SELECT EFFECTIVE ANSWERS

A visualized situation from daily life
is the most effective way to handle any of the developmental questions--
to explain a concept,
to show people that it's true,
or to help them see what it looks like in their lives.
page 134, Biblical Preaching, by Donald R. Sunukjian

Ineffective explanations, per Sunukjian

1. Dictionary definitions
2. Statistics
3. Quotations
4. Parallel passages
5. Biblical illustrations

I see visualized situations from daily life as having at least two important benefits for disciplemaking via sermon:

1. They show the listeners that God's Word is relevant to what they believe and how they behave. We do not need to make the Bible relevant, for it is already relevant. We need to make that relevance clear. Showing how the timeless truth shows up in life helps accomplish this clarity.
   
2. They instigate response by placing the ball in the listener's court. This respects each believer's responsibility, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the limitations of the sermon.
   

We do not need to coerce

Tag(s): biblical preaching

See CC License


“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/