Preach Magazine Issue 5 - Preaching to the unconverted | Page 51

SERIAL

DAVID BRACEWELL
I want to say that I applaud your
commitment to the centrality of
preaching in your ministry, and your
integrity in making that clear when
you were interviewed.
However, one or two things concern
me. The first is the conclusion that
resistance to your sermons means
the congregation ‘have no interest
in hearing the gospel’. That may not

necessarily be the case. Linked to that
is the advice you have received to tone
down your preaching and to ‘stop
banging on about the Bible’ which just
makes me wonder if there is an issue
here about the style of your preaching.
You say that you have recently been
appointed and that you have quickly
realised that people do not
want biblical preaching, and
that raises another issue
about time and trust.

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Preaching is indeed central to
ministry, but it is not the whole of
ministry. The best preaching arises
out of steady, long-term pastoral care
for the congregation in the context
of worship, administration of the
sacraments and creative leadership.
It may be that you just need to give
the situation time, listen carefully, and
build trust whilst preaching firmly,
but with gentleness and generosity.
Beneath most resistance to Christ
there is deep longing to know the truth
and an aching desire to live well. Keep
going – but be patient with yourself
and your people!

THE BEST PREACHING ARISES
OUT OF STEADY, LONG-TERM
PASTORAL CARE FOR THE
CONGREGATION IN THE CONTEXT David Bracewell
Bracewell was Rector of St Saviour’s Church,
OF WORSHIP, ADMINISTRATION David
Guildford for more than 20 years. Now officially
retired, he continues to travel the country, training
OF THE SACRAMENTS AND
and encouraging local church leaders. He is
CREATIVE LEADERSHIP.
passionate about the role of the local church and
believes the greatest mistake a preacher can make
is to be boring.

MANDY BRIGGS
The church where everyone thinks like
you and agrees with everything you say
simply does not exist.
I celebrate our ‘broad church’ where
there is room for many different
theological viewpoints, but there is a
problem when congregations become
too comfortable and do not wish to be
challenged in any way.
Have you explored what the members
mean by ‘palatable sermons’? Homilies
about holidays and gardening cover safe
ground, but we’re called as preachers to
share the good news of Jesus Christ, to
challenge people to faith and action, not
talk about our petunias.

You have been very clear about your
theological position and your belief in
biblical preaching, but is there a chance
that you have come in with very fixed
views about what you want to say
and how you want to say it? Have you
also taken time to listen to where the
congregations are at, their history, their
hopes and fears, and why they might
be reacting as they are? Sometimes
it takes time to ‘learn’ a new parish
– particularly the new context and
culture in which you find yourself.
I have not heard you preach, so I don’t
know if you are offering ten minute
reflections on Ezekiel or 45-minute
sermons on three verses from the
book of Acts. Have a think about

WE’RE CALLED AS PREACHERS
TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS OF
JESUS CHRIST, TO CHALLENGE
PEOPLE TO FAITH
AND ACTION, NOT
TALK ABOUT OUR
P