July 19-20 - Preaching with Dr. Ellsworth Kalas

Our preaching class continues with Dr. Ellsworth Kalas. On these two days he continued to focus on the fundementals for preaching. His first two topics were finding and idea for or being found by an idea for a sermon and giving a title to the sermon. His third topic was developing the introduction.

Dr. Kalas began by teaching us that the purpose of the introduction is to earn the interest of the hearers. This is a different world than our mothers and grandmothers. Few will listen to a preacher, just because she is the preacher. However, some do come to church hungry, but many people are not interested. These people are in church because the community or a loved one expects them to be. Whether these folks are actually listening or not is another matter. A preacher has 60-75 seconds to get these people interested.

How may we capture the attention of the person who is made to come to worship? We start from where they are. What is distracting them? What makes it hard for them to listen?

Sometimes people are engaged by the fact that we dare to be intimate. Sometimes a personal element can be a good introduction. However, it should not be aggrandizement. Something as simple as “I like butter on my toast. " Howver, it better be part of your scripture, idea, and title.

Sometimes preachers start with a joke. You effort to connect the sermon with the joke can sometimes be heroic, but not effective. Sometimes people will usually remember the joke, not the sermon. That’s failure. People should remember the sermon. Dr. Kalas said, "I can’t remember many of the introductions to the sermons I’ve herd over the years. That’s good. It’s purpose is not to be remembered but to lead you into what should be remembered."

In today's culture, the first couple of sentences can be lost in the rustle. Start with sentences that matter but not necessarily memorable forever. The first sentence should be a fairly short one. Notice the openings of movies today: during the opening of the movie you see the beginning and opening credits. That's indicative of culture – people are used to doing two things at once. Preachers don’t do that usually. Frequently we can't do that. You aim with an introduction to bring people into your subject. If it doesn’t lead them into the subject, it’s just a delay. So, bring them into the introduction.

Here is the paraphrase of one of the most memorable moments of the class: "I’m all for getting people where they are, but I’m all for getting them beyond where they are. Don’t leave them at the lowest common denominator. I just think it’s wicked. The Christian Gospel is terribly concerned about quality as well as quantity. Love God will all you heart, strength and mind. But make your mind and their minds as good as possible. Techniques come and go, but thinking is for good."

Fads come and go, but thinking is for good. Of all the things that I wish that I could change about many of the decisions I have made I would be to think more. I know that I am still pretty young, but I wish that I had been more patient and less impetous and thought things through more when I was younger.

How's your patience? So how's your thinking? Fads come and go, but thinking is for good.

Grace and peace,
Trav Wilson