to face run-ins with God that make it all worthwhile, periods of transformation that seem other-worldly…But you know, they don’t want to hear us go on and on about it. There’s a point at which it becomes bragging.

And maybe it should go without saying…but the good sermon is about scripture. And not in a literal, ‘i’m going to pick apart every word of this until you know what it SAYS’ kind of way, but in a way that invites hearers to internalize the scripture, and see it reflected in their own lives. The temptation to illustrate scripture with more scripture ought to be avoided… As should the temptation to always write ourselves into the biblical story. So: no bleeding, no bragging, and no pretending we are Jesus.

3-Contains humor, but not cheese. It’s all about timing, really. And usually, telling an outright joke does not get you very far. The joke, as Fred Craddock says (oh, NOW you’re listening) is its own thing. It is a self-contained unit, with a beginning and an end. Once you’ve told it, there isn’t much you can add. 94% of the time, this turns out to be true. What’s funny in a sermon is, more often, a quick moment of insight. Extreme truth-telling that shines a light on the shared human experience in such a way that people cannot help but laugh at the honesty of it.

To put it simply–if you are scanning the internet for a joke that relates to your message, (guilty) then you are trying too hard. If you have to explain the connection, you are trying too hard. If that one old church lady–you know, the one who loves you no matter what, has told you what songs to sing at her funeral, brings you cookies when you’re sick and thinks you are all around wonderful–is the only one laughing, you’ve done tried too hard. It is not a stand-up routine, anyway, it is the gospel. It is only funny if it’s true. Which leads me to the next point–a great sermon

***4–does not try too hard.***The best sermons are not written out word for word. Every one of us has to learn this the hard way because, dang it, Saturday just sucks if you can’t feel that your sermon is typed up, printed out in multiple, and DONE. But the hard and simple truth is–the sermon that’s been ‘finished’ is already done, before the Holy Spirit ever shows up on Sunday.

I struggle, myself, to find the line here–what is ‘enough’ preparation to mean that i’m ready for Sunday, but have still left room for something outside myself to contribute? When you’ve figured that one out, preacher friends, let me know. I think it will be my lifelong struggle… But hey, I am all for lifelong struggle, because a good message also

***5-Leaves a question.***Remember back on number 1 where — assume some intelligence among those who hear? Well, we can also assume that folks have some powers of insight, deduction, and reflection. I know that many conservative churches set out to ‘answer’ all things, to prescribe solutions, and to teach text book responses to life’s most difficult questions. But to me, over-explaining is one of the most harmful things we can do to a person’s faith. It leaves people dry when they are in actual pain, and the textbook answers dissolve into just words. The ‘easy-answer’ approach is also why we are bleeding young people by the millions; it is also why many churches are still afraid to let women lead, still afraid to let go the committee structures that are killing them slowly, and still categorizing people’s lives as ok/not ok. The compulsive need to answer/fix/do/know what to expect is getting us down, big time.

A question–or simply an unresolved connection–sends folks out the door in a state of wonder, feeling empowered and–most importantly–part of the story. For what it’s worth, this is what i love about Children’s Worship and Wonder. The stories do not resolve into ‘and the moral is…” Rather, they invite children to engage the story at a creative, tactile level. Given this kind of space, the story becomes a part of their life and being in the way that a black and white ‘lesson’ never could.

The other day, my 3-year-old told me to be quiet because “somebody might be talking to God.” Sometimes, us preachers would do well to remember that in grown-up worship as well. You can only say so much. At some point–be quiet, and let people talk to God for their own selves.

**6–**A good message also contains ***simple, powerful imagery.The goal should be that we not just preach ABOUT Jesus, but also that we preach like him.***Jesus used imagery that engaged people at a fundamental level. Simple, familiar, every day and practical things, held up as signs of God with us. Seeds. Yeast. Banquets. Currency. Work in the fields, work in the home. God is everywhere, if we are looking. What are we holding up these days as such simple signs of grace and abundance? What speaks to people at such a fundamental level? Often, food, water, family and vocation will still work for us, if we give them the space to do so.

7-Timely. Somebody (Some say Bart, some say Bruggemann, some say it was their own seminary professor…) once said that you should preach with a Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other. But I’d say these days, we need to go a bit farther. Like, the Bible in one hand, the newspaper in the other–and a newsfeed on your computer in the background, and the radio tuned to NPR, and twitter alerts coming on your phone. Because, thing is, stuff happens quickly now. It isn’t just about knowing that there’s a recession, or knowing that the Olympics are going on, or that it’s an election year (Lord help us) or that people are tired and stressed at Christmas time. The essence of being ‘timely’ has utterly changed, now that news can travel to us at lightning speed. Things happen in the world, even if it is Saturday night. Even if it is Sunday morning.

Now, if you are a preacher, your blood pressure just went up a little bit at the thought of scrapping your notes on Sunday morning (i have stress dreams about this, all the time) because some local or global event just rendered your entire message utterly irrelevant. Yesterday’s news. But that is just what good preachers are ready to do–scrap the whole thing if the newsfeed takes the story elsewhere. If there’s a shooting in the community; if a beloved local restaurant burns down; if a whole portion of the country or world is swallowed by flood, or shaken by earthquake–then whatever we thought was important on Saturday, just got trumped by the newsfeed. Game on.

And really, it can go the other way, too. The transforming factor can be great joy or abundance. If the local high school football team won the state championship the night before–there’s your sermon. If it is Easter and, for the first time in years, you don’t have enough space for all the people–that is the message. If it is Christmas, and your folks managed to feed and clothe 50 needy families during the season–thanks be to God, THAT is your incarnation story. Hold up that good book, and read some good stuff from it, and then say, ‘you know? For today, I think we get it. That God is in our midst–wholly and eternally; in grief or in joy; in our need and in our overflow of goodness; in everything we’ve done right, and in every place that we tried and failed; from our doorsteps to the ends of the earth, there is good news not just in these pages, but in our hearts, in our lives, and in our world.” And then you bless it and go home.

Because even on our best days, we are not really creating the message, nor can we add much to its goodness. The best we can hope for is to crack open its truth, its power, and its grace just a little bit wider, so that it might come to life as a blessed invitation to hear, and to follow.

What makes a sermon meaningful and memorable for you?

My favorite pulpit–Vespers at Camp Wakon’ Da Ho. The space speaks for itself.

progressive christianity

spirituality

worship

Previous Post

August 3, 2012

Fearfully, Wonderfully

Next Post

August 10, 2012 What Whining Will Get You...

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category a good week for progress Advent and Christmas Being a Person desert life faith and community Good News for Progressives Lent and Easter Marriage and Family S*^! Jesus Says sabbatical road tripping Spirituality in Culture Talking to Strangers the "Best Stuff I Ever Ate" diet travel Uncategorized writing Writing Prompt Wednesday

Select a Month January 2021 December 2020 November 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 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 February 2011 July 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What city did God command Jonah to preach to?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Jericho Babylon Tyre Nineveh