Preaching Without Authority?

Preaching Without Authority? 

"In 1971, Fred Craddock rocked the preaching world. His book As One Without Authority proclaimed that preaching would continue “for another generation as ‘a marginal annoyance on the record of a scientific age’” if it did not change its methods. His underlying message was that the authority determining the value of any sermon was the hearer. The result was a radically altered presence in America’s pulpits. 

According to Craddock, preachers cannot preach with authority. He insists, “The preacher exists as one without authority.” Instead of preaching with authority, they had to appease the listeners with sermons that tickled their ears and made them feel good. In essence, Craddock was calling for a new homiletic. Preachers should no longer preach deductively from the Scriptures, but should preach inductively, targeting the hearer as the true authority on the quality, quantity, and content of the sermon. Craddock’s book was a kind of canary in the coalmine for biblical preaching. With the rise of the church-growth movement and emerging spirituality, authoritative preaching has fallen out of fashion.

Nevertheless, true preaching—biblical preaching—must be authoritative preaching. The nature of the message we preach necessitates authority. If we are faithfully exegeting and preaching the Scriptures, then our message necessarily comes with authority, because it comes from God.

Preach the Word!

How To Avoid Being Labeled a Boring Preacher

The goal of this short essay is to provide ten practical tips on how to avoid being labeled a boring preacher. 

First, preach the Word of God with passion and conviction.  As Alex Montoya points out, “Passion is the power, the drive, the energy, the life in the delivery of the sermon.  Without passion, the sermon becomes a lecture, an address or a moral speech.”[1] The apostolic mandate is to preach the Word not to merely teach the Scriptures (2 Tim. 4:1-4).  Lloyd-Jones once told someone, “If you do not know the difference between preaching and teaching then you have likely never heard a sermon before.”

Second, use vocal variety throughout your expository message.  If someone attempts to deliver a sermon in a monotone manner it will likely put the congregation to sleep during the first fifteen minutes.  

If the preacher goes back and listens to his sermons on their I Pod they should be able to determine if they employed good vocal variety throughout the sermon.  It should be noted here that an emphatic point can be made by lowering one’s voice (like Rick Holland) or by declaring the truth in a demonstrative way (like Paul Washer).

Third, prepare a sermon manuscript not academic lecture notes.  If one’s sermon notes could be mistaken for a theological journal something’s not right.  It is critical to remember that when writing a sermon you are preparing an oral manuscript to be heard with the ear.  John MacArthur’s sermon manuscripts on “Grace To You” look much different than his books on the same texts of Scripture.

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING CHRISTIAN SERMONS

photo credit: rookiepreacher.com

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING CHRISTIAN SERMONS

 (By Art Azurdia)

1) Exegetical accuracy 

2) Doctrinal substance

3) Clear structure

4) Vivid illustrations

5) Pointed textual application

6) Helpful delivery

7) Supernatural authority (Spirit-filled Preaching)

20+ Practical Helps For Preachers and Teachers (Derek Thomas)

Derek Thomas at TMS July 2016

During his lecture at TMS Derek Thomas offered 20+ practical helps related to preaching in no matter order:

A) Be a shepherd expositor.  Preaching to the same people in the context of the local church is much different than being a circuit (conference) teacher.  In some ways, shepherd-leaders will shape their expositions to the needs of their people; (see notes above with regards to Text-driven sermons).

B) Know your strengths and weaknesses and play to your strengths and work on improving your weaknesses.  Preachers do not have the exact same strengths and weaknesses.  For example, not every pastor can preach fresh sermons if they only exposit a few verses week after week.  Honestly access your own gifts and your limitations.  You are likely not Martyn Lloyd-Jones. 

C) Preach sequentially.  Over 40 years the primary diet Dr. Thomas has served his flock is verse-by-verse, book-by-book expository preaching.  He has preached through approximately 40 books.

D) Preach different genres.  Variety will grow you as a preacher and will likely help the congregation track with you over a lengthy ministry in the same place.  On occasion it is helpful to break from your verse-by-verse series in order to preach a series on the vanishing conscience, or prayer, or Christian liberty, etc.

10 Reasons Sermons Fail (pt 2)

When it comes to the ministry "failure is not an option." We cannot afford to fail in this sacred task.  If you do not live to preach the glory of Christ find something else to do (Col. 1:28-29).  This is part two of a lesson delivered by Professor Alex Montoya at the Master's Seminary to sixty D. Min students.

6) Sermons fail when the preacher gets without giving.

In some ways an expository sermon is a dialogue as we invite the crowd to listen intently.  Rhetorical questions are often quite helpful.  You might say, "Now you're not listening to me now, are you listening?"  Ethos is the audience's perception of the preacher.  If the flock loves and respects the preacher and if the speaker cares about his flock good things happen.  If you show interested in your people and get to know them it will greatly help the impact of your pulpit ministry.

7) Sermons fail when the preacher does not understand the congregation's limited ability to listen.

You may need to start where they are and help them grow and mature.  Teach your flock how to listen to expository preaching (note this, this, and this).

10 Reasons Sermons Fail (pt. 1)

Photo Credit: clearviewshreveport.org

Pastor Alex Montoya delivered a lecture this week to the D. Min students at the Master's Seminary on the 10 Reasons Why Sermons Fail.

1) Sermon fail when we deliver an academic lecture (for the eye) instead of a sermon (for the ear).

Writing makes you an exact man, reading makes you a learned man, just don't read your sermon manuscript verbatim.  You are not simply reading an essay.  We prepare a sermon to be heard not read.  As preachers we are called to herald the truth.

Sermons need to be clear, direct, accurate, and passionate.  Our sermons are never linear and will often use restatement to drive home your thesis.

2) Sermons fail when we do not tell the congregation anything new (which can bore the audience), or fresh; (we need restate well known truths in a fresh way).

Surfacy preaching does not engage a mixed congregation of mature Christians, new believers, and unsaved attendees.  Preaching should be deep enough so as to say something new in your messages; (just don't find something in the text that is not there),

3) Sermons fail when we insult the dignity of the audience.