Question time after sermons
Last Sunday, after the sermon on Psalm 139, we had the longest question times I’ve been a part of at evening church. It gave me a greater appreciation for how good they are.
I must admit that I was initially quite scared of the concept. It was something I inherited from the previous minister. It would mean I’d have to know what I’m talking about when I preach. It would require having answers to questions I may not have thought about during my preparation.
Yet I also realise that it is a good thing. It gave the opportunity the answer some questions I didn’t address in the sermon. Surely this would be a more beneficial thing, as people would keep learning as they ask their questions of the Bible passage. Also, there would be things in my preparation which ended up on the cutting room floor and yet could still be of use. Lastly, it could be used to clarify what I’d said in case it wasn’t clear enough.
What was most encouraging about Sunday night was that the questions were of the clarifying kind. Further it also became an ongoing discussion, rather than a couple of unrelated questions. They kept building on the previous ones.
I’m now a big fan. Still scared of the curly question I may not be able to answer. But most of all, glad to be involved in a process that enable us to study God’s word and learn together.
If you go to church, what are your experiences of having questions about a sermon? What do you think of the idea of question time? Lastly, if you ever preach, would you do it?
Josh,
We have question time every Sunday evening and it’s really popular. It also means that I work harder at sermon prep to cover every possible question.
Our congregation really enjoy it.
Hi Josh – Ditto Dave. Our people say it is their favourite thing about church. Sometimes we get them to discuss with person next to them, but generally it’s straight questions from the floor.
I have a question –
how do you consolidate the theology of the priesthood of all believers with hearing God speak from the front on a Sunday?
God’s Word is the bible and thats all i hold to. But ministers claim to speak God’s word. Literally this means reading the Bible but the meaning extends to their exegetical opinion and i find it compelling that their opinion holds the same weight as God’s word when (especially in this philosophical environment) it is no greater than that of anyone else- since we all can and must read, understand and interpret the Word of God.
Hi Mike, I don’t see how the priesthood of all believers is in tension with hearing God speak from the front. The first place that comes to mind is 1 Peter 2 where Peter describes a people being built around Jesus as the cornerstone. As part of this people, we are ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession’ (v9a).
The first thing to note is the purpose of this people. Peter goes on to say it is that ‘you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light’ (v9b). Therefore the priesthood of all believers implies there is no longer any need for particular priests to mediate God to men. Rather, any one of us whom God has called is to proclaim Him to others. Then he goes on for the rest of the chapter fleshing out and giving examples for how we can be a witness to the world.
Secondly, we must remember who wrote this letter. It’s the guy who stood up on the Day of Pentecost and preached a sermon in Jerusalem (Acts 2). As someone committed to the idea of a priesthood of all believers, he also had no problem speaking from the front. One could argue this is because he was an apostle, which is different to the rest of us bog-ordinary Christians. This reminds me of Ephesians 4.11-12, which also describes different teaching roles, yet doesn’t deny the priesthood of all believers.
I think I’d like to flesh out what you mean by ‘God’s Word is the bible’. I want to particularly agree that the message of God’s Word is the message the Bible teaches, as in the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). Or, as 1 Peter 2 says, to proclaim the excellencies of God and to do this as we describe how he has brought us from death to life, from darkness to light. Most often this is described as the gospel or good news.
Make sure you come this Sunday night to church. We’re starting a new series on 1 Thessalonians. Paul, in verse 5, talks about how ‘our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.’ As the gospel goes out, as God’s word is spoken, it’s not only a collection of words strung together in a sentence, but the proclamation of what God has done in his Son to save us. As Paul states God’s Holy Spirit is linked with his word. It is for this reason that when Spurgeon went up to preach he would pray in a small breath each step, ‘I believe in the Holy Spirit, I believe in the Holy Spirit.’
One last thing, I think I mean a different thing to you when I say ‘ministers speak God’s word’. Again this comes down to what we mean by God’s word. Paul when talking to the Thessalonians seems to think he’s speaking God’s words, not just his exegetical opinion. But, what does this mean for preachers today?