Personal Narrative: The Theology Of Preaching

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The theology of preaching that I subscribe to is one that allows the listeners to walk out of service challenged to implement changes that impacts their lives for the better. Preaching has the potential to be formational experience in the lives of the listeners. “A good preacher, Craddock would say later, spends enough time with the text to experience the ‘formative force’ of the text and not just the ‘informative force’.” (Long/118)
The great thing about this kind of formational preaching is that it does not require an exceptionally gifted, charismatic individual to bring this about in our churches. It does, however, require someone who is willing to stick to what the text in bible says and means, pulling together what was learned in seminary regarding inductive Bible study and prayerfully thought out exegesis of the next.
Long says the following regarding preaching, “Faithful preaching requires such gifts as sensitivity to human need, a discerning eye for the connections between life and faith, an ear towards hearing the voice of Scripture, compassion, a growing personal faith, and …show more content…
A sermon if it is to be transformational needs to be allowed to marinate in the minds of the listeners and implanted into the lives of the people. How this is done can be quite tricky and time consuming but if done right it can bring about positive changes in the lives of the listeners. “Other preachers invite members of the congregation actually to participate with them in exploring the biblical text, gathering a small group early in the sermon development process to the text, to study it together, to raise questions about it, and to name the concerns.” (Long/72) While this may not be practical for the congregation level, it can be a wonderful experience for those who are truly serious about their own spiritual

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