HOW WE DECIDE WHAT TO PREACH

HOW WE DECIDE WHAT TO PREACH

We sometimes get asked how we decide what to preach on at Redeemer. This is a general overview of he head, heart and hands (persuasion/ passion and practicalities) of how sermon series are decided upon at Redeemer.

 

 

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PERSUASION & PASSION

We believe there are numerous styles/methods that can be used to preach and decide upon preaching series – there seems no biblically restrictive guideline on WHAT to preach when, and HOW to do it. The Bible reflects a variety of methods. One essential factor is to aim to ‘preach the whole counsel of God’  (Acts 20:27) in some way. For us that means ensuring a balance of topics and styles (e.g. exegetical, topical, character led).

Regarding what it means to ‘preach the whole counsel of God’, D. A. Carson is very helpful; (http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2007/11/20/preaching-whole-counsel-of-god/)

When Paul attests that this is what he proclaimed to the believers in Ephesus, the Ephesian elders to whom he makes this bold asseveration know full well that he had managed this remarkable feat in only two and a half years. In other words, whatever else Paul did, he certainly did not manage to go through every verse of the Old Testament, line by line, with full-bore explanation. He simply did not have time. What he must mean is that he taught the burden of the whole of God’s revelation, the balance of things, leaving nothing out that was of primary importance, never ducking the hard bits, helping believers to grasp the whole counsel of God that they themselves would become better equipped to read their Bibles intelligently, comprehensively. It embraced

• God’s purposes in the history of redemption (truths to be believed and a God to be worshiped),
• an unpacking of human origin, fall, redemption, and destiny (a worldview that shapes all human understanding and a Saviour without whom there is no hope),
• the conduct expected of God’s people (commandments to be obeyed and wisdom to be pursued, both in our individual existence and in the community of the people of God), and
• the pledges of transforming power both in this life and in the life to come (promises to be trusted and hope to be anticipated).

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PRACTICALITIES & EXPECTATIONS

Practically then at Redeemer, the elders are primarily responsible for forming and preparing the sermon series and preachers. We have 4 guiding reasons why we pick a series. These are helpful guidelines for us, and not restrictive rules!

1.    Progressive.

When we see the Bible as the ultimate authority we simply choose to work our way through it over the years.

The strength in this means that you will have a balanced diet of topics and will be forced to preach on things you perhaps wouldn't want to. The challenge can be that if there are other things you really feel the church needs to hear about, but aren't covered in your ‘current’ text, you can try and bend scripture to cover it in unhelpful way.  

2.    Pragmatic.

This is where the decision is made to preach on a subject in a series because it simply needs to be covered. It is not necessarily that there is a lack in this area, or a particular desire to preach on it from the elders. But in a kind of ‘you need to eat your greens’ family kind of way this approach to a sermon series I think is legitimate. Rick Warren has stated that there are five key elements to a healthy church;  worship, fellowship, discipleship, serving, and evangelism.  He says to focus on church health not church growth, and systematically makes sure each of these five main areas has a sermon series that preaches into theme every year. The strength of this approach is the producing of a balanced people. 

3.    Pastoral.

This is when a book or theme is chosen because of a loving concern from the elders. It is driven from an observation of church culture more than a prophetic burden. As overseers we have the privilege and responsibility of observing trends. And so we yearn to see people made aware of potential wrong thinking or wrong behaviour that may be church-wide to some degree. It is more bottom-up driven than top-down driven.

4.    Prophetic.  

This is very top-down approach i.e. a strong sense from God that he wants to impress something to a greater measure into his church family. It can come from a variety of settings but the overall effect is an unavoidable deep frustration in the heart of the leaders that God has placed there and wants to pour into his church.

GLOBAL SUNDAY - GLOBAL VISION

Global Sunday is a service held by The City Church to celebrate how God has used that particular church to equip and send people across the 'globe' to pioneer gospel advance through starting churches, joining church plants or strengthening existing churches.

Before moving to Colchester I was based at The City Church for 15 years and was an elder for the last 7 of those years. For the last 3 or 4 years I was responsible for 'church planting' - encouraging, guiding, equipping and helping pioneers 'go'. being at Global Sunday was therefore a great privilege to see the fruit that has come out of that church.

Present on the day were ourselves and the Redeemer gang from Colchester (UK), the Groombridges from Nis (Serbia), the Eatons from Lille (France) and the Sharpes from Dublin (Ireland). All of these families have bent sent by The City Church in the last 3-5 years. Below is a quick list from memory of the places people have moved to from City to pioneer or strengthen churches in the last 15 years - or have moved for other reasons and had a positive impact on where they are) - I will obviously miss some!

• Dublin, Ireland
• Lille, France
• Helsinki, Finland
• Nis, Serbia
• Geneva, Switzerland
• Herne Bay, Whitstable Colchester - UK
• Portsmouth, London, Cambridge, Seaford and more - UK
• Fredericton, Canada
• Christchurch, New Zealand
• Doha, Qatar
• California, USA (this year!)

I am sure the list could go on! Being a part of that was a privilege, and one of the reasons I ended up overseeing church planting was because 'going to the nations' has always been in my blood since my early christian days.

My Background

I didn't grow up in a Christian family and always wanted to follow in my Father's footsteps as a Safari Operator, Game Guide, Professional Hunter...that kind of thing! Somehow God broke into my life and I came to know Jesus as a very real person quite young and in my mid teens I was thrilled by the vision of a church as the 'highest of all mountains' with the 'nations streaming to it' to worship God and find him (Isa 2:2). Ever since then the idea of 'going' and 'planting' has thrilled me. That is why we are in Colchester - God called us and our desires were stirred to 'go again'.

My Longing

In my DNA, in the prophetic words over our church is this 'sending culture', this desire to 'touch the nations'. yes I want to see a large, healthy church in Colchester because that means lots of people are being saved and added! But the thought of being a resourcing, equipping, sending church excites me too! And I believe that is what God has for us...One year into gathering publicly these are the nations that have been represented in our church;

• Oman
• India
• Dubai
• Switzerland
• South Africa
• Zimbabwe
• Malaysia
• Thailand
• China
• UK

Three particular nations we have had the privilege of having people for a short time from, who have then gone back in some way encouraged and equipped;

• South Africa
• Switzerland
• India

We live in a town that has a University with a high percentage of foreign students - you can see why God brought us here and what He is doing! We get, in most cases, three precious years to train, disciple and equip (and be blessed by!)  those who will return to nations around the globe! What a starting place?! More Lord!

BUILDING A STRONG SENDING BASE

At Global Sunday I was asked; 'What advice would you give to those considering pioneering?' - I found that an easy question to answer. 'Where possible be part of a strong and stable sending church, where you are known.' The equipping and support from The City Church to Redeemer has been amazing...yes the leaders BUT NOT ONLY THEM. Yes money...but NOT ONLY THAT. The prayers and the people, the friendship and the faith...people REALLY pray for us, people give, people visit, people love. I was met by a gentlemen on Global Sunday who had only been at the church for a few months - we had never met and he arrived long after we had moved - and he greeted me warmly, told me his family had been praying for us, that he felt he knew us. Wow! A few months into being at the church he had been caught up into the church's mission...if you can be part of a church like that, do it! If your church is not quite like that, set about praying for it and fostering that culture and engaging in churches that are more like that. Healthy 'parenting' produces healthy children!

Global Sunday was a shot in the arm and a teaser for what God might have for us! Well done City Church, and Lord - grant us a similar legacy!