MINISTRY LEADERSHIP
Preaching that Educates
Faces and Places of the Past: Educating with History
by Lawanda Smith
I still remember the conversation as if it were yesterday, though it actually took place several years ago when I was still in seminary. It was in a Christian Education class, and we were talking about preaching. In the middle of the conversation came this insight: “If sermons don’t relate to today, what good are they? You’ve got to meet people where they are!”
My seminary colleague made a good point, and I wholeheartedly agreed—then and now. It’s why I’m so convinced of the power of telling stories, both personal and biblical. When a pastor skillfully weaves personal stories into the larger biblical narrative, individuals more readily connect the narrative with their own experiences. Personal stories can act as portals that transport church members from the pews right into the heart of the biblical lessons. From there, stories from biblical and church history connect the past with the present.
Let’s say, for instance, that we believe that it takes courage to live abundantly in the way Jesus wanted his followers to live. It takes courage to live abundantly in a world of terrorism and war, identity theft, job insecurity, and peer pressure. Sometimes life is downright frightening.
Abundant life takes courage! However, we’re not the first to travel this path. As the author of Hebrews points out, we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses; we are not alone. For example, there’s Abraham, of course, who steadfastly followed God’s call, never knowing where God might lead him next. There’s Moses, who courageously led the Israelites out of Egyptian captivity even though he initially felt inadequate. There’s even Rahab, the prostitute who went against popular sentiment and demonstrated tolerance for outsiders by accepting Joshua’s spies in peace.
Courageous figures exist throughout history. Take Julian of Norwich. She was a medieval mystic who wrote about her spiritual experiences. Julian even studied theology, a practice that most likely drew criticism from her contemporaries. Then there were men like Martin Luther and John Calvin, reformers who risked their lives to confront the church and its unfair practices.
In America’s early history, Roger Williams courageously founded the colony of Rhode Island because he was committed to religious freedom. How about Sojourner Truth? She tirelessly fought for women’s suffrage as well as for the abolition of slavery.
Weaving these vignettes into sermons can be very effective, and often even longer stories work just as well. For instance, Protestant churches celebrate Reformation Sunday the last week in November. What a wonderful time to explore Martin Luther’s story! The image of Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the door of the Whittenburg Church became the enduring symbol of the Protestant Reformation. Luther’s story might well offer hope and encouragement to individuals fighting for similar reform concerning unfair practices in the workplace or undue acts levied by some other institution.
We would do well to teach about church history through our preaching. Church historian Bill Leonard stresses that ministers cannot assume that churchgoers are familiar with their faith traditions. Leonard’s argument reminds me of a former student’s remarks. He complained that the denomination he had been part of for his entire life had no tradition.
“Oh, but it does!” I insisted. “It’s just that you’ve never really learned about it.”
Whether pastors incorporate personal vignettes or illustrations from church history into their sermons, both are valuable tools for meeting individuals where they are and providing a connection to church tradition. Stories draw in the listener, educate about the past, and connect past to present. They allow the pastor to trace the historical development of church doctrine and practices and help their congregation develop their own identity in this enduring community.
Emphasizing the past, though, need not mean the pastor neglect current events. How does our faith inform our everyday lives? How can pastors educate people to participate in this conversation between faith and contemporary society? We’ll explore these questions next month in the final article in this series.
Dr. Lawanda Smith is Instructor of English and Religion at Louisiana State University Alexandria. She resides in Alexandria, Louisiana, where she is a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church. She also preaches regularly at other churches in the area. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, water skiing, and entertaining her cats.
Resources
Anne Lamott, Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith (New York: Riverhead Books, 2005).
Bill J. Leonard, Word of God Across the Ages (Greenville SC: Smyth and Helwys Publishing, 1991).
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