Faith Comes by Hearing
A brief comment on preaching, and some sermons to consider
In his letter to the Romans, Paul addresses the importance of preaching to the Christian community when he writes:
But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ But not all have obeyed the good news; for Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’ So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ (Romans 10:14-17)
Interpreting and expounding on the word of God is an essential task of the Priest/Presbyter in the Church. I firmly believe that one of the primary characteristics of priests as elders is to serve as a living conduit within the community to the traditions that define it and shape its character.
So then the arc of responsibility in proclaiming the gospel, runs from an ability to present the truth of Christ to those who have never heard, and to those who have heard but need to be motivated, inspired, or comforted.
And while Episcopalians aren’t often identified with preaching these days, we do have a tradition of emphasizing its importance, a tradition I hope to tap into when I work with clergy in our Diocese. This year, as I work with our Ministry, Leadership, and Mission group (a monthly gathering of clergy new to the diocese—and occasionally other leaders in the diocese, lay or religious) I’ve revamped the section on preaching.
I start our Ministry, Leadership, and Mission year by asking people to listen to one of my favorite sermons, “When the roll is called down here,” by the late Fred Craddock. I ask folks to listen to it because it is a great example of two things I think are essential for clergy: the significance of preaching, and the fact that preaching well in a community requires a love for the people, eccentricities, warts and all.
The section on preaching is titled “Preaching: Pastoral, Prophetic, and Mission Oriented.” before we begin, I ask everyone to read the following:
“The Life of Study” from Preaching by Fred Craddock
As the gathering is discussion oriented, I ask the attendees to “Pick one of the following to read and bring an essay, article or book to share that has inspired you in your preaching:”
I have handouts of the chapters, but I can’t share them online—and encourage folks to buy the books from which they come.
“The Preacher as Reconciler” from The Preaching Event by John Claypool
John Donne’s Strategies for Discreet Preaching
I can think of no greater tool for improving one’s preaching than listening to other preachers. It’s a pity then, that so many clergy rarely hear anyone other than themselves preach!
I wanted to gather a selection of different preaching styles and voices, as well as include some examples from special services, such as weddings or funerals. I ask participants to listen to one of more of the following. The goal is to help people identify that there are as many different potential styles of preaching as there are preachers—and to help them realize that they can take inspiration from others in finding their voices. A good preacher won’t imitate, but I think our styles eventually evolve to incorporate elements of what we’ve experienced elsewhere.
Below are the sermons I’ve chosen for this year’s session:
“Parables of Jesus, Part 2: Salvation, What is God Like?” by Howard Thurman
“By Any Means Necessary” by Otis Moss III
“Alone in the Dark” by Fleming Rutledge
“Jesus Saves” by Dr. Fred Craddock
“While it was still dark” from the funeral of Rachel Held Evans by Nadia Bolz-Webber
“Love is the Way” from the wedding of Prince Harry & Meghan Markle, by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
Finally, as a representative sermon from a contemporary Anglican, I ask folks to read the sermon “Hearts of Flesh” from A Ray of Darkness by Rowan Williams.
What sermons or preachers have inspired you over the years? Feel free to email me.