Not making stuff up

On Sunday I preached my ninth sermon in a row. At this stage in my training, it has been a great opportunity to get into the habit and discipline of preparing worship every week. It's also been good to do so without a supervisor 'looking over my shoulder,' so to speak. I know they are there to encourage and stretch and challenge us, but it's still nice to not have that pressure as I make preparations for Sunday and lead the act of worship.

Throughout this summer, I have tried to vary a little how I present/expound the bible passage(s). That has been both a conscious and non-conscious effort - on a couple of occasions it is only with hindsight I have realised I'd been a little different.

Now, I am not talking 'out there' different, but using different styles of sermons. Sometimes I have started with an anecdote, other times a story. Sometimes I have gone straight to the text and just teased out what it was and is saying to us. Sometimes I have begun by talking directly about the text, had an an anecdote or story in the middle and finished by going back to the text. On Sunday past I did something different from any of those.

The readings were Genesis 18:20-32 and Luke 11:1-13. This time I told a story from the prospective of the woman in the house of the man in the parable in Luke's gospel. Using that, I realised I was able to talk about culture and context - because they were integral parts of the story. I was able to bring in an explanation about seek, ask and knock, in relation to persistence. And I was able to relate the parable with Abraham's negotiation as part of the persistence. Looking back, there was a lot more teaching and theology in that story than I even realised when I was preparing the sermon.

The thing is, if I am at church and the sermon takes that style it's not exactly what you could call my preference. I've always wondered what the point is or why the minister didn't say things directly. But now I am coming to appreciate there is more than one way to cook an egg. Jesus regularly explained things in stories, so there's definitely a precedent there! Also, I am thinking of a congregation.

In any congregation, there will be a variety of learning types, background, experiences, knowledge, etc. Varying the style of sermon (even subtly) may touch different people in different ways. Though the sermon style I used on Sunday may not be one which speaks to me (if I am a bum on a pew), it does to others. How do I know it speaks to others? Because a couple of people spoke to me after the service and mentioned how it really made the lessons come alive for them. Yes, it might not work for all and I wouldn't do it often, but I will try again.

Besides, on a practical note, if I used the same style and format of sermon for my whole ministry I think I would get bored. Never mind the congregation!

Maybe, once I am back in civilisation and I hear a sermon in the style I preached the other day I will come to it with a fresh understanding, with fresh insight and the knowledge that it isn't just making stuff up, as I have thought of them in the past!