Good thoughts Cameron (see below). Cameron is the smarter part of myself. We used to be roommates in seminary, and he has always been good at helping me clarify and understand things. This dialogue between you and I reminds me of some of my own blindspots, as I am wrestling with this issue. This is the advantage of dialogue and conversation. The opportunity to clarify. The opportunity to be corrected. Etc.
And you are on to something. How can we use the dialogue method in proclamation, which is what we do when we preach?
I like the idea of having multi-faceted services. Time for proclamation. Time for dialogue. Sometimes I like to begin with some questions. And from there, compose sort of a mental composite of the topic. Something to get us thinking. Then we move into a time of proclamation, which may or may not involve questions and dialogue from others. Then we close with discussion, reflection. This is not the only way, but is one way that has been effective for myself and others.
Let’s continue this dialogue, so that we can better understand what it means to proclaim God’s word amongst people.
I will let you know how tonight goes, after I preach and dialogue.
Also…Cameron. If life was scripted like the WB, I think I would want it to be Smallville. I have revealed my vice to you all. And thank God for Tivo….Smallville and college group on Wednesday nights was really putting me in a bind 🙂
Rhett,
I have been giving thought to the idea of dialogical preaching too. The problem is, preaching is meant to be more than a coffee shop chat–that is what coffee shops are for. But I think the concept is a good one, so I have been wrestling with how to best format a more interactive sermon that still enables proclamation.
I wonder if the Acts 2 model applies (or is it Acts 3?) where Peter preaches to the crowd at Pentecost and the crowd asks, “What can we do to be saved.” Clearly, that is not a typical repsonse…”So tell me Rhett, how should I apply this timeless truth to my life.” Real life is not scripted like the WB. But, I wonder if it would work to structure a time for proclamation, and time for response. Sort of like “sermon meets town hall meeting.”
Paul, Jessy and I have been talking (very informally) about planting a church, and this is a model we are thinking about.
What do you think?
Cameron
