More Complicated Than The Typical Sermon?

Sep 6, 2015

—

From a recent film review: If these films truly want to evangelize, then they must step outside their comfort zone—out of the closet, so to speak. They must acknowledge that life is far more complicated than the typical Sunday sermon would indicate.

Let’s ignore the first sentence for now and re-read that second one, especially this part:

life is far more complicated

than the typical Sunday sermon would indicate.

I dunno…what do you think? Seems to me that at least some of us preachers live in the same world as everyone else. We readily acknowledge the complexity of life. I’ve even heard of some denominations where preachers are criticized for admitting that all of life simply isn’t simple…and that the lines between so many things have become quite blurred.

And so: what do you think?

I’d love to hear from you, at any of our usual places: here, or text me, or FB message me, or email me…please. And, last time I checked, many phones still seem to work okay to talk on, too.

Lemme hear from you. See you back here tomorrow.

Comments

5 responses to “More Complicated Than The Typical Sermon?”

Janet

September 6, 2015

Life isn’t simple! Even though a I am a Christian, I struggle with how I can best honor Christ in my daily life. Life doesn’t present itself in black and white. Sometimes I decide what I should do in a situation before I take time to see what God wants me to do. Sometimes other Christians that I respect hold a different view. Sometimes I frankly don’t know what the right choice is. Maybe the way is not to be too dogmatic. Keep an open heart, open mind, and open spirit and remember that God is love.

Loading…

Reply
pattyshusband

September 6, 2015

Well said, Janet; this openly & decidedly un-simple pastor agrees.

Loading…

Reply
Stephen Whitlock

September 7, 2015

There is a hymn, 592 When the Church of Jesus. I almost fainted, and think this will preach!

Loading…

Reply
Michael

September 7, 2015

Well said Joe. There is still this stereo-typic understanding of preachers, sermons, churches etc. I’ve never known or sat under a preacher who thought life and and faith were simple. And to reference the reviewers comment on not knowing what is right sometimes, I face those moments myself. But sometimes I DO know the answer, I just don’t like it.

Loading…

Reply
nanette755

September 14, 2015

I remember sitting in Confirmation Class in sixth grade, Rev. Jim Nettleton said the Bishop would be visiting, and I raised my hand to ask what a Bishop looked like. Back then, the robes a pastor wore were kind of royal (I saw them a couple of months ago with a new pastor at a former church) and the pastors were, to me as a child, or seemed to be unapproachable. I wouldn’t think of asking, outside of Confirmation Class (1st time I saw him as human, I think) one of my inane preteen problems. Then Dr. Rev. Bill Lewis came to town with a girl just my age and she swept me off to Aldersgate Institute at Little Grassy where I learned, not only that pastors were human, but they were kids at heart. I have many of those remembered (saints to me) are among my cloud of witnesses now. Every once in a while I run into a pastor who has set himself apart or puts off a Heisman, you know, “keep your distance!”, but they are few and far between. Come to think of it, my being a freshman when you were a senior, means I think I remember you up on that stage during “Announcements, announcements, announce-ounce-ments!” one or two summers? Or am I remembering a Spring Retreat and my counselor gig one summer years later?

Rev Dennis was someone I remember starting out in his ministry at AI and I find him very approachable. Funny, a generation later, my kids have similar memories of his sons. They don’t see preachers as non-approachable. There is a caveat I won’t share.

Loading…

Reply