From Insecurity to Impact: Embracing your genuine preaching voice
I can’t bounce the quotation below on my knee.
Read the paragraph cited below, and then I’ll explain.
Genuineness is perhaps one of the most valuable qualities someone can possess. When we are genuine, we are authentic and sincere in our thoughts, feelings, and actions. Being genuine means that we are true to ourselves, without trying to be someone we are not. It involves being honest with ourselves and with others. Genuineness creates a sense of trust and openness in our relationships, and it allows us to connect with others on a deeper level. Genuine people are not afraid to be vulnerable and show their true selves, as they understand that this is what ultimately makes them relatable and approachable. True genuineness is a rare and treasured attribute in today's world.
-Generated by this website’s Artificial Intelligence
Today is the first time I encountered that Artificial Intelligence (AI) had been added to my website’s functionality.
The site made me check a confirmation box that I understood that if I published the AI’s words, I was taking responsibility for them. I was “owning” the words as my own.
Which brings me to the reason I can’t bounce that quotation on my knee, and it’s not because I can’t hold the quote in my hands like a baby.
It’s because I can’t hold it in my heart.
That quote belongs to, was generated by, someone—something—else.
Knees, Bounces, and Genes
An online etymology dictionary tells us that the root of “genuine” means:
…natural, not acquired; really proceeding from its reputed source.
One historical line says that genuine descended from the Latin genu, knee, from the ancient Roman custom of a father acknowledging paternity by accepting a child into his arms and placing the child on his knee.
Technically, I suppose, the bouncing was optional, but either way the root of genu is gene-, meaning to birth, beget.
It’s the basis of many contemporary words like gene, genealogy, and genius; gentle, indigenous, and kindred. And of course, genuine.
To produce something genuine means that it truly comes from the presented source.
As to the quote above, it’s not that I disagree with the points the AI made. In fact I, too, believe that genuineness includes authenticity, truth, sincerity, and vulnerability. I agree that genuineness is necessary to connect and build relationships of trust.
But I still can’t bounce that quote on my knee because I didn’t produce it.
It doesn’t bear my genes. It doesn’t sound like “me.”
It wasn’t born out of my heart.
Quotations: AI isn’t the only content void of our voice
A pithy quote in a sermon can offer more wisdom in ten words than we might say in a hundred.
But sometimes we use quotes to make sure we “get it right.”
While we do want to avoid preaching heresy (as defined by one’s tradition) and need to be responsible for every word preached (and published), there’s often more going on in a preacher’s quest to be correct.
Quotations can be used as self-protection.
Preaching is vulnerable.
When we preach, we show ourselves: our beliefs, our perspectives—our appearance.
All of it is subject to criticism, and I’ve had my fair share of it just as you probably have.
When we put what most deeply matters to us on display—our belief in and relationship with God—it’s tender.
The criticism we get, both the passive-aggressive and just plain aggressive varieties, hurt.
To protect ourselves, we might decide to quote someone else’s genuine belief and words. Especially if we are trying to shore up our arguments and show that we’ve “got it right,” the underlying fear might be that we have it “wrong.”
We think, surely “they” have more authority and wisdom than we do.
We don’t know enough. We haven’t studied enough. We don’t have enough degrees. We aren’t important enough.
We might use quotes, then, thinking they provide the validity our own words lack.
We almost certainly agree with the quote, just like I agree with the AI’s quote above.
But the quote can’t be bounced on our knee because it wasn’t born from us.
It doesn’t carry our genes. It doesn’t sound like us.
It isn’t genuine.
To Quote or Not to Quote?
USE IT:
When discerning whether or not to use a quote, imagine someone important to you will be present for this sermon. It might be your mom, D.S. or bishop, or a parish search committee.
As you imagine preaching the author’s words, notice your reaction.
Is there a sense of delight that comes from the satisfying recognition that that’s exactly what you wanted to say?
As if the author read and made sense of what was already in your heart?
That you take responsibility for its truth and “own” the quote’s meaning as if it were your own?
Would your delight be magnified by sharing the quote with your VIP’s?
Though you still give credit to the author, you feel you can “adopt” the words and bounce them on your knee?
If so, the quote might be exactly the ticket. Use it.
PAUSE & RECONSIDER
However, if your feeling is that even though you agree with the quote, there’s something a bit “not right”: it doesn’t reveal your heart.
In addition, if your reaction is a feeling of relief (or even defensiveness) that you’ll be able to show your VIP’s how correct, smart, or beyond reproach you are, that might suggest wanting to hide.
There’s something you might be afraid to show. There’s something you might feel you have to prove.
That something is missing from your genuine self and needs to acquire another’s voice to fill in the gap.
In this case, it’s probably best not to use this quote because you can’t bounce it on your knee.
Genuine Sermons are Perfectly, Honestly You
God. Called. You.
To this congregation. At this time.
Not the Big Names.
Not Augustine.
Not Martin Luther.
Not the Wesleys brothers.
Not even Martin Luther King, Desmond Tutu, Michael Curry, Nadia Bolz-Weber, or Barbara Brown Taylor.
You.
Trust that your words given to you by the Spirit through prayer and study, are not only enough, they carry more weight and authority in your congregations than The Big Names because they are yours.
Learning to trust your own words so you preach genuinely is one of the greatest gifts graduates of The Mentorship say they receive.
From working intimately with a mentor one-to-one, receiving the support of their peers, and hearing from sermon listeners, preachers learn more and more deeply that their voice counts.
It leads them to proclaim the gospel with greater confidence, authority, joy—and humility.
If you’d like to bounce all your sermons on your knee by trusting your voice more, consider applying for The Mentorship.