As someone who enjoys preparing and delivering a fairly ‘traditional’ style sermon, it’s been fascinating to read some well-argued material on interactive preaching. There is a series of four articles under the heading ‘Alternatives to Monologue Preaching‘ on the Anabaptist Network site. The are:
1. ‘A Theology of Interactive Preaching‘ by Paul Warby;
2. ‘Interactive Preaching‘ by Stuart Murray Williams;
3. ‘Preaching As Dialogue‘ by Jeremy Thomson; and
4. ‘Throwing a Hand Grenade in the Fruit Bowl‘ by Jonny Baker.
Having just read those, this week’s Leadership Weekly email arrived, complete with an article on the same theme: ‘Glimpses of Glory‘ by Skye Jethani.
There are big challenges in these articles. Apart from the very obvious ones to preachers, there are major ones for congregations. For instance, many complain that sermons are boring, yet one logical step would involve changing the classic seating pattern from rows of pews or seats that imply passivity in response to the one(s) leading from the front.
It’s a bit late at night now for me to type any more, so I’ll throw this open for thoughts and comments.
Technorati Tags: preaching, interactivepreaching, dialogue, AnabaptistNetwork, PaulWarby, StuartMurrayWilliams, JeremyThomson, JonnyBaker, SkyeJethani
Big Circumstance 
My smallest congregation is six people and we always have a discussion time rather than a sermon. Another one of my congregations – a medium-sized one – are also fantastic at dialogue. My two other congregations look at me as if I’ve asked to pull their teeth when I try to dialogue.
I’ll read these articles with much interest. ‘Dialogue sermons’ are something that I’m just now getting comfortable with doing. Thanks, in large part, to the medium-sized congregation who gives good interaction. 🙂
One caution in small groups is that I’ve found that the same people have a tendency to say the same things. Rather like ‘every preacher has three sermons.’ Since I try not to give the same three sermons, I also try to lead people on from their personal ‘three truths’.
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The Chapel I work most with has an interactive discussion time rather than a sermon, this is both life-giving, challenging and downright terrifying, but so worthwhile.
It takes more preparation and a good but relaaxed grip on the part of the “preacher” over the discussion (it may need rescuing). As for the leading people on, we are seing that happen in good ways…
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