Tuesday, 30 June 2009
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Do Repetitive Sermons Lead to Better Understanding?
I was thinking about the parable of planting seeds and how I can relate to it. The passage talks about how the seeds land on three different patches of land. Each set of land gives a different outcome for the seed on it. Jesus explained that the parable was about hearing teachings and how people will understand them differently. The seed grows the best when it falls on the right soil. Likewise, the teaching is understood best when a person learns from it and does something with what he learned. To me this is another reason why going to church is a good thing. While at times, the sermons can seem repetitious and I may feel like I already know what is getting preached, hearing something I already know being preached on again may help me to grow in my understanding of that subject. This is why people reread the Bible after they have already read it. Going over the Bible a second time gives a greater understanding of the word, but also reveals things that were unclear on the first read.
Personally, I used to dwell on the fact that something was being taught on yet again. I would sit in my seat and tune out what was being said. I had the idea that I knew all that I already needed to know about any particular subject. However, I quickly learned that with God there is always room to grow. I try to look forward to having subjects being taught on again. It gives me an opportunity to look for something I might not understand.
Do you think it's important to have subjects taught multiple times?
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- From: mr_twenty_something
- Name: Tim
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Comments (9)
Only if people are stupid enough not to get it the first time around.
Sometime, although it is the same message, you may be at a different point in your life and need that message at that day. Hearing the Good News again (Christ is risen) should never get old.
The only time I don't like having something taught multiple times is when it's in rapid-fire succession. But they I also think, those are the time God is really trying to get my attention about a certain matter. Besides, the Word is alive, you could read the Bible a million times and you will always find something you missed, a different application, or something that strikes anew.
Oh, yeah. As we age and grow, we're at different stages of our lives w/ different struggles. Certainly you will be reading differently as a child, a teenager, twenty-something, midlifer, senior, or whatever. I studied through Exodus this past year in a formal study but now am reading it on my own, and I am seeing all kinds of things that I didn't see the last time I studied it. The Word of God is filled with infinite riches for us because God is infinite. We can never read it too much or hear it too often. We always need to be asking God to give us ears to hear what His Spirit is saying to us each and every time we read or hear His Word. If we ever say we've heard something enough, then we're in a very dangerous. We must always be praying God would give us teachable spirits and soft hearts to receive His Word.
I'll agree with that statement, but I suggest that you not make it exclusive to religious matters.
After all, haven't we all been told by our English teachers that you have to re-read things to clarify?
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Yes, they do, but only if the listener wants it to.
When I hear a sermon that cuts to my heart and brings me to my knees and points to God who supplies all the grace I could ever need - I get that sermon in audio format (if possible), and listen to it over and over. I double check the references, study the passage, and even read a book that might shed even more light on the key points.
This action has helped to imprint my heart with the truth of the word. It is far too easy to hear a sermon and then forget it a week later. Some sermons are too critical to your spiritual well being to just forget.
Repetition is a good teaching device. Nothing wrong with repeating a theme or idea over several weeks of sermons. How many times do you see the same exact commercial on T.V.? The marketers know that repetition is key to making their message stick in people's minds.
Preachers abuse their congregation when they have a hobby-horse they ride every time they're in the pulpit. That's a travesty, considering the richness of scripture.
There's something to be said for having a sermon series that dwells on one basic idea or point but comes at it from a few steps, aspects, or persepctives. But when you just rotate sermons it really is lame. My pastor only preaches from "experience" which can be good but some people find that he recycles sermons. He's been at our church for about 20 15 or 16 years so we've heard the rotation several times. He has been introducing new ones and all his sermons are good. He's definately an annointed preacher, but if you don't offer anything really new that will grow your people after a few years they will eventually leave to pursue spiritual growth. That is happening in our church right now, but not necessarily because of that alone. It all depends on how you approach the subject and how you deliver. It is possible to address the same topic (especially if it's one the church is struggling with) multiple times and do it without the ideas being repeated. The ability to do that is the sign of a truly gifted pastor.