Listening to Ghostface Keller on Preaching Christ to a postmodern world talking about a common subtext in preaching - "Aren't We Good?"
This, he says, is ritual reinforcement, it is the setting of boundaries and the establishment of who's in and who's out.
The church community which tends towards this subtext doesn't actually want to be taught, changed and challenged. Instead they want to be reminded again of what they already believe. They want the jargon. They want the familiar. They want the critique of the outsider.
Many this is a sharp observation!
Sermon subtext: ritual reinforcement
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7 comments:
blimey, he's right!
And when someone comes along and doesn't use the jargon, they assume he/she's an outsider.
I'm gonna listen to Keller on this one.
It's in Session 16
Thanks Mikey. I'm downloading the entire series at the mo.
that's one of the most helpful critiques of heard in a long time.
Can anyone think of particular themes we can hit, or even any phrases we might employ in preaching to counter this tendency?
So, what do you say about developing a language your people can understand -- using words like community and Gospel in a meaningful way?
I'm not really making a helpful contribution here (sorry Stu and Laura).
But the core of the issue lies deeper than the language we use. It's about the gospel. And our need of it. When we understand that, we will feel less good about ourselves and more loving towards those outside the kingdom.
Just finished downloading the whole box and dice of the Clowney/Keller talks. I've only dipped into them until now. Looks like I've got the next year booked up with these guys!!
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