Preaching and the angst-filled ramblings of a depressed teenager
The Catcher in the Rye is the angst-filled ramblings of a depressed 17-year-old who was just expelled from the Prency Prep School. Reclining in bed, just days before his parents receive notice of his academic demise, Holden ponders matters of faith:
‘Finally, though, I got undressed and got in bed. I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn’t do it. I can’t always pray when I feel like it. In the first place, I’m sort of an atheist. I like Jesus and all, but I don’t care too much for most of the other stuff in the Bible. Take the Disciples, for instance. They annoy the hell out of me, if you want to know the truth. They were all right after Jesus was dead and all, but while He was alive, they were about as much use to Him as a hole in the head. All they did was keep letting him down. I like almost anybody in the bible better than the Disciples….
Old Childs said the trouble with me was that I didn’t go to church or anything. He was right about that, in a way. I don’t. In the first place, my parents are different religions, and all the children in our family are atheists. If you want to know the truth, I can’t even stand ministers. The ones they’ve had at every school I’ve gone to, they have these Holy Joe voices when they start giving their sermons. God, I hate that. I don’t see why the hell they can’t talk in their natural voice. They sound so phoney even when they talk.
I’m back at Reformed Seminary teaching two classes on preaching from 10 am to 3 pm on Thursdays. I love doing this and find it keeps me fresh sort of like continuing education on a lot of levels. I learn a lot about where young people today are on faith, the gospel, Christ, reformed theology, culture and church. In addition it keeps me reading and thinking about preaching and what it means to preach Christ in today’s culture. Any way one thing that comes up sometimes is the idea that “preaching” requires a certain tone or volume. The fact is the Greek word “preach” says nothing about style, tone or volume. It has to do with being a herald and coming as one under authority to convey the message of the King.
The style of so-called preaching that requires speaking in a different or “churchy” tone is at best unnecessary in today’s culture. They used to yell because they wanted to be heard. We can hear fine today with microphones and sound systems. And the churchy tone just seems fake in a world that longs for the authentic and sincere. Anyway I came across the quote above and thought it interesting that this was written some time ago (1951) but we still have preachers who feel they have to put on a show or adopt a preachy tone to communicate the gospel. Maybe some of them feel they have to meet the expectations of an ingrown church culture that expects that tone and style. It ought to stop. I believe preachers today should speak with passion but just be biblical, Christ-centered, clear, and sincere. To do otherwise will sound phony and ultimately undercut credibility with thoughtful people. Anyway the quote from Catcher in the Rye got me thinking about this.
Larry is the senior pastor at 
I totally agree. When I spin the dial on the radio, in a moment or two I can tell when I have landed on certain Christian radio stations. If its a sermon, the tone and delivery style is absolutely tailored to a particular audience…those raised in certain churches. It sounds like another dialect. I can’t imagine this would be effective….at all….in either reaching the lost, or communicating to the church in an authentic manner.
Why do some preachers (and denominations) think there is an advantage to adopting a fabricated style of speaking when it comes to communicating the gospel?
It truly amazes me how we get so far away from who Jesus is. Now I’m not excluding my own faults because I’m sure I’m unaware of something. But how does a church morph into screaming congregation holding signs saying all gays are going to hell (for example.)I know that living a homosexual lifestyle is against what God says. But when I picture Jesus I feel like he would not yell at them and say hateful things. I feel like he would of dined with them and spoke truth with God’s love and some would follow and some not. I’m aware of a lot of people in my past that read their Bible yet got off into weird tangents.
I guess that this is a little scary for me. I do so badly want to be in line with Jesus and truly be like him in how I react to non believers and believers alike. At the same time the church seems like it can get majorly off track sometimes. I hope this is not to random and makes sense. It’s late.
I guess that is a little scary for me.
That last line is not suppose to be there! :)
(I guess that is a little scary for me.)
Thanks for your thoughts Pat and Kelli! It’s simple but at the same time challenging to just keep clear and straight and to follow Jesus. There are may pressures and expectations and cultural winds that blow us off course. But it doesn’t have to be that way if we will just be real and follow Him with our whole hearts.
Kelli–what you said is great—it seems that you are kind of confused on how people can get so hateful in the name of love. And since people do that, you want to make sure you don’t! Sometimes I think people consistently ignore the quiet voice of God, for all the louder insistent voices. Maybe we should just be willing to listen carefully to the Bible and trusted others. Well….I love hearing what you say.
I dont have anything to add other than this is always refreshing to hear. Larry, when you are really passonate about a certain subject the text presents, how do you deliver it?
When someone is sincerely and authentically passionate it should come through in the delivery, tone, etc. as it isn’t “put on”. I think people are different. For me it depends, I might get really emphatic and even more deliberate for someone else it might get louder or faster…. I’m not sure but it would still be authentic and sincere and I think that comes through and doesn’t sound “phony”. You can be naturally passionate and that’s very different than adopting a style of speech because you think or have been told that is what preaching or passion should sound like.
I’m late in posting, but I know you and I have joked about this Larry. Rebecca and I have been to friends churches in the last many years when we are visiting, and if the preacher starts into that ‘church voice’ we just roll our eyes. It can be so annoying – as you know they are putting on some show….. It is why we like your conversational style that we can relate to!
I’m teaching at RUF tomorrow night… I found this to be providential.
Great blog, Larry. I really enjoyed the “Catcher” quote…fun book, great quote for seminary students like me!