Proclaimer Blog
Asking questions
Mrs R and I were interviewed on Moody Radio the other night about our new book, And then he knew her: a biblical view of sex (you can listen to the interview here if you really want!). Janet was very kind about the book (“a gem of a book”), but maybe she is nice about everything! The strangest moment was the phone-in. As Mrs R said later, it’s when you listen to the questions that you really understand whether people have got it. Right. And in fact, it’s when you listen to the questions that you really understand where people are hurting, struggling and sinning.
This translates, of course, into pastoral ministry. The preacher that is so divorced from his congregation that he doesn’t know what they understand, struggle with or downright deny is a poor preacher indeed. And yet that is precisely the model of ministry that many of us pursue. I think, in other words, that there is real value in allowing our congregations to ask questions.
There are different ways to do that. Some people I know have Q&A times after a sermon. That can work reasonably well, although in our subdued British culture you are unlikely to get some of the more revealing questions we were asked on the radio show. But the preacher should also be laying himself open before his congregation to allow them to ask questions at others times too. Mr Preacher, do you give your people this opportunity? It would almost certainly enrich your preaching and bless your listeners.