Activity in Preaching (Part 1)

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, "Leadership in the church community is unfaithful to the Spirit if this intimacy is not fostered in Word, sacrament, and action for justice.” Authentic Spiritual formation through preaching in the postmodern era will inspire the congregation towards active faith. Haddon Robinson writes, “The preacher that can use the imagination to paint a compelling and tangible picture of a preferred future for the listener, will lead the people toward a more meaningful experience.” Postmoderns are critical of anything that is merely theoretical. They want to see how it really works in practice. They are more concerned about how it works in practice than how, or even if, it works in theory.

The Christian leader must help his flock put their faith into practice. People of this generation can be enamored with heroes from any religion, race, moral creed, or political persuasion if they are perceived as “making a difference in the world.” They can be (rightly) passionate about ecology, human rights, or justice issues. Unfortunately, faith is so privatized; it is not popularly seen as being something that actively engages real life. Preaching must engage the congregation members’ passions and real lives, and make plain how faith must be practiced in the real world.