As best I know at this point in my life, I imagine my future ministry to be a pastor of a local congregation. As a pastor, I envision that one of my primary responsibilities will be to communicate (teach) the Word. As such, I will explore one dimension of the class, namely my growth and development as a communicator (teacher) of the Word. But don’t hold me to it. I might take you on a rabbit trail every now and again.
PAST: Where I was as a communicator (teacher) of the Word before the course.
The “one way” sign describes my past experience best. My past experience is limited to didactic preaching—one person preaches and everyone else is preached at. Within the didactic preaching paradigm, my past experience is even more limited to the expository sermon (deductive method) and occasionally the topical sermon. In both cases, the template was always the same—an introduction, three points (each point illustrated with a pertinent story or a video clip when I was really inspired), and a conclusion (which is often a response). This is what was modeled and taught to me and this is how I dutifully carried out my role as a backup preacher for the past 10 years.
In recent years, I’ve had suspicions that didactic preaching and expository three point sermons were inadequate and ineffective in our current postmodern context, as so eloquently put by Jonny Baker in Preaching-Throwing a Hand Grenade in the Fruit Bowl: Something Has Got to Change, “Preaching is invariably dull. It is boring. People are sick of three point sermons beginning with P. People aren’t listening… It isn’t working. Maybe it’s time for a rethink.” But what other options are there?
[Ahhhhhh!!! I just realized that the way I’ve organized this write up even looks like a three point sermon! Yikes!!! Old habits are so hard to break!]
PRESENT: My growth and development as a communicator (teacher) of the Word during the course.
The Gen X woman in the video clip entitled “This Is Who I Am?” challenged me to be a better listener. She said, “Listen to me, I have a story.” I confess that I have not done a good job at listening. I can do better. I need to do better. I am challenged to lay aside my prejudices, fears, and prejudgments and to do a better job of sitting, staying, listening, relating, connecting, and engaging. I’m reminded of a quote (which is often attributed to St. Francis of
I have a new appreciation for art and images as a form of communication. Can you tell? I realize that I’m extremely lacking in this area. Most days I feel like I don't have a creative bone in my body. I will need to find ways to raise my visual literacy so that I can raise the visual literacy of those I pastor. Actually, why do I feel like I have to be an expert (in visual literacy, in this case) before the congregation can be blessed by it? Perhaps journeying, exploring, and growing together with the congregation in this area is a better option.
I am inspired by the concept of DJing. The image is a helpful way of understanding the relationship between gospel and culture. As a new Christian, I was taught to stay away from the culture, from the things of the world. I was taught that the culture was evil and bad and if one is not careful one will be contaminated and polluted by the culture. Some scriptures that were impressed on me included: “And do not be conformed to this world,…” (Romans 12:2); “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4); “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15) As such, I stayed away from bars, stopped listening to secular music, did not watch rated R movies, alienated myself from non-Christian friends, rejected ear/body piercing and tattoos, etc. In a matter of months, I surrounded myself with new Christian friends, and stayed away from friends that were apart of my “old life” because of fear that I would be contaminated by them. And as a pastor, in an indirect way through modeling, I encouraged those that I shepherded to do the same. I wish someone would have shared the concept of DJing with me when I was a new Christian. The concept of DJing gives me permission, as a communicator (teacher) of the Word, to engage the culture in a purposeful way.
I love the idea of listening together in community (e.g. Dwelling in the Word). It moves the relationship between the pastor and the congregation away from provider-consumer and instead everyone has something to contribute. It takes into account the rich experiences of every person. Additionally, the voice of the marginalized is heard. However, I’m 
still uncomfortable with the idea that the text can have multiple meanings. Perhaps a distinction between meaning and application / significance might be helpful, so that the text can have multiple applications / significance, but only one meaning (not multiple meanings, unless the author intended it to have multiple meanings).
Oh, and the awesome practical tools: inductive method, dialogical method, multiple voices method, abductive method, storytelling, Godly play, emotional exegesis, takeaways, etc. So good! Most helpful! Much appreciated! These practical tools put feet to my quest to be a master DJ (although my wife maintains that I can't keep a beat even if my life depended on it...and she's right!).
FUTURE: The place of the Bible in my future ministry as a communicator (teacher) of the Word.
The landscape is dynamic and ever changing. In order to communicate the Bible well in this postmodern context, I will need to do a better job at listening. I will need to exegete the culture well, constantly DJing but not compromising my core beliefs and values. I will need to be proactive and not reactive, staying ahead instead of behind the times. I will need to offer a balanced diet. All these things I intend to do, the Lord willing. I can't wait to apply what I’ve learned in this class in my future ministry as a communicator (teacher) of the Word!
[Steve saw everything that he had taught, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.]
