Conference Report March 2008
God-centred preaching
Speaker: Rev Andrew Rollinson, Ministry Advisor to the Baptist Union of Scotland
Venue: Partick Baptist Church
Morning Session 1145 - 1300
Beginning with God
Powerpoint
Introduction
One of the all- time great religious portraits of Europe is the C16th Grunewald’s ‘John the Baptist’. It had a profound effect on Karl Barth, the great Swiss theologian, who often referred to it in his writings and for many years had a reproduction on his desk. The striking feature of the painting is the pointing index finger of John as he directs attention to Jesus on the cross. ‘Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’. And for Barth it became the classic and defining image of preaching - preachers are no more than a mere finger – our significance is all to do with where we are pointing. And my very simple argument today is that if our finger doesn’t point with utter clarity and simplicity to God-in-Christ then we are failing in our essential calling.
To use another word from this section, John saw himself as a witness (look at v.6-8). And I think it is a crucial word for preaching. In a court setting, the charisma of a witness is unimportant; the performance of a witness is irrelevant; novelty is totally out of place. What counts in a court is the truthfulness of the witness – a faithfulness to the events that have been seen and experienced. And our primary role as preachers is to be a faithful witness to the truth about God.
Four perspectives on the Being and Ways of God
1. Preaching is a unique, God-ordained instrument for the mission of the world and the renewal of the church. Bill Hybels says religion spells D.O., authentic Christianity spells D.O.N.E.
Our primary calling is not to urge people what they must do, but declare what God has done. We are called to herald good news, not harp on about our moral duties. ‘In our preaching we do not so much prescribe behaviour, rather we are midwives of the imperatives that issue from the indicatives of our proclamation’.
2. Preaching is both a gift and a craft.
3. In order for preaching to be effective it must be true bridge-building, building a road bridge from the world of God’s original revelation in Scripture to the world of today.
4. Preaching is nothing if it is not theo-centric. Preaching is, in its very essence, being a herald for God and a herald of God.
Reading: John 1:6-9; 15; 19-31
Some brief reflections on four perspectives on the Being and Ways of God; and some of their implications for our preaching.
- 1. A God of grace, a God who always takes the initiative.
- 2. The God we preach is the God made known in Jesus Christ.
- 3. The God we are called to preach is a God of great compassion and tenderness.
- 4. The God we preach is a Sovereign God who is alive and powerfully at work.
As preachers, our focus is never on ourselves, nor ultimately on the historical discoverers of our faith, but on the wonder itself – God, far more beautiful and awesome than the greatest waterfall – great in grace, in compassion, in power, the Christ-like God. This is who we preach! ‘Him we proclaim’, says Paul ‘struggling with all his energy which he so powerfully works in me’.
Afternoon Session 1400 - 1515
Partners with God - preaching and God's presence
Introduction
Reading: 2 Corinthians 5: 11-21
1. The sermon is born as we listen to God.
2. The sermon is animated as we pray to God.
3. The sermon has integrity as we walk with God.
4. The message is effective as we trust in God.
