Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Hang Up and Drive, Jerk!!


This is what many drivers see daily , accompamied at times by
a rude gesture that amounts to "half the peace sign."

Problems is, most drivers who see this sign or bumper stickers
are not guilty parties.



Doug Pagitt, contrasting "speeching" with "preaching":

"Speaching" is a violation of what we know about building relationships. Speaching isn't the normal way to talk or listen, and it isn't the normal way to build trust or community. It is,in fact, best suited for promoting a generic message for a generic audience. I was recently driving behind a car with a bumper sticker that said, "Hang Up and Drive".. it struck me that far more people who aren't using cellphones while driving will see that sticker every day than those who are on the phone...I found myself saying I"'m not even on the phone.. Why a re you giving me instructions that have nothing to do with my situation" ..When the content of the sermon is created in the isolated setting of the pastor's mind and study and is delivered to whoever happens to show up that Sunday, it has all the impact of that bumper sticker..
-Doug Pagitt, Preaching Reimagined, pp. 82-83

Amen.

and reminds me to let Earl Creps remind me to only prepare sermons in a "secular"place...in the presence of "the sought." Otherwise, all they will likely hear if they do show up is:




I gave that kind of speaching up for Lent and for good.

I hope.

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Hey, thanks for engaging the conversation!