Narrative Preaching

[Jake]

We had a guest preacher today (PCA minister) who preached what he called a "narrative sermon." I don't think it was known (haven't double checked with the pastor) that this was the plan, and if anyone is curious it should be posted to SermonAudio later this week.

The pattern was--he got up, had a very brief introduction, let us know what he would be doing, then read the passage (Luke 19:1-10). After reading the text, he preached the whole sermon as if he were Zacchaeus.

It seemed to me to be overly novel and not follow biblical patterns of sermons, but it's the first I've heard of it (besides someone mentioning to me that this same man had preached a sermon of this style before). I was wondering if anyone know where this came from or had any thoughts on this style of preaching.

 

[arapahoepark]

Now that I think about it...when I was counselor for the youth group at a retreat at Point Loma, about 12 years ago, the main speaker would set up scenes similarly.

 

[SolaScriptura]

I’ve heard first-person-narrative sermons before, but never in a PCA church.

 

[Christo et Ecclesiae]

I've heard of narrative preaching before (a sermon preached from an Old Testament narrative proclaimed within a story-telling format), but never a sermon from a "first-person" account.

Interesting.

 

[MW]

When the other parts of worship are reimagined in terms of performance-art, it is not surprising that the preaching itself starts to adapt accordingly. I saw this in the more relaxed styles of preachers some thirty years ago, and my experience has only confirmed me in the observation.

 

[Edward]

Zacchaeus.

Question here:

How short was he?

 

[Miller]

Years ago my OPC pastor did one from Joseph's perspective. It was in December. He said he got the idea from D. James Kennedy.

 

[RamistThomist]

It's generally not a good idea, but the second most famous sermon ever preached on American soil was a narrative sermon by a rock-ribbed, no-nonsense Baptist.

 

[SolaScriptura]

It's generally not a good idea, but the second most famous sermon ever preached on American soil was a narrative sermon by a rock-ribbed, no-nonsense Baptist.

That is a dope sermon.

 

[Brandon M.]

There's a major difference between acting and preaching.

Today, there is no divine warrant for gospel ministers to act out a prophetic word as Ezekiel does, for example (Ezk 4-5).

I think this lack of warrant extends to these types of first-person narrative performances in the church's gathered worship as well.

Ministers do indeed have a charge to "preach the Word" (2 Tim 4; 1 Cor 1:20-21; 2:1-5; and WLC 35; 155).

That said, many of us in the P&R world probably need to be reminded that the Word should be preached faithfully and earnestly, as the HC helpfully puts it in Q&A 98 when unpacking the second commandment:

Q: But may not pictures be tolerated in churches as books for the people?

A: No, for we should not be wiser than God, who will not have His people taught by dumb idols, but by the lively preaching of His Word (emphasis added).

While we've come to expect drama and theatrics from our brothers and sisters in Big Eva, there should be no toleration of this from any church of Christ, let alone the P&R whose confessions forbid such a novel and devaluing of the means of grace---even if well intended (which I suspect is the case in most of these innovations).

 

[DanSSwing]

We had a guest preacher today (PCA minister) who preached what he called a "narrative sermon." I don't think it was known (haven't double checked with the pastor) that this was the plan, and if anyone is curious it should be posted to SermonAudio later this week.

The pattern was--he got up, had a very brief introduction, let us know what he would be doing, then read the passage (Luke 19:1-10). After reading the text, he preached the whole sermon as if he were Zacchaeus.

I would never do that. I’m also 6’6”.

 

[Jake]

Thanks for the responses. I'm glad this isn't a trend, but still strange. This minister (at a local PCA church) is from an acting background, before attending RTS and entering the ministry. He also memorizes large portions of Scripture and recites them (he is reciting Mark this week), which seems a better usage of the talent than novel forms of preaching. I'll not make too much of it, but funny enough I'm 5'6" and he's a few inches shorter than me.

I did think of Ezekiel as the best example of this in Scripture, but agree it is not normative.

 

[greenbaggins]

Why would doing narrative preaching assume that the goal was to entertain? Why couldn't the goal be to help the congregation see things from a more immediate perspective, to see things through the narrator's eyes? Might it not have the effect of making the text come alive for people? And why can't the main elements of preaching be present in a narrative style sermon? I have done this a few times in my Ezekiel sermons. I don't do it very often, but there are certain kinds of texts where I think it could be very effective at getting around people's defenses against what they might think is a "boring" text.

 

[MW]

I think it could be very effective at getting around people's defenses against what they might think is a "boring" text.

I would suppose the answer is that a "boring word of God" is not something to be accommodated. It goes against the idea of how preacher and hearer are to approach Scripture and the worshipful act of preaching in setting forth the savour of the knowledge of God. There is a call for simplicity in these things -- not with enticing words of man's wisdom, etc.

 

[greenbaggins]

I would suppose the answer is that a "boring word of God" is not something to be accommodated. It goes against the idea of how preacher and hearer are to approach Scripture and the worshipful act of preaching in setting forth the savour of the knowledge of God. There is a call for simplicity in these things -- not with enticing words of man's wisdom, etc.

Equating first person preaching with "enticing words of man's wisdom" would have to be proven, not asserted. I don't buy it at all. Of course, neither preacher nor hearer should approach any text as "boring." But why couldn't a first person sermon prevent such a tempting thought by way of anticipation? There is nothing whatever in Scripture forbidding such an approach. In fact, there are several Scriptures that use Israel's history many generations removed in precisely such a first-person perspective in order to make sure that the instructee does not see themselves as disconnected from Israel's history. If it is useful in catechesis, it can be useful in sermons as well.

 

[MW]

Equating first person preaching with "enticing words of man's wisdom" would have to be proven, not asserted. I don't buy it at all. Of course, neither preacher nor hearer should approach any text as "boring." But why couldn't a first person sermon prevent such a tempting thought by way of anticipation? There is nothing whatever in Scripture forbidding such an approach. In fact, there are several Scriptures that use Israel's history many generations removed in precisely such a first-person perspective in order to make sure that the instructee does not see themselves as disconnected from Israel's history. If it is useful in catechesis, it can be useful in sermons as well.

I would say that the "prevention" should come in the way of a prior commitment to attend on the preaching as one of listening to God. If that doesn't make it interesting I'm not sure what would. The event is likened in Hebrews to God speaking from Mount Sinai, only now it is from heaven. And Scripture examples are not immediately available for imitation by a minister of the gospel. There were various ways the prophets addressed the people that were part and parcel of what was extraordinary or belonged to the "progress" of revelation. Besides, they would act out things for the purpose of demonstrating the truth to the "shame" of the people for not believing it. OTOH, God makes us able ministers of the new testament. Christ has accomplished our salvation, and we are called to "proclaim" that in the first instance.

 

[greenbaggins]

I would say that the "prevention" should come in the way of a prior commitment to attend on the preaching as one of listening to God. If that doesn't make it interesting I'm not sure what would. The event is likened in Hebrews to God speaking from Mount Sinai, only now it is from heaven. And Scripture examples are not immediately available for imitation by a minister of the gospel. There were various ways the prophets addressed the people that were part and parcel of what was extraordinary or belonged to the "progress" of revelation. Besides, they would act out things for the purpose of demonstrating the truth to the "shame" of the people for not believing it. OTOH, God makes us able ministers of the new testament. Christ has accomplished our salvation, and we are called to "proclaim" that in the first instance.

Except that the passages I have in mind are most definitely NOT prophets directly addressing the people, but are ways in which normal Israelite parents catechized their children. So, all your arguments based on the prophets are irrelevant to this discussion.

 

[MW]

Except that the passages I have in mind are most definitely NOT prophets directly addressing the people, but are ways in which normal Israelite parents catechized their children. So, all your arguments based on the prophets are irrelevant to this discussion.

So are you catechising, not preaching? Or are these seen to be the same thing in your view? When Paul says "preach the word" did he have something definite in mind in the way of a mode of delivery?

 

[greenbaggins]

So are you catechising, not preaching? Or are these seen to be the same thing in your view? When Paul says "preach the word" did he have something definite in mind in the way of a mode of delivery?

I am arguing that if it is okay for catechizing to use first person narrative about something that didn't happen directly to the catechizer (since the Bible itself does so), then it is not "enticing words of man's wisdom" to use first person narrative. You just called something Scripture itself does "enticing words of man's wisdom." If you think that the category distinction between catechizing and preaching is such that first person narrative is ok for catechizing but is "enticing words of man's wisdom" in preaching, then go ahead and say so. I think it is fairly absurd to make a claim such as that, one for which you could not possibly have any Scriptural justification whatsoever. So far you have merely brought up smokescreens such as the prophetic activity, which isn't even remotely relevant. As for Paul's command to preach the word, I understand preaching to involve exegesis of the text of Scripture, relevant doctrinal points, relevant biblical-theological points, a clear gospel pointing to Jesus Christ, and relevant practical application to people's lives. If you're going to claim that such cannot happen in first-person narrative as opposed to normal third-person preaching, then I would say your imagination is somewhat limited.

 

[MW]

I am arguing that if it is okay for catechizing to use first person narrative about something that didn't happen directly to the catechizer (since the Bible itself does so), then it is not "enticing words of man's wisdom" to use first person narrative. You just called something Scripture itself does "enticing words of man's wisdom." If you think that the category distinction between catechizing and preaching is such that first person narrative is ok for catechizing but is "enticing words of man's wisdom" in preaching, then go ahead and say so. I think it is fairly absurd to make a claim such as that, one for which you could not possibly have any Scriptural justification whatsoever. So far you have merely brought up smokescreens such as the prophetic activity, which isn't even remotely relevant. As for Paul's command to preach the word, I understand preaching to involve exegesis of the text of Scripture, relevant doctrinal points, relevant biblical-theological points, a clear gospel pointing to Jesus Christ, and relevant practical application to people's lives. If you're going to claim that such cannot happen in first-person narrative as opposed to normal third-person preaching, then I would say your imagination is somewhat limited.

I saw that the prophetic activity idea was a misunderstanding on my part, which I carried through from earlier in the thread where people were using the prophets as precedents. This is why I asked questions to try to gain more information as to what the association with catechising was claiming. I spoke of "enticing words of man's wisdom" before you spoke of catechesis, so that obviously was not what I was referring to. On that point, I would say that catechising is understood to contain its own structure of communication between people, and is known to be more interactive. Preaching, however, has fairly standard conventions connected with it, such that people would know the difference between the two. In Scripture it carries the basic idea of proclamation and is connected with the actions of a herald speaking on behalf of one in authority. People in a worship service generally know what is going on and are mentally prepared for what is coming.