3 Ways Your Backstory Informs Your Preaching (whether you're aware of it or not)
Maybe you want it revealed. Maybe you don't.
Regardless, it's on display in every sermon.
What am I talking about? Your backstory.
Your backstory is the story you tell in your sermons without "telling" it. It seeps into your sermons whether or not you say the word, "I."
Your backstory is the unique mixture of your theology, childhood, DNA, education, church experience, personality, political persuasion, and so much more. It affects how you approach the Sunday's scriptures, influences your conclusions about them, and shapes your style and the purpose for which you preach.
To preach the message you intend to preach, consider these three aspects of your backstory to help you use your backstory in service to your preaching.
Preacher, What Do You Think You're Doing?
Beyond giving thanks that a particular sermon connected with some listeners, do you ever stop to ponder what exactly your work as a preacher is?
6 Tips for Preaching the Gospel in a Divided Culture
Few of us have done this before.
Few of us have preached in political and cultural climates as volatile and unpredictable as the one we face in the U.S.right now.
I've preached my share of social justice sermons, but they were issue oriented. I've never needed to preach when an entire country was in foment, when families were separating over political views, when trust was so low it was difficult to even expect common courtesy.
We wonder how to preach the unifying love of Christ while many are divided; the ways to preach peace in the face of vitriol; how to preach dignity when displays of disrespect are sought as badges of honor.
Here are six tips to help.
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I participated in the Lectio study today with a complicated and double-speak Gospel (John 17:6-19) and WOW! I received so much great insight and am headed in a direction I feel really good about. Thank you to all my colleagues! If you are wondering if this is worth it, wonder no more. It is.
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The Gospel People Don't Want to Hear: Preaching Challenging Messages was written to aid preacher’s in understanding what’s at stake for their listeners so they can craft sermons their audience can receive, even if they challenge cherished beliefs.
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