Courageous Preaching
By Cindy Halvorson, MDiv, DMin
Dear Preachers—those who step into the pulpit every week, almost every week, occasionally, and rarely,
These are challenging times to preach. Months ago, I was asked to write an article on courageous preaching. I spent more time than usual planning the article since our society is so contentious. And then, Renee Good was shot and killed by federal agents right in our backyard of Minneapolis. And yes, Sunday was on the horizon … because it always is; if you live nearby the Minneapolis area, you were expected to say something meaningful, something inspired, something that spoke to the tragic events.
I didn’t preach the immediate Sunday following the shooting of Renee Good, but I did preach the Sunday following the murder of George Floyd and the protests in Minneapolis. I remember going into the depths of my heart, tears flowing as I wrote my sermon. Shock, fear, anger, and dismay streamed down my face. The keyboard of my computer clicked as I typed … sometimes from the sound of the “delete” key as much as from the other keys. I had so many questions. How?? What?? Really?? I had the same questions again as I watched the news story of Renee Good being killed. How?? What?? Really??
The landscape of the pulpit is challenging even without needing to address another crisis, another catastrophe. I talk with pastors regularly, and many of them share that in the past several months they have encountered a heightened level of criticism about their preaching. Some listeners disapprove of the sermon, arguing the preacher did not fully address the ills of our world and should have said more. Others complain the preacher was “too political” and said too much. These comments are made by people sitting in the same pews listening to the same sermon on the same Sunday morning. If that isn’t enough, I also hear fellow ministers disapprove of other preachers. Some complain their colleagues aren’t saying the hard things; others criticize their colleagues for using the pulpit to advance contentious rhetoric. What is a preacher to do? How is a preacher ever supposed to win? Our current societal climate can cause a preacher to wish they could stay at home instead of going to the pulpit.
Sermons are a unique form of communication. They come with a certain level of authority since the speaker is often one who holds power, either by position or role, education, and/or the perceived closeness to the Divine. The words of the preacher have added weight. In addition to the power of the speaker, homilies are typically monologues, instead of conversations. This traditional manner eliminates the opportunity for questions of clarification from the listener to the speaker.
To add to the complexity, listeners come to a sermon with expectations. Some listen to be affirmed; others listen to be challenged. Unfortunately, some have learned through the years that the preaching event is a time to let their mind wander instead of truly listen. Also, the listener’s context plays a part in the way the homily is heard. What has happened or what is currently present in their lives creates a backdrop and a filter for their listening capacity. When anxiety, pain, grief, or injustice permeates the air we breathe, there can be a greater level of miscommunication and misunderstanding.
These components along with your own mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing create challenging circumstances to navigate. And still, courageous preaching is desperately needed in our world. So, what is a preacher to do? There are no quick fixes or easy answers at this point in history. We feel the urgency in our world; yet, we need to take time to contemplate our role as preachers. Maybe the following can provide food for thought:
Ask the question, “What am I called to do when I preach?” Different preachers have different callings. Some see preaching as an opportunity to teach people what to believe and how to live faithfully. Others might understand their calling to be one of encouragement. Some embrace speaking hard truths and challenging the listener in a manner similar to the prophets of old. Others sense that preaching is an act of hospitality, creating space for the listener to encounter the Holy. Certainly, other answers could be added to the list. The question is personal. “What am I called to do when I preach?” Obeying your calling is an act of courage.
Ask the question, “Who am I called to be in the world?” Your answer might align with what you are called to do when you preach. And then again, it might be something different. It is important for both answers to be integrated. Being an integrated self and living out your calling in the world is an act of courage.
Ask the question, “What do the listeners need to hear?” Many preachers have favorite subjects to cover in a sermon—not every sermon but many sermons. Sometimes we don’t recognize how our filter and ideology continue to have us beat the same drum sermon after sermon. Yet pondering the needs of the listener must be part of our consideration, whether a current, acute crisis has arisen in the community or the situation is that of the ongoing experience of being human, which includes archetypical longings. Caring for others is an act of courage.
Stop trying to “win.” I purposefully tucked that question into an earlier paragraph, not to trick you but to speak to the conundrum in which many preachers find themselves, as well as acknowledging the human desire to be appreciated and valued—or at the very least—not to lose. Often the goal might be to preach a good sermon. I remember my seminary professor challenging us to measure our sermons not by the descriptor of “good” but instead by the qualifier of “faithful.” The goal matters. Are we desiring to be faithful to the text and to our calling? And just let me say: It cannot be our goal to please all the listeners all the time. It’s not possible. Letting go of approval and instead leaning into being faithful is an act of courage.
These four considerations are imperative when tragedy knocks down the door of our community. It requires courage to be true to your calling and to offer a faithful sermon. Your leadership matters for a world that is grappling with division, destruction, and death. The responsibility is significant.
While we are still likely to wince at the criticism, focusing on what you are called to do and be, caring about the needs of the listeners, and delivering a faithful sermon allow us to hold to our values, principles, and beliefs. Other people’s approval cannot be our driving force. Being able to be true to yourself and to operate from your values while staying in relationship with others is known as self-differentiation (Bowen’s Family Systems Theory[1]). The process of being a differentiated self is a lifelong growing edge for most of us. We learn. We practice. We reflect. And then we repeat the cycle. This pattern leads us toward healthy leadership practices and empowers us to preach a faithful sermon with courage.
During times of injustice and upheaval, grief and pain, feeling helpless and maybe even hopeless, it can be easier to stay in our heads and think about sermons and preaching. However, during these difficult times, wiggling down into our hearts and feeling our emotions gives us the opportunity to preach courageously. Wrestle with the questions. Wrestle with the answers. Wrestle with the sacred text. Wrestle with ourselves. We might find that we have the opportunity to glimpse the Divine as did Jacob, the patriarch of the Hebrew faith. And yes, we might limp the rest of our days. (Gen 32:22-32)
Dear preachers, thank you for standing in the pulpit, being your courageous self, holding to your values, and proclaiming a faithful sermon. Our world needs YOU.
May all your wonderings and wanderings lead you home.
[1] Resources for learning about Bowen's Family Systems Theory include the books Generation to Generation and The Eight Concepts of Bowen Theory. (Should you choose to purchase via these links, LeaderWise will earn a nominal affiliate fee.) The LeaderWise workshop series, Self-Differentiated Leader, offers another opportunity to learn about Bowen’s theory.
