Last Sunday I preached at a church with people I know and love dearly, and my wonderful wife was amongst them. So, as we drove home from that church, I asked for some feedback. It was good feedback that highlighted some strengths, and some weaknesses in the sermon that morning. She picked up that it sounded like I was going in circles - and with some embarrassment I concede that I was feeling a bit that way even while I was preaching! (How does that happen?!?!?)I have a number of preaching opportunities coming up in the next couple of months, including two camps directed at teenagers, and I want every sermon to have its greatest impact. So I reached into the bookshelf and pulled off this book by Tim Hawkins, Preach like a train driver. And I'm glad I did. In reading this I have been challenged that while I may not be a boring preacher, I might be giving people information and keeping them interested without actually taking them anywhere. If people are allowing me into their churches and into their ears, I want to be doing more than that.
Why a train driver?
A train driver knows where he is going, takes passengers with him, and gets to the destination. I've heard and preached enough sermons where it is more like a pilot circling around the airport until the plane runs out of fuel. So the train driver image can be a helpful one. (I confess that a motorbike is my preferred mode of transport though.)
There is a lot in the book that is very helpful, but as I have been preaching for many years it was more a reminder than a new insight. The section on 'The Book' - the place of the Bible etc - is something I am well familiar with and wholly in agreement with Tim. And it doesn't hurt to be reminded of these things.
The Hook
But it was his section on 'The Hook' that has stuck out for me. With chapters like "What's it like to live in your listener's world?" and "Why would they want to engage with you?" readers are challenged to not only consider the Bible they preach from, but also the people they are preaching too. Now, I know that Hawkins isn't the first to write on these issues. I've read other writers and heard other teachers on the same topic, and maybe that's why I found it so helpful - I keep forgetting this important lesson. I assume that because I'm excited about propitiation, then that's exactly what everyone will be excited about.
But I could be wrong.
On page 102, Hawkins uses the example from a friend of his preaching from Acts 17. As I read what his friend had done, I thought it was very good. So when Hawkins writes, "a great message. But the bit he missed out was the emotional connection" I have to stop and wonder what he means. When he then gives his own example of taking a good introduction and making an emotional connection, I see exactly what he means. Even as a reader I feel connected because I understand what he is raising. (That will all make a lot more sense if you read pages 102,103 of this book.)
What this book is not.
If you are wanting a book that will help you understand the biblical text in a way that will help you to preach it better, don't rely on this book. That is not its aim. If you are wanting to learn more about understanding the Bible, join me at the annual Engage conference in Melbourne in January.
What this book is.
If you are already doing some preaching, and have the sense that people are praying for the rapture to come when you get to the 40 minute mark of your sermon, (ie. that people are bored listening to you drone on and on) then this will be a help to you.If, like me, you do preach a fair bit and want your messages to have a better impact, then what you read in this book could greatly help you.
I'm glad I read this. I think I'll be reading some sections of this again.
