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Is preaching outdated?

Should we do away with sermons?

Should we respond to the postmodern aversion to authority figures by softening the authoritativeness presupposed by a pastor proclaiming the Word of God week to week?

My answer to each of the above questions is a resounding “NO.” Indeed, we cannot answer “yes” to the above questions because the New Testament strongly emphasizes the public exposition and proclamation of the Word. Preaching styles differ from culture to culture, but the common thread in virtually all Christian circles is the public proclamation of the Word.

But there are other reasons that point to the importance of preaching. Several of these reasons are very lucidly described in Larry Witham’s A City Upon a Hill: How Sermons Changed the Course of American History (New York: HarperOne, 2007). In A City Upon a Hill, Witham guides the reader through a history of the United States through the lens of American preaching.

A City Upon a Hill does not separate the history of preaching from the history of the United States, as if these two tracks run parallel to one another; Witham shows how preaching creates culture and how culture influences preaching. Sermons influenced American historical events. But American culture also influenced sermons.

Witham describes four beliefs that characterize American-styled preaching:

1. American chosenness. He sees the Calvinistic individual dimension of chosenness spreading to the entire country, even in its secular counterparts (“Manifest Destiny,” our national mission, the American Way of Life, American interest, etc.). Americans believe that our country has a special relationship with God.

2. Comfort. Throughout American history, sermons have fueled the optimistic spirit of the United States. During times of national suffering, sermons have provided comfort. During times of national progress, sermons have often justified greed and indifference.

3. Challenge. American sermons have often scolded people into better behavior, attacking individual sin as well as unjust social structures. Sermons that challenge the audience are important because they preserve liberty and order.

4. Belief in Good and Evil. Each of the above themes has made an impact on American history because of the prevailing notion of “good” versus “evil” that exists in the American consciousness. Sometimes, Americans adopt these terms too simplisticly, but they retain them nonetheless because they are pragmatically helpful.

Witham’s work deserves to be consulted by those of us who have the responsibility of preaching today. His narrative helps us understand the importance of preaching. It also helps us see how culture has always formed preaching and vice versa. The Timeline at the beginning of the book, which puts historical events together with sermon events is particularly eye-opening.

If you enjoy American history or enjoy American preaching, chances are you will enjoy A City Upon a Hill. Tomorrow and Thursday, I will be interviewing Larry Witham here on this blog.

written by Trevin Wax  © 2008 Kingdom People blog

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