11.20.08
Stuart Murray on preaching
In Murray’s article “Interactive Preaching,” he notes three important shifts that have challenged the traditional sermon approach:
1. “a cultural shift away from passive instruction to participatory learning”
2. “societal shift away from an integrated world to a world where networks overlap, a shift away from simplicity to complexity”
3. “a media shift away from linear to non-linear methods of conveying information, from logical argument to pic ‘n’ mix learning”
He then argues for interactive preaching as a viable alternative, “characterized by four features”:
1. it is learner-focused, concerned more about what is learned than what is taught, more about the outcome than the methodology
2. it is multi-voiced, not dominated by one voice but open to participation by many people. It recognizes that nobody has a monopoly on revelation or wisdom, that there are resources in the congregation that will enable the Word of God to be heard with much greater power and clarity if these are released
3. it is open-ended, prepared to leave loose ends and to live with uncertainty, to run the risk of allowing people space to think, to reflect, to explore, to ask how biblical teaching might apply to their situation
4. it is dialogue-based, making room for questions, comments, challenges, ideas and exploration
But he is aware that there are obstacles to overcome:
* Congregations are locked into monologue preaching and are threatened by anything different
* The sermon is seen as sacrosanct
* Preachers are very wary of interactive methods. We may feel insecure, liable to be put on the spot, doing something we were not trained to do
* Preachers prefer to preach monologue sermons. Not only is it safer, it feels more satisfying, more fulfilling, more ‘anointed’. Putting it bluntly, preacher satisfaction takes precedence over congregational growth
Murray concludes by saying, “If interactive preaching is to catch on, both preachers and congregations will need to be re-trained and re-orientated. This will take time. It will require persistence and courage. But it may be that nothing less is required for church life in the 21st century.”
