Putting the Sermon in Its Place
John Killinger
The sermon is where we tighten the focus on our congregation, on our situation. It's where everything gets down to us.
—John Killinger
The pastors of the church I grew up in didn't know much about worship. They invariably followed the pattern they had inherited from the past: two or three hymns, an offering with a prayer, special music, a sermon, an invitational hymn, and a benediction. Fortunately, the music was usually spirited, the prayers and the sermon were earnest, and we had a sense of being in the presence of God. That, after all, is what worship is all about. You can have the most cleverly designed worship program in the world and still fail if there isn't a sense of that all-important presence.
But I have learned, over the years, that a well-planned worship service can usually help people to know they are in the presence of a transcendent being. The Holy Spirit works in wondrous ways, I know. Yet I believe that the Spirit can work better on me as a pastor and preacher when I am in the quiet of my study, thinking about the Sunday service and the sermon I have to preach, than when I wait for our encounter on Sunday morning with hundreds of other people present. If I seek the Spirit's leadership in the planning of worship and the sermon, I am freer when the moment of encounter comes, and we can really "get down to it," as the jazz musicians say.
Worship and preaching are inextricably linked, whatever some preachers think. The entire worship experience is something we offer to God—including the preaching. The hymns and prayers and special music aren't mere preparation for the preacher's art. They are open communication between God and God's people. When the preacher stands to preach, it is like the moment in a choral ...
Like the preview? To read this complete article
and 20,359 more in the archive—JOIN NOW!
Easily find high-quality, well-researched materials that provide a Christian perspective on topics ranging from headlines to history.
Start using this invaluable tool TODAY for preparing your Bible studies, presentations, class lectures, sermons, meetings, and more.
|
It's easy and quick to join:
Brought to You by Christianity Today Int'l |  |
|
| 
Find similar articles
E-mail this page
