Comments on: Preaching in the Missional Church http://lifeasmission.com/blog/2009/12/preaching-in-the-missional-church/ exploring the mystery of life and mission as one and the same Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:31:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: jrrozko http://lifeasmission.com/blog/2009/12/preaching-in-the-missional-church/comment-page-1/#comment-6147 jrrozko Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:27:36 +0000 http://lifeasmission.com/blog/?p=1534#comment-6147 test test

]]> By: TedStriker http://lifeasmission.com/blog/2009/12/preaching-in-the-missional-church/comment-page-1/#comment-6145 TedStriker Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:10:10 +0000 http://lifeasmission.com/blog/?p=1534#comment-6145 Testing 2. Testing 2.

]]> By: JoshGarrington http://lifeasmission.com/blog/2009/12/preaching-in-the-missional-church/comment-page-1/#comment-6139 JoshGarrington Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:51:25 +0000 http://lifeasmission.com/blog/?p=1534#comment-6139 I've found so far, in my extremely limited experience preaching, that I thoroughly enjoy the teaching aspect. From studying the scripture, to background research, to struggling with the meaning and then figuring out how to explain it to the congregation. I'm loving that whole train of events. The proclemation on the other hand, I struggle with. I suspect a portion of that is inexperience, I've "taught" (Sunday School, bible study, whatever) many times but have only "preached" three times. Part of it personality and gifting. Jamie asked me a while back what my primary Ephesians 4 ministry gift would be and without a moment's hesitation I said "teaching. definately." I've rarely spent time thinking about the relationship between teaching and preaching though. Thanks for posting this. It will give me some food for thought as I prepare for my 4th sermon in two weeks. I've found so far, in my extremely limited experience preaching, that I thoroughly enjoy the teaching aspect. From studying the scripture, to background research, to struggling with the meaning and then figuring out how to explain it to the congregation. I'm loving that whole train of events.
The proclemation on the other hand, I struggle with. I suspect a portion of that is inexperience, I've "taught" (Sunday School, bible study, whatever) many times but have only "preached" three times.
Part of it personality and gifting. Jamie asked me a while back what my primary Ephesians 4 ministry gift would be and without a moment's hesitation I said "teaching. definately."
I've rarely spent time thinking about the relationship between teaching and preaching though. Thanks for posting this. It will give me some food for thought as I prepare for my 4th sermon in two weeks.

]]> By: jrrozko http://lifeasmission.com/blog/2009/12/preaching-in-the-missional-church/comment-page-1/#comment-6137 jrrozko Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:48:55 +0000 http://lifeasmission.com/blog/?p=1534#comment-6137 Dave Fitch, who write, "The Great Giveaway" and blogs at reclaimingthemission.com is an astute missional thinker and one of the bi-vocational pastors at Life on the Vine, the church community my wife and I are a part of. He has written in his book and on his blog about the role of preaching in the missional church. Worth checking out. A practice of our church community is to gather on Sunday morning to engage in a time of teaching around the text for the morning. Following this community-wide teaching time, we gather for a liturgically guided time of worship. A part of this time is the preaching of the text we studied earlier. The aim of preaching in our worship service is to proclaim (as opposed to explain or even apply) the biblical truth of the text and then respond in utterances of confession, supplication, thanksgiving, etc. In this way, I think we've managed to articulate by way of community practice a helpful distinction between teaching and preaching. Dave Fitch, who write, "The Great Giveaway" and blogs at reclaimingthemission.com is an astute missional thinker and one of the bi-vocational pastors at Life on the Vine, the church community my wife and I are a part of. He has written in his book and on his blog about the role of preaching in the missional church. Worth checking out.

A practice of our church community is to gather on Sunday morning to engage in a time of teaching around the text for the morning. Following this community-wide teaching time, we gather for a liturgically guided time of worship. A part of this time is the preaching of the text we studied earlier. The aim of preaching in our worship service is to proclaim (as opposed to explain or even apply) the biblical truth of the text and then respond in utterances of confession, supplication, thanksgiving, etc.

In this way, I think we've managed to articulate by way of community practice a helpful distinction between teaching and preaching.

]]> By: Ervin Stutzman http://lifeasmission.com/blog/2009/12/preaching-in-the-missional-church/comment-page-1/#comment-6136 Ervin Stutzman Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:19:45 +0000 http://lifeasmission.com/blog/?p=1534#comment-6136 In much of the professional literature on preaching, there is no sharp distinction made between preaching and teaching. It is considered a matter of degree rather than inherent nature of the activity. As I researched the reviewed the missional church literature, I was surprised (and a little disappointed) that there was so little attention given to the role of preaching in the missional church. I have the sense that preaching is viewed as being "old school," associated with clerical hegemony, authoritarianism, and Christendom. I beg to differ. Preaching can be one of the best ways to promote the ideas dear to the missional church. Our pastor does it with skill and delight. In much of the professional literature on preaching, there is no sharp distinction made between preaching and teaching. It is considered a matter of degree rather than inherent nature of the activity.

As I researched the reviewed the missional church literature, I was surprised (and a little disappointed) that there was so little attention given to the role of preaching in the missional church. I have the sense that preaching is viewed as being "old school," associated with clerical hegemony, authoritarianism, and Christendom.

I beg to differ. Preaching can be one of the best ways to promote the ideas dear to the missional church. Our pastor does it with skill and delight.

]]> By: jrrozko http://lifeasmission.com/blog/2009/12/preaching-in-the-missional-church/comment-page-1/#comment-6122 jrrozko Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:47:47 +0000 http://lifeasmission.com/blog/?p=1534#comment-6122 Indeed they are. As you say, it's the difference between explaining and proclaiming and the church needs gifted men and women to partner together in doing both! Not sure if you had time to read the paper, but I think one conclusion to be drawn from what the author is saying is that good teaching too often passes for preaching. In the American church, I fear we have a glut of teachers who are really good at explaining and a severe lack of gifted preachers who can artfully proclaim truth in a way that seeks to transform rather than inform. But, like I said, we need both! Indeed they are. As you say, it's the difference between explaining and proclaiming and the church needs gifted men and women to partner together in doing both! Not sure if you had time to read the paper, but I think one conclusion to be drawn from what the author is saying is that good teaching too often passes for preaching. In the American church, I fear we have a glut of teachers who are really good at explaining and a severe lack of gifted preachers who can artfully proclaim truth in a way that seeks to transform rather than inform. But, like I said, we need both!

]]> By: S. (Dad) Garrington http://lifeasmission.com/blog/2009/12/preaching-in-the-missional-church/comment-page-1/#comment-6121 S. (Dad) Garrington Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:54:55 +0000 http://lifeasmission.com/blog/?p=1534#comment-6121 Preaching and Teaching are two very different gifts. I have seldom found a person who is good at both. Although a gift, often much training, and lots of practice is needed to develop either. Although I love to preach, and work very hard at it, I have not been given that gift. I seem to do better at teaching especially in making difficult concepts easy to grasp. (This is a small part of the wide spectrum know as theological education.) Preaching and Teaching are two very different gifts. I have seldom found a person who is good at both. Although a gift, often much training, and lots of practice is needed to develop either. Although I love to preach, and work very hard at it, I have not been given that gift. I seem to do better at teaching especially in making difficult concepts easy to grasp. (This is a small part of the wide spectrum know as theological education.)

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