How To Handle Sermon Pushback On Social Justice Issues

Here are tips and suggestions for responding to sermon pushback when addressing social issues in your preaching.

woman, pensive — Handling sermon pushback on a social justice issue takes courage, wisdom, and prudence. Photo by Alex Green on Pexels.

Sermon pushback when preaching about social issues

If you’re a preacher who’s addressed a contemporary social issue in a sermon, you may have received negative pushback. In a survey my team and I conducted this year about ministry, preaching, and social issues, clergy who experienced backlash to their sermons indicated that it came most frequently in loss of worship attendance (21%) or from angry words, letters, or emails (19%).

I’ve been teaching preaching at a seminary for nearly a decade. I co-founded a network of ministers called the Clergy Emergency League to provide support for prophetic ministry in this turbulent time. I’m directing a grant focused on equipping preachers to address climate change and environmental issues. And I’ve written two books to help preachers navigate political divides and address social issues in their sermons.

One of the questions I get most often is how to handle negative pushback on sermons that address social issues. Whether it’s immigration, the climate crisis, domestic violence, racism, or any topic that elicits strong emotions, a preacher takes risks when addressing these in a sermon.

In this article, I’ll share advice and tips for responding in healthy ways to negative reactions to social justice sermons. I’m drawing on the last chapter of my book, Preaching and Social Issues, which you can find here and dig into for more details.

I’ll also pepper in some pithy passages from Proverbs to frame this guidance. “Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance,” (Proverbs 1:5).

First – BREATHE!

When the body feels threatened or attacked, which is how it may feel when someone comes at you to criticize your sermon, the brain releases a surge of stress hormones that prepare the body for a fight-or-flight response. These stress hormones speed up your heart rate, heighten blood pressure, and tighten your stomach. They reduce the ability to think rationally and decrease your breath capacity.

Pausing and taking a breath allows the body to activate a relaxation response and counter those stress hormones. Proverbs provides this helpful mantra: “One who is cool in spirit has understanding” (Proverbs 17:27b). Taking just one deep breath will center you, give you a moment before responding, calm your nerves, and allow you to gather your thoughts. And your first thought should be to . . .

Say “thank you.”

It may sound counterintuitive to thank the person who has just criticized you. But here’s the thing. They have given you an opportunity to engage in dialogue by sharing their criticism with you directly instead of complaining to others behind your back.

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger,” Proverbs 15:1 reminds us.

So, whether you think the criticism was fair, unwarranted, or spot on, you can respond with something like: “Thank you for sharing your concern with me. You could have walked away without saying anything to me and stewed about it. You would have been upset with me, and I would not have known why. So, I appreciate you sharing this with me directly.”

Saying thank you dials down negative emotions and opens the way for a productive conversation.

The Four D’s to Avoid

When you’re talking with a person who is giving you negative feedback about your sermon, there are four knee-jerk reactions to avoid. Do not: dismiss, get defensive, debate, or get discouraged.

Any of these responses will either shut down the conversation, escalate counterproductive energy, diminish your prophetic authority, or drain your enthusiasm for preaching.

Let’s break down each of these reactions.

Dismiss

It can be tempting to dismiss the person’s feedback without a second thought, especially if you feel it was off base. But writing off the criticism without a conversation would be a mistake. Proverbs 18:13 advises us, “If one gives answer before hearing, it is folly and shame.” If your “answer” is to reject the person or the feedback without a second thought, you’ll miss an opportunity for learning and growth for yourself and for the listener.

Dismissing sermon feedback also sends a message that you’re not open to receiving any critique. This can result in a breach between you and your listeners that could be difficult to bridge if it widens.

But what about criticism that comes anonymously? That’s different. While it may stick in your craw that someone has sniped at you, you can dismiss it because there’s no way to respond. In a sermon, however, you can express your willingness to engage with those who have questions or concerns, so that people are clear that you’re open to feedback.

Defensive

Preachers wish that every sermon was a homerun and that everyone who heard it would be moved to deepen their relationship with God and more closely follow Christ through the leading of the Holy Spirit.

But the fact is, not everyone will resonate with what you preach every time, even if the sermon itself is very strong. What’s more, a sermon addressing social issues may prompt someone to go on the offensive against you. When we get that kind of feedback, it can feel uncomfortable at best, painful at worst. Naturally, we can get defensive.

However, receiving feedback from parishioners helps you to know how they’re listening to your sermons. You might learn that the way you communicate and the way that they receive the message are not quite aligning. This is not a critique of either party; rather, it’s a chance for the preacher course-adjust if necessary.

Proverbs 16:32 tells us that “one who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and one whose temper is controlled than one who captures a city.” Try not to take the criticism personally, but instead, manage your own emotional reactions so that you can receive feedback well. Then you can apply it constructively to your preaching and to your pastoral relationship with this person. This is a great opportunity to practice those skills you learned in seminary for being a non-anxious presence!

Debate

When someone criticizes your sermon on a social justice issue, it can be tempting to argue the validity of the points you made, the sound exegesis you performed, and the effort you put into crafting the message. You might also feel that you’re being drawn into a debate on principles if they accuse you of “preaching politics” or “crossing the church-state boundary.”

But this conversation should not be about winning or losing a dispute. This is an opportunity to listen deeply, ask questions, and gain a better understanding of what is important to the person giving the critique. “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing,” (Proverbs 12:18). Healing can happen when we pivot away from intellectual disputes and move toward the emotional and relational aspects of the critique. More on that below.

Discouraged

I’ll admit it – I don’t enjoy getting negative sermon pushback. I want people to feel inspired and expanded by my sermons about social issues, and even led to put their faith into action. So, when I hear feedback that is just the opposite, the feelings of self-doubt, rumination, and discouragement can derail me for days. As Proverbs 15:13 describes it, “A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.”

Fortunately, I’ve been blessed with preaching professors, ministry mentors, and pastoral colleague groups with whom I’ve been able to process difficult conversations that follow a sermon. They have helped me put things in perspective, discover new insights, and offer practical and wise suggestions for moving forward in my preaching ministry.

I encourage all preachers to find their “go-to” people when they feel discouraged by sermon pushback. Having a support network in ministry is vital, especially when engaging in the prophetic and pastoral work of addressing social issues.

So how SHOULD you respond when someone comes at you with less than positive feedback about your sermon?

The Four E’s to Employ

The Four E’s to employ if you find yourself facing harsh criticism are: engage, enquire, focus on emotions and relationships, and get equipped.

These responses will enable you to maintain connection, deescalate destructive energy, strengthen your pastoral and prophetic calling, and maintain your energy for preaching and ministry.

Engage

When a listener approaches you with sermon pushback, ask to set up a time to meet with them. Often, sermon critiques come at inopportune times, such as in the handshake line after the service or when you’re heading out the door to your next appointment. Sometimes the critiques come through email, text, or letters filled with rants. So, after thanking the person for coming to you directly with their concerns, the next step is to ask to meet with them in person.

Meeting in person is preferable to an email exchange where body language and in-person communication are missing. Also, asking to meet at a separate time communicates to them your willingness to give your full attention without interruption. “A generous person will be enriched,” we learn from Proverbs 11:25, “and one who gives water will get water.”

When choosing a location, it’s probably best to avoid meeting at your office. Choose neutral ground such as a coffee shop or a walk at a local park. A word of caution, however: if you do not trust the goodwill of this person or are feeling unsafe meeting alone for any reason, ask if a neutral third party can be part of your meeting. The board president, head of the staff-parish relations committee, or another mutually agreed-upon person are all good options.

Enquire

Genuine curiosity about the experience someone had in listening to your sermon is the key to deeper engagement. Ask, “What was it like for you when I preached the sermon?” Use reflective listening without trying to defend yourself. Ask clarifying questions and then paraphrase what you heard them say: “What I hear you saying is . . . Do I have that right?” Assuring the person that they have been heard is critical for establishing trust and maintaining the pastoral relationship.

As Proverbs advises, “The purposes in the human mind are like deep water, but the intelligent will draw them out,” (Proverbs 20:5). Your authenticity and curiosity will allow you to delve into those deep waters.

Emotions and relationships

Ask questions that get to the emotional level, rather than debating content. People can intellectually disagree about anything you say in the pulpit. But just below the surface are the feelings and sometimes unconscious impulses that need to be brought out in the open. “A discerning heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge,” (Proverbs 18:15).

So, when a person criticizes what they heard you say (even if they misunderstand or mischaracterize your words), resist the urge to defend or debate. Instead ask, “How did you feel when you listened to the sermon? What emotions did you experience?” Emotions are neither good nor bad – they are part of being human. Once the person expresses that they felt angry, sad, hurt, or alarmed, you can express empathy. “If that happened to me when I listened to a sermon, I would feel that way, too.” Acknowledge those feelings and thank them for honestly sharing them with you.

Sometimes, a person’s reaction may have nothing to do either with you or the sermon, but instead springs from a pain point they carry with them. For example, when a parishioner once angrily told me that I was merely spewing President Barack Obama’s talking points in a sermon, I asked a simple question. “Who does Obama remind you of?” He immediately blurted out, “My father!” At that point, the discussion moved away from the sermon and toward a more pastoral conversation. While he still didn’t agree with some of the things I said in the sermon (which were all based on careful biblical exegesis, by the way), our pastor-parishioner relationship remained intact.

Equip

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another,” (Proverbs 27:17). If things are moving in a positive direction, you can ask if they’re willing to hear you on a deeper level. “Would you like to know why I decided to preach about this?” Explain how you prayerfully discerned the call to preach on the topic in question. Share how you engaged the Bible and biblical scholars, looked at different perspectives, and listened to a variety of voices. Tell them what moral foundations you saw in the text regarding this issue that are important for the church.

As the conversation comes to a close, it’s good to check in on an emotional level one more time. “How are you feeling now that we’ve had a chance to talk about this?” Again, acknowledge those feelings without defensiveness or judgement. You can ask: “How can we move forward from here?” Or “What would you like to see happen moving forward?”

In other words, seek opportunities to equip the listener with increased capacity for growing in faith, learning, discernment, and action led by the Holy Spirit.

Determine if it’s appropriate to apologize.

If you realize you made a mistake or inadvertently hurt the person’s feelings, don’t hesitate to say you’re sorry. For example, I once preached a sermon in which I carelessly perpetuated some harmful stereotypes about older adults. When a parishioner pointed this out, I realized my mistake, apologized, and thanked her for bringing it to my attention.

But don’t apologize if someone is offended by the gospel itself. You can thank them for sharing their concern and perspective, but Jesus’s teachings do not require an apology.

Conclude with dignity.

Ideally, the conversation will end in a better place than it started. If that happens, you can share your appreciation for the fact that your relationship is stronger now. Even if you disagree on some things, you’ve found points of commonality and built trust. You may even come up with ideas for how to take next steps together.

However, if the conversation ends at an impasse (or escalates in a negative way), you can suggest that you both give the conversation a pause, take time to think, read, and pray separately, then circle back in a week or two.

Sometimes, however, the person is not engaging in good faith. Or they are working from a set of “alternative facts” that do not align with reality. So, if you are feeling browbeaten, bullied, or even threatened, simply thank them for expressing their concern but be clear that there are some things that you’ll have to disagree about. Regardless, you can tell them that you learned important things from what they shared – which will be both a truthful and dignified way to end the conversation for both of you.

When sermon feedback crosses into the danger zone

I want to note that sometimes reactions to sermons cross the line. Five percent of respondents in our survey were either threatened with job loss or forced to resign due to their prophetic sermon. While this percentage seems small, it is a devastating experience for those who go through it. If you’re facing this, or if people in your congregation are threatening to leave because of your prophetic ministry, this article might be helpful for you: What to Do When Parishioners Leave – Because of Politics

Even more disturbing is that 13% reported receiving threats or fearing for their safety. More than 120 respondents shared experiences ranging from physical and online harassment to vandalism, death threats, and violence. This suggests that ministry for some is not just stressful but also dangerous.

If you’ve experienced this level of threat or harm, I encourage you to watch this panel discussion on Trolls, Doxxing, and Threats, Oh My! Guidance for Clergy and Congregations Engaged in Prophetic Ministry hosted by the Clergy Emergency League and the Wisconsin Council of Churches. We talked with experts who have dealt with these kinds of threats and offered advice for steps to take if you or your congregation become a target for hate, harassment, or violence.

Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us that the call to preach requires humility and reliance on a power greater than yourself, especially when receiving pushback. Image created by the author.

Affirm your call to preach

As I say in Preaching and Social Issues, embracing authenticity and integrity in preaching is paramount. It requires the courage to speak genuinely from the heart, aligning our words with our beliefs with our ethical foundations, theological convictions, and the teachings of the Bible.

Be encouraged that your sermons about social issues are important because you care about the lives of your parishioners, community, the larger society, and God’s Creation. You are compelled to preach these sermons because it is a call from God.

Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us that this call requires humility and reliance on a power greater than yourself: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge God who will make straight your paths.”

May God continue to guide your path of prophetic preaching!

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