Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism (Review)
Several years ago, my pastor recommended Preaching by Tim Keller to me. I have maintained a lengthy reading list for many years, and I admit I put this one toward the bottom. I figured I am more likely to give announcements from the pulpit than teach, so other books filled my time.
But during an out-of-state church visit, Keller’s book jumped to the top of my list. I encountered a speaker who was a wonderful storyteller, yet his sermon never reached the critical message of Jesus. While unpacking the Bible in context is critical for sound preaching, I wanted to know more about the specifics to better discern the traits of effective preaching. For those who listen to or read Tim Keller’s teaching or writing, it is likely no surprise Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism is excellent. Whether you intend to preach or merely listen, I join my pastor in recommending Preaching as a worthwhile book to better understand how to listen to sermons and read the Bible.
Here are some points that were particularly memorable during my reading:
Calvin looked at the Apostle Paul’s claim that his preaching was not mere eloquence or flourish of speech. Calvin did not conclude this meant these were bad traits. Instead, it is a word of caution against relying too greatly on oratory gifts like stories or cleverness. Instead, preaching must be grounded in the Word.
Regardless of the what passages a message covers, everything must point to Jesus. Yet this idea does not necessarily become repetitious. Christ is the key to understanding each biblical text and the key to making it applicable to the listener.
Gospel preachers must reach people in the midst of their social and cultural influences—start where they are and move them to Christ. Preaching to the heart and preaching to the culture are linked. This is not to appear relevant but to make clear why the listener needs Christ. We must ask what will best reach the listener; though this must stay centered on the Bible itself in the context it was written.
The key to sound teaching and understanding of the Bible is “context, context, context.”
Spurgeon called the Bible a mighty lion that only needs be let out. Open the cage, and the lion will take care of itself. We do not need to spend great time defending the Bible, even in an age of skepticism. Expose people to the Word, and its power will be known.
Preachers must always put the studies text in the context of the whole Bible—more specifically the Gospel. An easy pitfall is discussing the law or grace without discussing the other. Both law and grace must weave together in a message.
There are basically two ways to read the Bible: is it about me or is it about Jesus. Said another way, is it about what I must do or is it about what Jesus did?
Keller used this example, and it was a helpful illustration on effectively connecting a passage to Christ. Think about how we might flesh out the message of the apostles in the storm while Jesus slept—afraid that Jesus was abandoning them in slumber. A preacher could just use this to teach we must have faith in life’s storms. Yet this is not enough. We can tie it back to what Jesus did for us on the cross—present the Gospel—in showing how it was the apostles who slept when Jesus needed them. Jesus did not abandon the apostles and He experienced abandonment when He sacrificed himself on the cross. The Gospel is the answer and key to every life situation—not just the rudimentary ABCs of salvation.
After he came to Christ following WWII, C.E.M. Joad made the following observation, “It was because we rejected the doctrine of original sin that we on the left were always being disappointed—disappointed by the failure of true socialism to arrive, by the behavior of nations and politicians, and above all by the recurrent fact of war.” Keller used this example to give context for proclaiming Jesus. There must be awareness of what the congregation is facing from a societal standpoint.
The issue of identity is a critical topic in modern America, and it matters in how we present Jesus. Keller: “The question isn’t ‘who am I?’ It’s ‘whose am I?’” If we belong to Jesus, then we have far more worth and esteem because we are not seeking our affirmation from the world. Instead, we find our identity in Christ—born into His family, adopted, and made righteous by His sacrifice. In this vein, we may find that modern America finds the message of casting off our old self and finding a new identity in Christ will readily resonate with Americans.
Your heart must be affectionate when you preach. Whether consciously or subconsciously, listeners are always searching for your motives. You must show how the text has affected you.
Consider how Jonathan Edwards illustrates that our good works cannot save us. He compared it to a spiderweb trying to hold up a falling rock. So too our good works cannot stop our descent to hell without the saving grace of Jesus. This illustration is an example of how teachers should connect the logical and the experiential. It makes the proposition “works cannot save us” into something more vivid for the listener.
Read across the political and cultural spectrum. Diversify who you interact with to better reach more people with the way you think and the way you tailor your words.
Consider 3 texts as you speak: (1) the biblical text, (2) the readers’ context, and (3) the subtext of your message. Consider the phrase, “no, I’m fine.” It may mean everything is great. But your tone and body language may show that something is wrong (though you don’t entirely want to discuss the matter). Subtext makes a difference in our message. Notice, there can be a subtext of “isn’t this message great?” where the message and learning is the focus. This is important but not at the expense of “isn’t Jesus great?” The latter—worshiping God—must be the true subtext of everything we speak. Worship shows our true affection. Worship focuses on reaching church insiders and church outsiders. It swallows up other subtexts. Think of John the Baptist: “I am just a voice.” His whole purpose was to point to Jesus.
Beyond these points, Keller referenced St. Augustine in a way I found meaningful. Augustine observed, “an eloquent man must speak so as to teach, to delight, and to persuade.” Put another way, sound preaching must instruct the mind, move the heart, and prepare people to act. Keller highlights the need for exegesis—unpacking the text in context—but he also focuses on reaching the heart. For me, the head has always been easy, but my heart often lags behind. Keller’s book offers so many practical points for teachers and learners by expounding how effective teaching should intentionally address both the head and the heart. This is not an easy task but certainly a worthwhile one. Whether a Christian or not, there are many thoughtful points in Preaching that expound on the work that should go into teaching, irrespective of the subject. I give the book a full endorsement and will certainly use the book as a reference in the future.
