Energizing Your Sermons With Multisensory Preaching
By Rick Blackwood on Jan 9, 2012The Power of Multisensory Preaching and Teaching
Rick Blackwood helps preachers communicate God's Word in a form that is engaging, crystal clear, unforgettable, and more fun for the speaker.
Just like you, I love to teach God’s Word. In addition, I love to communicate it in a form that is engaging, crystal clear, and unforgettable. But the pressure to deliver messages that are compelling is stressful, and after a while this stress can zap the joy out of our calling. We can act outwardly like we are exempt from that pressure, but the reality is that the human casualties of ministry highlight the pressures.
Multisensory preaching can breathe new life into your calling. It can bring a sense of thrill and expectation to your teaching. Stated another way: Multisensory communication can help make your teaching fascinating for your audience and fun for you.
By way of explanation, multisensory teaching interfaces with multiple senses. Unlike conventional preaching, which stimulates only the sense of hearing, multisensory communication stimulates multiple senses—that is, the senses of hearing, sight, touch, and sometimes even smell and taste. In short, it brings more of the whole person into the learning process and results in greater audience focus, longer attention, greater message clarity, long-term retention, and an increase in the likelihood of application. It also makes the teaching process more fun for you!
Our single-minded goal throughout this series is to get people to realize they are at war. To etch that reality into their minds, the church campus has been transformed into a war zone. Christ Fellowship has the appearance of a theater of military operations.
Tonight, greeters and ushers will be dressed in military fatigues. Peppered throughout the campus are objects and images of warfare. The stage has been transformed to resemble a war zone. There are military tents and military weapons, and even a military MASH unit has been set up on the stage. The MASH unit will be used later to talk about restoring our wounded brothers and sisters who fall into sin. To further drive home the truth, Eric Geiger and I will be teaching in military garb. The effect will be instant. People will be drawn into the sermon as soon as they walk onto the campus. The whole campus screams WAR!
Picture it: Tonight, I am excited, our multisensory team is pumped, and our people have a sense of expectation when they see such explicit communication. Simply put, I am having the time of my life! So can you.
1. Start simple.
This is a major rule for beginning a new style of teaching. Don’t start with complicated multisensory elements. Begin your transition with a few object lessons as well as some simple interactive tools. Doing it this way can pay huge dividends in terms of gaining attention, establishing clarity, and creating long-term memory.
I began the move to multisensory communication by introducing my messages with simple teaching aids in my hand. For example, I would walk to the platform with props such as:
2. Keep it manageable.
One of the keys of multisensory teaching is smooth management of the props and interactive tools you are using. Trying out a new teaching method can make you feel self-conscious. Just keeping up with your emotions at such a time is enough, much less trying to manage something complicated. If you are struggling to manage multisensory teaching tools, it will be distracting to you and distracting to your audience.
Shortly after I started using simple multisensory aids, I attempted some fairly complicated stuff, and I was not ready. As a result, the teaching was difficult to manage. It seemed clumsy, awkward, and unnatural. No one said anything to me, but I knew it was awkward. My congregation is forgiving, and I think they knew I was trying hard.
You should start simply and keep it manageable. Increase the complexity as you adjust, as your congregation adjusts, and as your human resources (your team) grow.
3. Embrace your multisensory strengths.
Just as you have verbal communication strengths, you will also have multisensory strengths. My personal strength is the use of props and interactive tools. When I have props in my hand and tools that engage the participation of the audience, I feel as if I have an assistant teacher with me. Sometimes, I almost feel as if I am cheating, because it makes the teaching so easy to execute. Props and interactive tools help me grab attention, create intellectual clarity, and instill long-term memory. I feel comfortable with them.
I struggle, however, with the use of drama. I have been able to implement visual art with great success, but I have struggled to use dramatic arts. I recognize that drama is one of the most powerful forms of communicating a point. If you have never watched Andy Stanley use drama in his sermons, you have missed a treat. He is a master. Drama can grab your attention, impact your emotions, and make a theological point like few other forms of communication can.
Having said that, I personally struggle to make it work. For one thing, you have to have great actors, and Stanley does. Our culture is used to watching A-rated actors on television. If we use B-rated actors ill-equipped for such a presentation, it can come across as cheesy. I have not given up on drama, but I realize my limitations. Don’t force it if you don’t feel ready for it.
4. Keep learning and developing.
One factor I love about teaching the Bible is that it is a lifetime learning experience. To keep our communication style fresh and captivating, we must have two non-negotiable traits:
1. Transition, transition, transition.
The culture of your church should determine how you proceed with multisensory teaching. Most of us have plenty enough to deal with without starting a conflict over our preaching and teaching style. To make these style changes without starting a war, begin with simple multisensory components, not overpowering ones. Begin your transition with simple object lessons. It will give you time to learn the ropes, and it will give your congregation time to adjust to the change.
2. Determine to keep it Biblical.
By keeping your sermon laced with Biblical authority, you will keep your sheep at ease. Spiritual sheep seem willing to adjust to methodological change as long as the message hasn’t changed.
Our teaching needs to be captivating and relevant, but when it lacks solid Biblical content, it weakens the flock and can make them restless. Furthermore, from time to time I suggest that you reference God’s multisensory teaching methods as well as those of Jesus and the prophets (ex: Hosea, Jeremiah, the setup of the tabernacle, the situational teachings of Jesus, the practice of baptism, and the Lord’s Supper observance). This will lend Biblical authority to the change.
At Christ Fellowship, our teaching team gathers once a month for a time of brainstorming about upcoming series and sermons. Our team is made up of four gifted men called to be pastors and teachers. The combining of our creative minds generates remarkable ideas.
As teachers, it is our calling to generate sermon content; transforming the sermon into a multisensory teaching experience can require other talents. A “design team” can help take your content and transform it, particularly when your church has members with skills like graphic design, carpentry, art, sculpture, and other craftsmanship gifts. In fact, there are probably people in your church who are just waiting to use the creative, artistic, and constructive talents God has given to them. In some churches, such talents go untapped and even unwanted. What a shame! Put out the word that you want to assemble such a team: “Calling all artists, builders, graphic designers, fabric designers, interior designers, sculptors, and other dreamers!” Meet with those who respond and tell them your vision to create sermons that are Biblical, captivating, clear, and unforgettable. When you turn them loose, you’ll be amazed at their creative ability.
To sum up, I have enjoyed learning from both sides. I may read from one person who can make me a better Bible teacher, and I may learn from another who may make me a better communicator. Just don’t let people force you into one dimension.
This article was excerpted by permission from The Power of Multisensory Preaching and Teaching (Zondervan).
Multisensory preaching can breathe new life into your calling. It can bring a sense of thrill and expectation to your teaching. Stated another way: Multisensory communication can help make your teaching fascinating for your audience and fun for you.
By way of explanation, multisensory teaching interfaces with multiple senses. Unlike conventional preaching, which stimulates only the sense of hearing, multisensory communication stimulates multiple senses—that is, the senses of hearing, sight, touch, and sometimes even smell and taste. In short, it brings more of the whole person into the learning process and results in greater audience focus, longer attention, greater message clarity, long-term retention, and an increase in the likelihood of application. It also makes the teaching process more fun for you!
Relax: This is Not Going to be Complicated
My goal is to make you a better communicator without making your life more cluttered and complicated. The last thing you need is something that demands more work and more of your time. For that reason, you should know that becoming a multisensory teacher will not complicate your life. Multisensory communication is uncomplicated or I would not be able to execute it, either. I preach once on Saturday evening, three times on Sunday, and then again on Sunday afternoon at another Christ Fellowship campus just south of Miami. That load will increase to two additional campuses by next year. If multisensory teaching were complicated, I’d have to abandon it. It is not.Get Pumped: This is Going to be Fun
Let me give you an image of what we are doing at Christ Fellowship this weekend. We are teaching through the gospel of Matthew in our weekend services, and tonight we launch a new series called: “WAR: Defeating Temptation.” The series will be a four-part exposition of Matthew 4:1-11, which chronicles the temptations of Christ by Satan and Satan’s goal to drag us down into sin, destroy our lives, and destroy our testimony.Our single-minded goal throughout this series is to get people to realize they are at war. To etch that reality into their minds, the church campus has been transformed into a war zone. Christ Fellowship has the appearance of a theater of military operations.
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Picture it: Tonight, I am excited, our multisensory team is pumped, and our people have a sense of expectation when they see such explicit communication. Simply put, I am having the time of my life! So can you.
Preparing for Sense-Sational Change
The key to preparing yourself to produce multisensory sermons is to transition at a pace that suits you. Don’t attempt to make radical changes without giving yourself some time to learn the ropes. Here are some simple guidelines to help you successfully navigate the transition.1. Start simple.
This is a major rule for beginning a new style of teaching. Don’t start with complicated multisensory elements. Begin your transition with a few object lessons as well as some simple interactive tools. Doing it this way can pay huge dividends in terms of gaining attention, establishing clarity, and creating long-term memory.
I began the move to multisensory communication by introducing my messages with simple teaching aids in my hand. For example, I would walk to the platform with props such as:
- A child by the hand
- An “FBI agent” escort
- A tire iron
- A golf club
- A laptop
- Boxing gloves
- A bobsled
- A fire hose
- Bottled water
- A pumpkin
- A shovel
- A basketball
- A fishing rod
- A bicycle
- Salt
- A magnet
- A trumpet
- My daughter
2. Keep it manageable.
One of the keys of multisensory teaching is smooth management of the props and interactive tools you are using. Trying out a new teaching method can make you feel self-conscious. Just keeping up with your emotions at such a time is enough, much less trying to manage something complicated. If you are struggling to manage multisensory teaching tools, it will be distracting to you and distracting to your audience.
Shortly after I started using simple multisensory aids, I attempted some fairly complicated stuff, and I was not ready. As a result, the teaching was difficult to manage. It seemed clumsy, awkward, and unnatural. No one said anything to me, but I knew it was awkward. My congregation is forgiving, and I think they knew I was trying hard.
You should start simply and keep it manageable. Increase the complexity as you adjust, as your congregation adjusts, and as your human resources (your team) grow.
3. Embrace your multisensory strengths.
Just as you have verbal communication strengths, you will also have multisensory strengths. My personal strength is the use of props and interactive tools. When I have props in my hand and tools that engage the participation of the audience, I feel as if I have an assistant teacher with me. Sometimes, I almost feel as if I am cheating, because it makes the teaching so easy to execute. Props and interactive tools help me grab attention, create intellectual clarity, and instill long-term memory. I feel comfortable with them.
I struggle, however, with the use of drama. I have been able to implement visual art with great success, but I have struggled to use dramatic arts. I recognize that drama is one of the most powerful forms of communicating a point. If you have never watched Andy Stanley use drama in his sermons, you have missed a treat. He is a master. Drama can grab your attention, impact your emotions, and make a theological point like few other forms of communication can.
Having said that, I personally struggle to make it work. For one thing, you have to have great actors, and Stanley does. Our culture is used to watching A-rated actors on television. If we use B-rated actors ill-equipped for such a presentation, it can come across as cheesy. I have not given up on drama, but I realize my limitations. Don’t force it if you don’t feel ready for it.
4. Keep learning and developing.
One factor I love about teaching the Bible is that it is a lifetime learning experience. To keep our communication style fresh and captivating, we must have two non-negotiable traits:
- A teachable spirit
- A willingness to learn from others who are different from us
Prepare Your Church Audience
Who can forget the Challenger spacecraft disaster? The catastrophic explosion and subsequent loss of life and vehicle was the result of two basic mistakes:- A rush to launch
- A failure to recognize climate conditions
1. Transition, transition, transition.
The culture of your church should determine how you proceed with multisensory teaching. Most of us have plenty enough to deal with without starting a conflict over our preaching and teaching style. To make these style changes without starting a war, begin with simple multisensory components, not overpowering ones. Begin your transition with simple object lessons. It will give you time to learn the ropes, and it will give your congregation time to adjust to the change.
2. Determine to keep it Biblical.
By keeping your sermon laced with Biblical authority, you will keep your sheep at ease. Spiritual sheep seem willing to adjust to methodological change as long as the message hasn’t changed.
Our teaching needs to be captivating and relevant, but when it lacks solid Biblical content, it weakens the flock and can make them restless. Furthermore, from time to time I suggest that you reference God’s multisensory teaching methods as well as those of Jesus and the prophets (ex: Hosea, Jeremiah, the setup of the tabernacle, the situational teachings of Jesus, the practice of baptism, and the Lord’s Supper observance). This will lend Biblical authority to the change.
Consider Forming Teams
Sermon content must always flow from the heart of the ones God has called to teach. Nevertheless, a “teaching team” can serve as a great advantage for the pastors and teachers who teach week after week. Instead of one brain attempting to come up with all the ideas, you now have multiple brains.At Christ Fellowship, our teaching team gathers once a month for a time of brainstorming about upcoming series and sermons. Our team is made up of four gifted men called to be pastors and teachers. The combining of our creative minds generates remarkable ideas.
As teachers, it is our calling to generate sermon content; transforming the sermon into a multisensory teaching experience can require other talents. A “design team” can help take your content and transform it, particularly when your church has members with skills like graphic design, carpentry, art, sculpture, and other craftsmanship gifts. In fact, there are probably people in your church who are just waiting to use the creative, artistic, and constructive talents God has given to them. In some churches, such talents go untapped and even unwanted. What a shame! Put out the word that you want to assemble such a team: “Calling all artists, builders, graphic designers, fabric designers, interior designers, sculptors, and other dreamers!” Meet with those who respond and tell them your vision to create sermons that are Biblical, captivating, clear, and unforgettable. When you turn them loose, you’ll be amazed at their creative ability.
Conclusion
The truth is simple: I have a great passion to teach God’s Word in the most compelling, most understandable, and most unforgettable way. To do so, I must be willing to learn from a variety of teaching styles. Unfortunately, we all tend to be closed-minded to anything that doesn’t fit the camp we hang out with. Last week, I met with a group of contemporary pastors who gathered to discuss teaching techniques. During the course of the conversation, they were condemning of in-depth teaching that emphasizes the text and theology. They mocked such teaching as being stuck in the past. But they were shocked when I suggested that they may be the ones stuck in the past. I warned them that the church growth landscape that characterized the past decade may be changing and changing quickly. Content and intellect now matter!To sum up, I have enjoyed learning from both sides. I may read from one person who can make me a better Bible teacher, and I may learn from another who may make me a better communicator. Just don’t let people force you into one dimension.
This article was excerpted by permission from The Power of Multisensory Preaching and Teaching (Zondervan).
Rick Blackwood (DMin. Grace Theological Seminary; EdD. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) serves as the senior pastor of Christ Fellowship Church in Miami, Florida, a large and growing multicultural congregation. Christ Fellowship has been listed as one of the Top 100 Fastest-Growing Churches in the country, although Miami is considered one of the most unchurched cities in the nation. His book, The Power of Multisensory Preaching and Teaching, is a Preaching magazine Book of the Year winner.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY:
Talk about it...
WHAT PEOPLE SAY:
Talk about it...
Mitchell S Hutchins
commented on Apr 19, 2010
This is a great article, thank you for the insight. I know this works because I stumbled upon it by accident one Sunday when I was talking about fence straddling. There happended to be a chair setting in front of me and I straddled it to make the point. The congregation thought it was hilarious because I also stated that I hoped I didn't slip. That was 6 months ago and someone commented on that message just a couple of weeks ago and remembered the topic of the sermon.
commented on Apr 20, 2010
Good grief. I despair. More zappi gimmicks. Whatever happened to Romans 12:2 & 1 Cor 1:21? Have these been air-brushed? And attributing all that stuff to Christ to justify a novel/trendy approach is fabrication in the extreme. God send reformation to the church! Pastor Peter Millist Artillery Street Evangelical Church Colchester, England
commented on Apr 20, 2010
The technique described is very similar to what is used each week for our children's time and message. Many people remember these messages because they use props, illustrations, etc that target the senses. Employing the same during the sermon helps people connect and remember. Use of the senses along with common language help not only to get the point across but to make the point memorable.
commented on Apr 22, 2010
Like it or not, we are reaching out to a generation that is un-churched or de-churched. Many have been raised playing video games, and watching the news in 60 second sound bites. It is hard to capture and maintain their attention. I will use whatever tools are available to me to bring someone to God. Sometimes you only get one shot. ONE! As long as you are true to the word of God I do not see a problem with with bringing new weapons to the war.
commented on May 13, 2010
It took me alot longer than I wanted to get my Worship Planning Team up and running (read Kim Miller's excellent book, "redesigning worship"). The first week I was preaching about the storm on the sea of Galilee and we thought, "Why not have people experience the storm?" So we darkened our sanctuary, brought in industrial fans and a fog machine. Then we had a five minuted countdown video of a storm and added the sound effects of thunder and rain to it. I can't tell you how many people told me they will never forget that service or that Scripture because they experienced it. One word of advice: work with a Worship Planning Team. Don't feel like you have to come up with all the multi sensory ideas yourself.
commented on Jan 6, 2011
As a former member of Dr. Rick Blackwell's church I remember when he first became pastor. One Sunday he said people would ask him what books they should read and he held the bible up in the air and said "this is all we need". When he first came I felt like a dry sponge and while listening to him it was as if God was pouring out "the living waters" on me. And I believed his preaching/teaching was inspired by God.The church was growing and then something happened. He and the staff went to CA for a seminar at Saddleback. When they came back just preaching God's word was not enough anymore. We moved about 5 years later and by that time the church had practically split, a long-standing deacon was actually voted out of the church for not agreeing to everything that was happening and members were told if they didn't like the new ways, then leave. You know the thinking behind that. It takes longer to "convert" an old member to the new than it takes to get a new member. My heart still hurts when I think about what happened and I pray for Dr. Bllackwell and that what he is doing is God's will.
commented on Jan 9, 2012
A good number of articles that appear here cause me to despair of the way that worldly ideas and methods have infected the profession of Christianity, the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus and the teaching of God's eternally, all-sufficient word. In John ch.3 the Lord Jesus makes two things clear. Firstly a man (or woman) must be born again. Secondly, that new birth takes place by the action of God's Holy Spirit and the Word of God. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, in the crazy ideas of this man Rick Blackwood that supports this fundamental truth. He wants to substitute a "multisensory" experience for the power of the Holy Spirit of God bringing the conviction of God's truth through God's Word. Pastor Millist's reference to Romans 12:2 and 1 Cor.1:21 are absolutely spot on and I applaud him for using God's Word to refute such evil.
commented on Jan 9, 2012
Mr Toby Austin, I am confused as to what "war" you are talking about.
commented on Jan 9, 2012
There is a real tension here isn't there? As a Minister of the Word of God, I grow weary of the need to entertain Christians who are more in tune with a light show than with the light of Christ. On the other hand, this isn't as new as the author might like to believe. Preachers of old often used devices in their sermons to illustrate a point. I once heard a sermon where the preacher had a knife and a large wet stone. While he talked about iron sharpening iron he would slowly glide the knife of and down the stone. It was very memorable; I can picture it even now. I do similar things with some frequency, only on a small level to avoid being gimmicky. How is this not depending on the Holy Spirit inherently? What if you feel led to do something like this? I get it. I don't want gimmicks. Creating memorable sermon motifs and strategies while depending upon the Holy Spirit for power, though, are not two ideas that are at war. They are not mutually exclusive.
commented on Jan 9, 2012
I am one of those who would be put off by walking into a church with a military fatigues/war zone environment, or where the service began with a lengthy storm simulation (see below). I?m not the demographic they are after, anyway, in a market-driven age. But if the storm were simulated in the middle of the sermon, when the text came to that point, with some voices of the disciples and/or Jesus, I could see it as a way to emphasize the point. This might be related to a principle of sermon communication ? when you start off with a slam-bang opening, the rest of the sermon can seem flat. The more impactful your illustration, the more it should be put toward the back of the sermon. I don?t want just an experience; I want an experience with the Truth.
commented on Jan 9, 2012
There's a big seeker church near us that every Easter uses the worldly gimmick of putting on a huge production. I went to see it--there were flying angels, and the resurrection with loud, rumbling music. It brought me to tears, and caused me to consider the power of Christ's death and resurrection as I never had before. And apparently it did the same for the other 30,000 people from the community who came to see it over it's 10 or so performances--most of whom would never come to hear a spoken, traditional sermon.
commented on Jan 9, 2012
Since I did my post this morning I have hardly had this matter out of my mind. It would be easy to dismiss this as mere gimmickry were it not so serious. We are confronted with a determined attempt to utterly trivialise the sounding out of the Eternal God's message of salvation for all men. Consider the sentiments expressed and the language used. This is "seeker-sensitive" stuff taken down to a new low. "Fun, fun, fun!" !I'm excited and the team is pumped!" "The whole campus screams WAR". "Spiritual sheep!" "Design teams". Perhaps the most shocking point in this dreadful article is to suggest that it is given credibility by the two biblical Christian sacraments, baptism and the Lord's Supper. This man is not a Bible teacher. He is publicly and deliberately bringing the Christian faith into public disrepute. He is dragging the holy things of God down to the level of public entertainment. How Satan must rejoice to see such a distortion of the purpose and teaching of the Word of God.
commented on Jan 9, 2012
I think we have to separate what we feel as an observer or attender from what the average person would feel. Would I feel ministered to in this enviroment? I don't know- but I must admit I'm more critical of sermons because I preach on a weekly basis. Does it work for this individual? If so, fine. If you can preach and have your congregants retain and put into action what you say, w/o props, then you are a better orator than most. Look at the descriptive pictures Jesus paints with His words- perhaps they were offensive in His day.
commented on Jan 9, 2012
I regret having to point out the shallowness of Shawn Kennedy's comments. Comparing what I feel as an observer or attender and what the average person might feel does not deal with this foolishness or address it in any way. If I stand up to preach God's word or teach its truth, I may feel very inadequate and limited in my ability to do so. What I must do is to do it as best I can with the help of the Holy Spirit of God and do it in a way that properly reflects the holiness of the eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God. If I reduce the glorious, divine message of a holy God's eternal purpose in Christ to the level of the foolishness of human entertainment which can only have the glorification of man as its central theme, woe is me. Paul says, "We preach Christ crucified." That must be our central message. Where is the fun in that? Where is there any suggestion of a multisensory experience based on the dramatic arts, human creativity, brainstorming etc. These things suggest deception, imitation and human invention. Does it work for you? Please Mr Kennedy go back to God's word. Read 2 Thessalonians 2:11-15. What you or I feel or even think is not relevant. What God says in His word and how he says it can be our only guide and authority in whatever service He lays to our hand.
commented on Jan 9, 2012
As minister's of the Word our goal and responsibility is never to pursue what "works" (Prov 16:25)--it is to do what is right and loving. Pragmatism is a sure way to be deceived, and the church has been reaping from this deceptions for decades. Doing what is right does not always "work," (just ask Jesus, Jeremiah, Paul, etc) at least according to today's measurement of success(e.g. bigger numbers, popularity, and more book sales). Has truth ever been popular? Was Jesus popular? Have people ever flocked toward the truth? (cp. Matt 7:13-14) Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of the Lord. If you bring people in by giving people entertainment-which more and more trendy churches are doing (hence the trendiness)--then those people will develop (if they have not already) an appetite for entertainment. As a result they will only stay if you continue to entertain them. If however, you feed them the pure, all-sufficient, all-powerful Word then they will develop an appetite for Scripture (cp. 1 Cor 2:1-5; 1 Thess 2:13; 2 Tim 3:15-17).
commented on Jan 9, 2012
I'm always amazed when I see self-righteous indignation at play in these comments. For someone to be so obsessed with a single issue, it may be covering up something deeper- maybe the green-eyed monster of jealousy?
commented on Jan 9, 2012
Maybe your right, Chaplain Shawn, or maybe some people are passionate about the truth and protecting the body against false teachings that may do them serious harm.
commented on Jan 9, 2012
Jesus did not set up props. He used what was there! cf.His play on words to Peter and Andrew fresh out of their boat Follow me I will make you fishers of men! He pointed to the grass and lilies and sparrows to emphasize His points. His parables drew on the scenery and happenings around that the people related to. He referred to the leaven of the Pharisees instead of their doctrine after the miracle of the loaves. To others He said show me a penny. He took a little child and placed him in their midst. God pointed men to His creation to illustrate His glory. He used elaborate feasts and ceremonies to demonstrate truth. How about Abraham offering up Isaac for extreme object lesson...and the list goes on with Ezekiel and Jeremiah receiving explicit instructions from God about the props and objects they should use. Did I mention God ordering Isiah to walk barefoot and naked to make His point clear? I do not believe displays, illustrations and objects should distract from the truth.If they distraxct then they have failed in their purpose. Rather they should emphasize and reinforce the truth. Brethren let's beware lest we throw out the baby with the bath water. If we ignore, shun and decry the use of objects and other means of illustrating the truth we may be verily be passing unmerited judgement on our peers as well as telling God we know better than Him! What think ye?!
commented on Jan 9, 2012
Thank you Mr John E. Miller. I've been watching this post very carefully and where ever Gods is not used I see the deception. Gods Word is so very clear, the lie is so subtle and preachers should be more caring as to it and not with the entertainment value. Substituting the Holy Spirit to satisfy the world is not the way. Maybe Mr Blackwood and his followers should come to come back to God on this one. Faith comes by hearing, not by entertainment, I understand. Now I seek solace and comfort in Romans 14:22. Oh yes! That did it, I'm now free! Thanks Paul. God Bless you. Praise God for Jesus.
commented on Jan 10, 2012
If jealousy played any part in one letter of what I have written here, God is my judge. I do not know Mr Blackwood, in fact I had not heard his name before reading this article. I live thousands of miles apart from him and will never meet him in this world. If self-righteousness played any part in my motivation, then again I say God is my judge, certainly not Shawn Kennedy. Every child of God should have a desire to defend the truth of God's word and refute evil as he or she encounters it. In 2 Cor. ch.12 Paul speaks of Satan transforming himself into an angel of light. The greatest danger to the church of God today is the infiltration of worldly ideas and the acceptance of the standards of the world in morality and lack of reverence when dealing with the holy things of God. If we think we can improve on what God has said in His word we are on a steep, downward slippery slope. We have a tremendous example in the Old Testament. God's earthly people went down that path. In 2 Kings 17:8 we are given the reason why Israel fell and God's anger was directed against them. In the countries where the very mention of the name of Jesus brings swift retribution from the powers of Satanic evil, the Holy Spirit of God is moving powerfully to an astonishing extent. He is doing it by the Word of God. In the western world, Satan is finding easy pickings in a professing church which adorns itself with the name of Christ, but which needs more than God's word in its purity for satisfaction. To even begin to consider that there is some relationship between the Lord's Supper and the sort of entertainment used and promoted by the author of this article is nothing short of blasphemy.
commented on Jan 10, 2012
After reading the many negative and Condeming comments on here I am thinking about leading a jack ass on stage Sunday, you can guess what I may preach on. I find it hard to believe the hatred I sense toward someone who has contributed to helping others communicate the gospel to our generation. God help us to love others who chose to communicate the message different than I.
commented on Jan 10, 2012
After reading the many negative and Condeming comments on here I am thinking about leading a jack ass on stage Sunday, you can guess what I may preach on. I find it hard to believe the hatred I sense toward someone who has contributed to helping others communicate the gospel to our generation. God help us to love others who chose to communicate the message different than I.
commented on Jan 10, 2012
We are called to preach the *Word*, not the props. However, if props can be used to reinforce the Word (but not to eclipse it), then they are a blessing to the hearers. The key element is to ask what people remember when they think about the prop that you used: does their mind immediately turn to the truth, or do they say to themselves, "Hey, it's cool that the pastor stood on a chair"? Oh, and by the way, using props to reinforce a sermon point is NO DIFFERENT than using stories to do the same thing. Some pastors have sadly traded the Sermon for Story Time...but other pastors use stories to emphasize the Word. If you're condemning the use of props in a sermon, you should also examine your own use of stories.
commented on Jan 10, 2012
Pastor Blackwood, I very much enjoyed your article. The sermons that I vividly remember have been multisensory preaching. Preachers who used all kinds of props such as cars, a rose and even a glass of water. But I also believe there has to be a happy medium like you said, keeping it biblical is extemely important. My favorite Bible teachers are in depth teachers, i.e., John MacArthur, R.C. Sprol and Chuck Smith. These men of God have found that in depth preaching works for them and their congregation. As a preacher you have to use what works for you and getting the message across to your listeners. If you do things the same way over and over; you'll get the same results over and over and wonder why things remain the same.
commented on Jan 10, 2012
I don't have a huge problem with using props and effects in limited amounts, but WAR? That is what we want to set our minds on? "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Phillipians4:8) People know plenty about war. They need to focus on God's attributes and Christ's higher way.
commented on Jan 10, 2012
My experience may not "count"--I preach in a very tiny church on a Native American reservation. They would be appalled at a clever show. They don't care if the lay people are not polished--they affirm people's hearts not their appearances. I have been a pastor and preaching over 14 years, and this is the most accepting, loving church I have ever experienced. Prayer and relationships are the most important thing.
commented on Jan 13, 2012
My grandparents came to faith in Jesus Christ through the "multisensory" preaching of Aimee Semple McPherson at Angelus Temple in Los Angeles. All the flack flying around this discussion was flying at--and, around--her ministry as well. HOWEVER, the impact of her ministry on the lives of my Grandparents translated into transformation of my parents lives....(My dad came to Christ through their witness and served 35 years in ministry)..and, my life as well. I am now 66 years old...with 44 years of ordained ministry behind me...the result of someone who took the flack and the attacks for presenting a multisensory preaching experience that reached a young couple with 6 six kids living in Los Angeles in the early 1920's. Would you rather they had been lost to the kingdom of God?