Do You Believe the Sermons You Preach?
We’re not writing sermons to get a job done. Nor are we looking for a topic the same way we do for a term paper. Instead, having engaged the text prayerfully—vulnerable and open to the Holy Spirit—we have been changed. We encountered the living God, and that encounter transforms us. A sermon, then, serves as a public declaration of faith: yours.
Who Did You Say God Is?
When you preach, what do your listeners learn about God? Are there any subconscious or “embedded” beliefs that sneak into your sermons without your awareness?
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.
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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.
—Donna G.
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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.
I just have to say WOW. I'm so grateful that I made the investment and joined The Collective. These Thursday [workshops] are a game-changer for me.
—Andrea M.