Sunday, September 24, 2023
Sunday Reflection: And they departing, feeling ok about stuff...
On of several things I still find striking about the gospels-- something that surprises me-- is the reaction people have to hearing Jesus teach. Sometimes they go away angry. Other times, they appear to leave ecstatic. Often, they are troubled.
So, why are we so rarely feeling any of those things when we leave church?
In part, it is because preachers have very practical motives not to challenge their parishioners. If you have then leaving angry or troubled... well, they might just find another church, or at least decrease their giving.
And that is such a loss!
I always have the advantage when I preach of not relying on that for my livelihood--and I realize this is a privilege most people giving sermons don't have, Even with that, I too often don't challenge my audience enough.
How bold should a preacher be?
