Fossilised Preaching?

Most preachers are familiar with the diagnostic question: Could your sermon have been preached in a mosque or a synagogue?

It’s a helpful question that pinpoints whether or not we have been remotely Christ-centred in our preaching—is it in actual fact a Christ-ian sermon?

I want to propose another diagnostic question (albeit of a secondary nature):
Could your sermon have been preached 100 years ago?

What do I mean by that?

I’m not referring to the language the sermon is couched in, or the version of scripture which is read.

I’m not referring to inserting a host of TV or movie illustrations or pop culture references in an attempt to seem relevant.

Nor am I referring to adopting the modus-operandi of the communicators of any given age—whether it be comedians or orators.

I am referring the fact that the world was a very different place 100 years ago. Then there was a shared Christian worldview even amongst non-Christians which could be presumed on; now that is gone. Then there was an assumption of external values; now there is a priority of internal preference—feelings have come to rule reality.

Add to that the colossal pressure to get your significance from the ephemeral world of digital performance. And further, the demolishing of the foundations and a removing of the mooring points for life which have left people adrift in an ocean of meaningless uncertainty.

Of course Scripture hasn’t changed, and so our exegesis of the text should sound similar to that of Calvin or Spurgeon (in places!). And the heart of man hasn’t changed that much, and so similar applications will be made. So sometimes the answer to that question will be a shameless “Yes, it could have been preached 100 years ago, or even 200!”

It may well be that that a particular church’s is location or demographic makeup means that not much of exegeting the current worldview is required—and that is part of a preacher’s wisdom in knowing his own congregation.

But without a shadow of a doubt the entire thought-world of the majority of 21st century western Christians has changed—and for many of us we need to reflect that in our preaching. If we are faithfully to equip people to live for Christ in this world our sermons must be different from those of 100 years ago. Read More