Jesus preached passionately, and even offended people. But Dr Claire Williams wonders if he ever shouted during his sermons - and if we, too, should find a way to communicate with our congregations without raising our voices
Recently, I gave a sermon for first time in a while. I speak in public a lot, but usually it’s academic talks, training days and teaching. Sermons are different and, having been in the Church for a long time now, I’ve heard many that made me feel uncomfortable.
Lucy Sixsmith’s new book, When the Music Fades, prompted me to reflect on those experiences. Sixsmith describes the rise of Christian youth festival, Soul Survivor, and the charismatic church culture that accompanied it - one that I remain firmly committed to.
She writes of the emotionalism of the 90s and how a generation of people were made to feel as if they could change the world, as if they were responsible for enacting God’s plan for changing history. This, in my experience, was often delivered via sermons that were loud, passionate and emotive.
I am used to the typical evangelistic exhortation to go out and preach the word of God and win souls for Christ. There is usually quite a bit of calling people to account for sin and reminding us about the things that matter to God. Sometimes the preacher is so excited by their message that they shout at the congregation.
Often, I find it exhausting and somewhat stressful.
What’s wrong with emotion?
Yet, I know that our emotions are powerful and part of the way we worship God. When a preacher is emotional, we should not surprised; the words they share concern the most important ideas of our lives. It should be impactful.
Jesus always spoke appropriately to his audience
The Old Testament prophets also told people things they did not want to hear. So did Jesus. How often did Christ’s hearers walk away in disgust, both appalled and disturbed by the outrageous claims and corrections that he made?
So, am I wrong to feel unhappy after an emotionally-charged sermon, rather than challenged?
What is a sermon?
The answer to my question leads to another question - what are sermons? Sermons are products of their own time and culture; they are formed in the dominant language of the country they are given in. They participate in the rules that govern speech in that local community and specific faith community.
Sermons are agreements between the one who gives it, those who hear it and God. In the process of hearing a sermon, all are drawn together in both learning and worship. Therefore, a sermon needs to be appropriate for those who listen to it.
A sermon should draw us into the story of God’s redemption, helping us participate in the news that is both intimately individual for each of us but also wider and greater; cosmic, in scope.
Often, it takes a mixture of forms – exhortation, comfort, education, encounter. It is a moment in time for the worshipping congregation to hear from the Bible for their own situation. Therefore, a careful preacher should attend to that situation and attempt to understand it.
My response to raised voices is not unique. I strongly dislike being shouted at; I find it aggressive. There are others who might respond similarly for many reasons – past experiences of hurt, noise sensitivity or anxiety, for example. For people like this, taking part in the worship of the Church is made harder when our emotions and the emotions of the preacher clash.
The perfect example
The preacher par excellence is, of course, Jesus. The Sermon on the Mount is the genre defining example we can look to for help in this area. Jesus does not pull his punches when he talks to the people here. The content is revolutionary; the social order he describes is utterly transformative. The challenge to change was substantial.
What must it have been like to hear these words? We get a sense of the emotion from the crowds: they were “astounded” and proceed to follow him down the mountain and watch him perform a healing miracle (see Matthew 7:28-8:4). Matthew does not describe shame, condemnation or horror but a vivid picture of a crowd of people who desired to know more and to stay in Jesus’ presence.
A sermon should draw us into the story of God’s redemption
When we listen to a sermon, we can practice hearing it like the crowd did that day. It may contain challenge, but it is a challenge born of the Spirit, who is making us more like Jesus. If it reminds us of previous hurts, leaves us feeling fearful or upsets us in a way that does not feel manageable, that is not the outcome a sermon should have.
Jesus always spoke appropriately to his audience; to children he was gentle, to Pharisees he was blunt, to crowds he was captivating. The preacher has a responsibility to attempt to get this right.
If our response to a sermon is negative, that is OK too. We can bring this to God in prayer. I find it helpful to think about the types of people who heard Jesus’ words.
Some people - like the Pharisees - may need to be challenged by what they hear. Others, such as the children, or Mary and Martha, or the woman at the well, were spoken to clearly, gracefully and with transformative kindness.
I’ll be ready, however, in case next time, I do need to be told more forcefully.
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