I consistently hear the criticism of Chinese preaching (though I know it’s true of many pastors around the world). What is the problem? I often hear something like this:
“The pastor’s preaching is all over the place!”
Pastors seem to jump around from text to text and never make a clear point. Listeners are left confused. No wonder many people think Christianity, sermons or theology are not very practical.
This is why I’m grateful for a good post from ScribblePeach.com. If you go there, you’ll find a great summary about wise preaching. I took a class myself from Haddon Robinson and can really appreciate the value of Robinson’s advice.
The post begins with the following paragraph before giving a helpful explanation of what this all means practically.
This is where our friend Haddon Robinson comes in, most famous for his emphasis on “Big Idea” preaching. Here’s what he says: “Ideally, each sermon is the explanation, interpretation, or application of a single dominant idea supported by other ideas, all drawn from one passage or several passages of Scripture.” How many points was that? Three? Five? No. One point. One single point. So here’s our principle: Preach with a pin, not with a hammer. A pin is a narrow, focused point designed to penetrate through surfaces. A hammer has a wide, flat surface, and its designed to bat around and flatten the outer layers. If we want preaching that penetrates the heart, we must preach with a pin. See what I mean below: ……
For the rest, click here.
What has been your experience listening to preaching in China (or elsewhere)?
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