Preaching, the impossible
From Feed My Sheep, Chapter Preaching to Suffering People by John Piper:
This is why preaching is not mere communication and why "communication theory" and getting scholarly degrees in "communication" are so far from the essence of what preaching is about. Preaching is about doing the impossible: making the rich young ruler fall out of love with his comfortable lifestyle and into love with the King of kings so that he "joyfully" sells all that he has to gain that treasure (Matt 13:44). Jesus said very simply, "With man this is impossible" (Matt 19:26). The aim of preaching is impossible. No techniques will make it succeed. "But with God all things are possible."
posted by danny2 @ 8:41 PM
2 Comments:
At 11:10 AM,
Zach Doppelt said…
Interesting... but let's take this farther. If preaching is only possible with God, is some of our obsession with the latest trends in biblical scholarship just as far away from truth as scholarship in communication? What is actually required to be an effective preacher? Certainly the scripture mandates wisdom and effective handling of the word, but how do you obtain that? Again, interesting... This is an area I have wrestled with for awhile ( this coming from someone with a journalism/comm. degree and working on my seminary degree).
At 2:14 PM,
danny2 said…
new scares me.
if it is a new trend or a new hermeutic, i would imagine it is built more on the cleverness of the author than on the plainess of the Scriptures.
you're right, much preaching today involves so many processes before they can express what the Word says that they are no longer sitting with the Word as the authority, but with their devices as the authority, instead.
my bereans in my church should be able to cross what i'm saying with their Scriptures....without a secret decoder ring.
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