A Comprehensive Introduction to Sermon Options and Structures

  • Slides: 28
Download presentation
A Comprehensive Introduction to Sermon Options and Structures KENTON C. ANDERSON Discussion Questions

A Comprehensive Introduction to Sermon Options and Structures KENTON C. ANDERSON Discussion Questions

discussion question 1 Is Preaching Arrogant? Preachers seem too sure of themselves for these

discussion question 1 Is Preaching Arrogant? Preachers seem too sure of themselves for these postmodern times. Claiming to understand enough truth for one's own sense of meaning takes courage, but proclaiming the same to others requires a particular sense of hubris, or so the culture thinks. • How can a preacher avoid the charge of arrogance? • How do we tell people truth without coming across as if we think we are superior?

discussion question 2 Can Preaching Be Confrontational? Is a warlike approach to preaching ever

discussion question 2 Can Preaching Be Confrontational? Is a warlike approach to preaching ever appropriate? Are there some people who can be won only by overpowering them? Are there some times when confrontation is the only way of breaking through?

discussion question 3 Must One Be Called to Preach? Must one be specially called

discussion question 3 Must One Be Called to Preach? Must one be specially called to preach, or does the Bible encourage everyone to go out and preach the Word?

discussion question 4 Can You Preach Astrophysics? Must one preach the Bible? Could one

discussion question 4 Can You Preach Astrophysics? Must one preach the Bible? Could one preach anything else—astrophysics, supply-side economics, or perhaps the merits of the designated hitter rule? Does preaching have to be biblical to be considered preaching? Why?

discussion question 5 The Medium Is the Message? Marshall Mc. Luhan famously said that

discussion question 5 The Medium Is the Message? Marshall Mc. Luhan famously said that "the medium is the message. " The idea is that the form is more than just a container for the message; it helps to shape the message as well. How does this apply to Scripture and to preaching? Does the form of the Scripture help to shape its intent? How does the form of our sermon affect the way the message is received?

discussion question 6 Preachers, Politicians, and Persuasion What else can a preacher learn from

discussion question 6 Preachers, Politicians, and Persuasion What else can a preacher learn from the politician about persuasion? How is preaching like or unlike advertising or sales?

discussion question 7 The Role of Preaching in Worship What is the role of

discussion question 7 The Role of Preaching in Worship What is the role of preaching in worship? Is it essential or extraneous? Does preaching aim for more (or less) than what we normally expect from worship?

discussion question 8 Christ-ian Preaching Must every sermon focus on Jesus Christ? Is it

discussion question 8 Christ-ian Preaching Must every sermon focus on Jesus Christ? Is it appropriate to preach without mentioning the gospel if the text itself does not allude to it? If so, what would make the sermon explicitly Christian?

discussion question 9 Is Induction Selfish? Is induction inherently selfish? Inductive study takes the

discussion question 9 Is Induction Selfish? Is induction inherently selfish? Inductive study takes the student's life as the starting point. Is this appropriate, or should we require a more submissive approach to the Bible and to preaching?

discussion question 10 The Joy of Discovery Why are preachers hesitant to let listeners

discussion question 10 The Joy of Discovery Why are preachers hesitant to let listeners in on the joy of discovery? Why do we tend to want to keep this to ourselves? Are we afraid that our listeners will distort the result if we let them participate? Is this concern justified? Will they not do what they want with the sermon whether or not we give them permission?

discussion question 11 Preaching and Teaching Is there any difference between preaching and teaching?

discussion question 11 Preaching and Teaching Is there any difference between preaching and teaching? Deductive study sounds very much like the work of a teacher. Does preaching demand something beyond deduction? Or could good teaching embrace that "something beyond" as well?

discussion question 12 Images and Ideas Are ideas more important than images, or are

discussion question 12 Images and Ideas Are ideas more important than images, or are the two roughly equal in their expressive power? Is there something dangerous about an image without an idea? What about an idea without a corresponding image?

discussion question 13 Appropriate Dress It seems there is no longer a standard for

discussion question 13 Appropriate Dress It seems there is no longer a standard for dress in the pulpit or in church. As churches begin to meet in warehouses and shopping malls, the expectations of the past have dwindled. Older believers remember when dressing well indicated one's desire to bring their best to God in worship. Younger believers tend to think that being comfortable in God's presence is more important. Is there any bottom line when it comes to how one dresses when preaching? How do factors like age and socioeconomics affect the question?

discussion question 14 The Use of the Pulpit Must a cognitive preacher use a

discussion question 14 The Use of the Pulpit Must a cognitive preacher use a pulpit? If the preacher knows the material well enough to preach extemporaneously, can the pulpit be left behind? Or is the pulpit a symbol we cannot afford to lose?

discussion question 15 Crowd Size How does the size of the crowd affect your

discussion question 15 Crowd Size How does the size of the crowd affect your presentation? Is there an optimum size for certain kinds of presentations? How should we alter our preaching as the crowd of listeners grows in size?

discussion question 16 Is Power. Point Worth It? Is using Power. Point worth the

discussion question 16 Is Power. Point Worth It? Is using Power. Point worth the effort? Creating great slides requires skill in graphic presentation and computer technology, not to mention the homiletical and theological prowess necessary to develop a sermon in the first place. While the preacher could be expected to bring the latter, the former skills might be in short supply. On top of that, producing the piece takes a lot of time (which could be spent studying the text), and the whole production could be crippled by a power outage, a burnt bulb, or a computer glitch. Is there anything we can do to overcome these difficulties (like teaming up)? Or is using Power. Point unnecessary, or worse?

discussion question 17 The Limits of Argument Some would say that the appeal of

discussion question 17 The Limits of Argument Some would say that the appeal of argument is limited in these postmodern times. People today seem content with contradiction. They are adept at slipping out of the logical traps that apologetic preachers like to set for them. Given this phenomenon, is there a limit to the usefulness of argument in preaching today? What are the pros and cons of using argument?

discussion question 18 All for Alliteration? Alliteration ("the purpose of the cross, the person

discussion question 18 All for Alliteration? Alliteration ("the purpose of the cross, the person on the cross, the power of the cross. . . ") is a favorite technique of declarative preachers, but is it more trouble than it is worth? In the attempt to find another p-word, do we risk twisting the sermon into saying something that the text does not intend to say?

discussion question 19 How-to Sermons Pragmatic sermons are often characterized by the words How

discussion question 19 How-to Sermons Pragmatic sermons are often characterized by the words How to in the title: "How to Succeed as a Christian in Business" or "How to Find True Joy in Life, " for example. Do such how-to sermons create "consumer Christians? " Does catering to the listener's needs create selfish believers?

discussion question 20 Plagiarism in Preaching Plagiarism has become a significant problem in preaching,

discussion question 20 Plagiarism in Preaching Plagiarism has become a significant problem in preaching, especially with our increased exposure to sermons on the Internet. Some pastors are even being fired for preaching other people's sermons without attribution. Plagiarism in preaching is a question of integrity, but the question can be complicated. It is almost impossible for a preacher to be completely original. One could question whether we even should try. How can we profit from the work of others without stealing their ideas? Does a preacher's work need to be entirely original, or can we borrow from others? How much is too much—an idea, a story, a complete outline? When have we crossed the line?

discussion question 21 Can Stories Proclaim? One of the reasons people like stories so

discussion question 21 Can Stories Proclaim? One of the reasons people like stories so much is that they are not necessarily demanding. Stories tend to leave interpretation to the listener, which runs counter to our sense of preaching as proclamation. Is a story, then, a viable medium for proclamation? Or does story offer too much room for the listener to create his or her own version of the truth?

discussion question 22 Must Preaching Be Monological? Traditionally, preaching has been a monologue— one

discussion question 22 Must Preaching Be Monological? Traditionally, preaching has been a monologue— one person speaking to many without interruption. Increasingly, however, preachers are exploring more interactive formats, including discussion and dialogue. Must preaching be monological, or does it depend on the size and nature of the audience? Is there something about a small group, for instance, that lends itself to a more interactive approach?

discussion question 23 Linear or Nonlinear? Increasingly, television shows, books, and movies are moving

discussion question 23 Linear or Nonlinear? Increasingly, television shows, books, and movies are moving away from linear presentations toward a series of nonlinear vignettes as a means of telling the story. An episode of the television drama ER, for instance, can feature as many as fifteen different story lines. Is this a model we could utilize in preaching? Or would a nonlinear approach confuse our listeners and do damage to the logic of our message?

discussion question 24 "Over the Top" Preaching Preachers ought to be passionate. Emotion has

discussion question 24 "Over the Top" Preaching Preachers ought to be passionate. Emotion has a legitimate place in our preaching, but can we take it too far? What are the signs that our passion has gone "over the top"? When does emotion morph into cheap manipulation?

discussion question 25 Legalism and Application has become a lot more challenging in these

discussion question 25 Legalism and Application has become a lot more challenging in these days of "postlegalism. " How does the preacher suggest an application of the sermon without creating a legalistic requirement? Should preaching be prescriptive, or does that just create more unwelcome guilt?

discussion question 26 Persuasion or Manipulation? Is persuasion different from manipulation? When does our

discussion question 26 Persuasion or Manipulation? Is persuasion different from manipulation? When does our honest attempt to convince someone cross the line into a blatant exercise of power? How do we avoid unduly influencing others in our appropriate desire to convince people of the truth?

A Comprehensive Introduction to Sermon Options and Structures KENTON C. ANDERSON

A Comprehensive Introduction to Sermon Options and Structures KENTON C. ANDERSON