Proclaimer Blog
Using news stories as illustrations
An older preacher I know stores up news stories in a file index system and retrieves them for use as illustrations as and when the need arises. That requires a level of dedication (and time) I simply don’t have. I tend to use the BBC or The Times search functions: very powerful tools indeed. That requires, of course, a knowledge of what you’re looking for. The story must be there somewhere in the back of your head for you to be able to search for it adequately.
But, it also requires a healthy scepticism. News stories – especially online ones – tend to be reductionistic. I think as preachers we need to exercise some caution and realise we don’t always know all the facts. Passing on stories as gospel without being in full possession of the truth is the way of the world – witness the 400,000 who signed the Jeremy Clarkson petition without even knowing what happened! Extraordinary.
But there is more to most stories – and those about Christian bashing which circulate on social media are often very skewed indeed. Take care Mr Preacher. For example, read the actual ruling of a hypothetical tribunal and you discover that Mr A was sacked not for “being a Christian” but some aggressive infringement. I recently read a notorious Ofsted report from cover to cover and had some sympathy (if it reports correctly) with the Secretary of State.
Preachers are not tabloid reporters. Illustrations are helpful windows, but need careful thought if they are going to serve the purpose for which they’re intended.