Preaching On Controversial Subjects
Preaching
The Preacher's Edge
Fred Craddock has written: "We will know power has returned to the pulpit when and where preaching effects transformation in the lives of men and in the structures of society. There are reasons to believe that this renewal is not far away."1
There's no way to escape the fact we preachers are called to deal with issues upon which the congregation cannot and will not agree. In addition to giving comfort and encouragement, we must also be prophetic as is modelled by the prophets in the Bible. In whatever community we live there will be social issues that need to be addressed. It's our task to expose ugly sin, when we can locate it, to the light of day in the pulpit.
I don't believe it's a good idea to deal with controversial issues as soon as you arrive at your parish. Give your people time to learn to trust you. Have ample dialogue on many things with them, one to one, before bringing up these issues from the pulpit. Some of the things we're going to have to deal with over the next years will be: abortion, homosexuality, ecology, divorce, capital punishment, criminal justice, conscientious objection, immigration issues, and health care.
Do be very careful about politicians. They're trying to get elected or re-elected and will often want you and the church to support them in a position. They often approach the church in a very pragmatic and utilitarian way.
Sometimes sermons on controversial issues and social justice are better received by a congregation if there is a series of them. By all means don't surprise the congregation with the subject. Announce you're going to do it ahead of time and ask for their prayers as you prepare. It's very important to represent both sides of an issue fairly. This means that we construct our sermon in a way that we don't corner those who disagree with us in a situation where they're not able to have dialogue and speak back. The audience reaction based outline will work well for most of this kind of preaching. (See page 45 in the book version for a diagram.)
It's one of the truisms of the Christian faith that Christians, steeped in scripture, can come to different conclusions about the same social issue and ethical practice. Allow for it. It will help immensely when planning to give a sermon on a controversial issue if you will provide ways that congregants can ask questions, dialogue and discuss with you and each other as response to the sermon. This might be a forum or discussion group after the worship service.
Your voice ought to be very conversational and not at all haranguing or mean-spirited or scolding.
It is important to try to find a way through a very hot issue so that no one loses face, but people have the freedom and are motivated to change their attitude and behavior. You just haven't gained anything if you drive out those who don't agree with you. The goal is to change attitudes and behavior of your hearers while faithfully proclaiming and applying the Gospel. It's our edge.
One of the best ways to give integrity to the subjects you address from the pulpit is to ask for suggestions from the congregation as to what they would like to hear preached and addressed.
It's important to avoid the "straw man" technique. In argumentation there is a technique of erecting a straw man and then destroying it in front of the people in order to gain prestige with them. This doesn't work in preaching. There's no need to be a martyr in the pulpit if it's not necessary.
Flood the worship service with prayers for guidance and take that very seriously. Admit right up front that dealing with this subject makes you very nervous and that you're doing it out of a deep feeling of conscience, hopeful that your listeners will continue to love you regardless of how you come out on the issue. Seek the guidance of scripture and quote it liberally. Make your own witness in a humble way, being careful not to indicate that anybody who disagrees with you is surely un-Christian and "on their way to hell."
If it is true, admit it makes you nervous and very uncomfortable to deal with this particular subject but feel you must do so.
You can address the traps of a single issue mind and plead with people not to do that. Avoid labeling any side as "liberal, conservative, radical, bigots" and so forth - all inflammatory words. Emotionally loaded words will only drive the people away rather than coax them into changing their mind.
For God's sake and for your sake and for the congregation's sake, find some good humor for relief of tension and use it frequently throughout the sermon! It's our edge.
In the worship bulletin provide additional materials on the subject that you encourage your people to study.
Quote others in your denomination or any study or statement the church has made on the subject as a further resource for God's people.
The great preacher Phillips Brooks said in his Eight Lectures on Preaching: "Never sacrifice your reverence for truth to your desire for usefulness. Say nothing which you do not believe to be true because you think it may be helpful. Keep back nothing which you do not believe to be true because you think it may be harmful."2
Some controversial issues are better discussed in forums and seminars rather than proclaimed from the pulpit. However, there will be those justice issues when you'll need to take the heat that comes from addressing people who are comfortable and would rather not be confronted with the Christian ethic of their behavior. In those cases, preach confident that you follow in a train of saints who have done so before you. Be firm and loving and remember the preacher's edge will work for you in the preaching and in the hearing of the sermon. Count on it.
1. Fred B. Craddock, As One Without Authority (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1983), p. 21.
2. Phillips Brooks, Eight Lectures on Preaching (Speck, 1959), p. 271.
There's no way to escape the fact we preachers are called to deal with issues upon which the congregation cannot and will not agree. In addition to giving comfort and encouragement, we must also be prophetic as is modelled by the prophets in the Bible. In whatever community we live there will be social issues that need to be addressed. It's our task to expose ugly sin, when we can locate it, to the light of day in the pulpit.
I don't believe it's a good idea to deal with controversial issues as soon as you arrive at your parish. Give your people time to learn to trust you. Have ample dialogue on many things with them, one to one, before bringing up these issues from the pulpit. Some of the things we're going to have to deal with over the next years will be: abortion, homosexuality, ecology, divorce, capital punishment, criminal justice, conscientious objection, immigration issues, and health care.
Do be very careful about politicians. They're trying to get elected or re-elected and will often want you and the church to support them in a position. They often approach the church in a very pragmatic and utilitarian way.
Sometimes sermons on controversial issues and social justice are better received by a congregation if there is a series of them. By all means don't surprise the congregation with the subject. Announce you're going to do it ahead of time and ask for their prayers as you prepare. It's very important to represent both sides of an issue fairly. This means that we construct our sermon in a way that we don't corner those who disagree with us in a situation where they're not able to have dialogue and speak back. The audience reaction based outline will work well for most of this kind of preaching. (See page 45 in the book version for a diagram.)
It's one of the truisms of the Christian faith that Christians, steeped in scripture, can come to different conclusions about the same social issue and ethical practice. Allow for it. It will help immensely when planning to give a sermon on a controversial issue if you will provide ways that congregants can ask questions, dialogue and discuss with you and each other as response to the sermon. This might be a forum or discussion group after the worship service.
Your voice ought to be very conversational and not at all haranguing or mean-spirited or scolding.
It is important to try to find a way through a very hot issue so that no one loses face, but people have the freedom and are motivated to change their attitude and behavior. You just haven't gained anything if you drive out those who don't agree with you. The goal is to change attitudes and behavior of your hearers while faithfully proclaiming and applying the Gospel. It's our edge.
One of the best ways to give integrity to the subjects you address from the pulpit is to ask for suggestions from the congregation as to what they would like to hear preached and addressed.
It's important to avoid the "straw man" technique. In argumentation there is a technique of erecting a straw man and then destroying it in front of the people in order to gain prestige with them. This doesn't work in preaching. There's no need to be a martyr in the pulpit if it's not necessary.
Flood the worship service with prayers for guidance and take that very seriously. Admit right up front that dealing with this subject makes you very nervous and that you're doing it out of a deep feeling of conscience, hopeful that your listeners will continue to love you regardless of how you come out on the issue. Seek the guidance of scripture and quote it liberally. Make your own witness in a humble way, being careful not to indicate that anybody who disagrees with you is surely un-Christian and "on their way to hell."
If it is true, admit it makes you nervous and very uncomfortable to deal with this particular subject but feel you must do so.
You can address the traps of a single issue mind and plead with people not to do that. Avoid labeling any side as "liberal, conservative, radical, bigots" and so forth - all inflammatory words. Emotionally loaded words will only drive the people away rather than coax them into changing their mind.
For God's sake and for your sake and for the congregation's sake, find some good humor for relief of tension and use it frequently throughout the sermon! It's our edge.
In the worship bulletin provide additional materials on the subject that you encourage your people to study.
Quote others in your denomination or any study or statement the church has made on the subject as a further resource for God's people.
The great preacher Phillips Brooks said in his Eight Lectures on Preaching: "Never sacrifice your reverence for truth to your desire for usefulness. Say nothing which you do not believe to be true because you think it may be helpful. Keep back nothing which you do not believe to be true because you think it may be harmful."2
Some controversial issues are better discussed in forums and seminars rather than proclaimed from the pulpit. However, there will be those justice issues when you'll need to take the heat that comes from addressing people who are comfortable and would rather not be confronted with the Christian ethic of their behavior. In those cases, preach confident that you follow in a train of saints who have done so before you. Be firm and loving and remember the preacher's edge will work for you in the preaching and in the hearing of the sermon. Count on it.
1. Fred B. Craddock, As One Without Authority (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1983), p. 21.
2. Phillips Brooks, Eight Lectures on Preaching (Speck, 1959), p. 271.
