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Lesson OneThe Argument Against Preaching I: The Cybernetic Revolution4 Activities
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Lesson TwoThe Argument Against Preaching II: Four More Contrary Arguments4 Activities
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Lesson ThreeA Defense of Preaching4 Activities
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Lesson FourPreachers as Middlemen I: Stewards and Bridge-Builders4 Activities
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Lesson FivePreachers as Middlemen II: Ambassadors and Freedom Fighters4 Activities
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Lesson SixA Plea for Expository Preaching4 Activities
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Lesson SevenThe Authority of the Bible4 Activities
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Lesson EightThe Authority of the New Testament4 Activities
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Lesson NineAuthority (cont.) and Introduction to Interpretation4 Activities
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Lesson TenThe Principles of Biblical Interpretation I: Simplicity and History4 Activities
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Lesson ElevenThe Principles of Biblical Interpretation II: History (cont.) and Harmony3 Activities
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Lesson TwelveThe Biblical Ideal: The Good Shepherd (John 10)3 Activities
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Lesson ThirteenThe Historical Ideal: Charles Simeon (1759–1836)3 Activities
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Lesson FourteenCharacteristics of Biblical Preaching I: Accuracy, Relevance, and Courage4 Activities
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Lesson FifteenCharacteristics of Biblical Preaching II: Authority, Sincerity, and Humility4 Activities
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Lesson SixteenThe Practice of Preaching I: Sincerity and Humility (cont.) and Sermon Preparation4 Activities
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Lesson SeventeenThe Practice of Preaching II: Sermon Preparation (cont.) and Delivery4 Activities
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Lesson EighteenIllustrations of Biblical Preaching I: Verses and Short Paragraphs4 Activities
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Lesson NineteenIllustrations of Biblical Preaching II: Long Paragraphs, Chapters, and Books4 Activities
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Lesson TwentyThe Preacher’s Discipline in Study4 Activities
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Course Wrap-UpCourse Completion1 Activity1 Assessment
Participants 102
Discussion Questions
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Summarize the first argument against preaching in your own words (be sure to distinguish between “hot” and “cool” media). What parts of McLuhan’s perspective do you agree with? What parts do you disagree with? Why?
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4 Replies
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The argument is that it detaches the reader from the author. As a minister of 20 plus years, I disagree with that. Preaching is very active and social. You have God’s written word shared between both the speaker and the listener. In addition, you have the interpretation or exposition of that word by the Holy Spirit of God working through the mind and speech of the preacher. Then, the listener will receive that message and reason it out in their mind making personal application through the anointing of God’s spirit. Many times the listener will also take notes. In fact, there are moments during my preaching that I am connected to hundreds of souls and minds at once. I disagree in the alienation that is expressed in the first argument. However, as a teacher in chemistry, I agree that we should use demonstrations, presentation slides, and questions with response to include many senses and modes of learning.
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Dr. Stott presents the cybernetics revolution as the first and most serious of the arguments against preaching. The basic gist of this argument is that modern media, such as television, will inevitably relegate preaching to the abyss of communication. This is because TV is engaging, whereas preaching is not. McLuhan also makes a distinction between what he calls Hot media and Cool media. Hot media is that which engages one sense completely. It demands very little interaction from the user because it ‘spoon-feeds’ the content. Typically the content of hot media is restricted to what the source offers at that specific time. Examples of hot media include radio and film because they engage one sense of the user to an extent that although the user’s attention is focused on the content, their participation is minimal.
Cool media, preferred by McLuhan, generally uses low-definition media that engages several senses less completely in that it demands a great deal of interaction on the part of the audience. Audiences then participate more because they are required to perceive the gaps in the content themselves. The user must be familiar with genre conventions in order to fully understand the medium. Examples of cool media are: TV, phone conversations, and comic books. -
McLuhan implies that “cool” media is better for promotion of community and “hot “ media leads to disconnection and alienation. I believe “cool” media is actually MORE dehumanizing in that it discourages actual thinking, promotes feelings and emotions over logical analysis, and in short accelerates the dumbing down of the masses.
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Preaching is being seen as outdated due to the development of different media (electronic, print and social media). Hot media is seen as low participation and cool media as high participation.
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Consider your own beliefs and the practices of your church. Do you and/or your church consider preaching significant in the way that Dr. Stott believes? Why or why not?
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6 Replies
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Our church considers preaching very significant. We are committed to preserving it and allowing more time and sessions for preaching then worship or anything else.
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yes I and our church believe that preaching is an essential part of our learning about God, God has given some men the ability to pass along the knowledge of His word and make it clearer to the audience. Without a preacher the church would just be a gathering place, to socialize, to fellowship, but not to take in what God wants us to understand. A preacher is the medium God uses to communicate His truths and mysteries to the congregation. People can learn on their own, but it must be done with caution. the preacher should already take precautions, and with fear and trembling share the meaning of the Bible, which carries a lot of responsibility and the lives of many are at stake.
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Yes. We regard the word of God as our final authority.
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Consider your own beliefs and the practices of your church. Do you and/or your church consider preaching significant in the way that Dr. Stott believes? Why or why not?
It would seem to me that the sacraments are sometimes elevated over preaching in my current congregation. Preaching does happen but I believe more can be done in order to give it its proper place. Like Dr. Stott, I am an unrepentant believer in the medium of preaching. As such, I would like to see some improvements in my present congregation. -
We consider the sermon as the indispensable element of the “Service of the Word” -expository preaching drawn from the readings of the lectionary and applied to life.
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How significant has preaching been for your own spiritual journey? If possible, identify specific preachers or sermons that have impacted you, and explore reasons why they were so effective. If preaching has not been significant in your life, can you explain why?
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6 Replies
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Preaching has been very significant. The main reason is that through preaching God has spoken to me very much in detail for a specific time and situation in my life. The moments when I have been faced with a challenge, situation, or even discouragement and through preaching God spoke to the inner man in a way that only he could. That has happened many times in major ways. Also, I have enjoyed ministers that can tell an illustrative story with details or use visuals that stick in my mind.
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preaching has helped my spiritual journey, by clarifying many topics, ideas, and questions that on my own may be difficult to understand. Some preachers have impacted my life, one that comes to mind is Guillermo Maldonado, he is not afraid to stand for the truth and he understands what he has been called to do, is to lead many towards God and that is a very serious undertaking which has to be done with the upmost respect for God’s word. He has lead many to walk in their callling and function as the Lord has called them to do.
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Pastor Harrison and Dr Chatyoka, Zimbabwe ??, have impacted me positively. They built my faith until now I am a grown up man. One of the great sermons I heard was that a child of God never gives up. This message came at a point where my life was taking a transition. It greatly inspired me until today. I think they were so effective because I had great respect for them, they taught us how to pray and the way of the Lord.
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How significant has preaching been for your own spiritual journey? If possible, identify specific preachers or sermons that have impacted you, and explore reasons why they were so effective. If preaching has not been significant in your life, can you explain why?
it was a preached sermon that brought me to faith in Christ so it is very significant for me. In addition to bringing me to faith in Christ, preaching continues to be a major avenue of spiritual growth for me as a Christian. One preacher that has impacted my life is John. F. MacArthur. I first heard him preach a sermon regarding false conversion taken from Matthew 7:21-23. It was the first time I had ever heard about false conversion. It led me to serious self-examination and reassessment of my commitment to Christ. I made significant changes in my life as a result. I became a better Christian as a result of that sermon.
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I consider my childhood preacher a great teacher – in my early adulthood, the preaching of our priest reconverted me to fervent belief; and now I am blessed with a great preacher to help me continue to gain knowledge of God via expository preaching. In all cases they were and are effective because their preaching was and is based on solidly on the Word.