Adrian Lane, Lecturer in Ministry Skills & Church History, Ridley College

Evangelicals have a strong commitment to the Bible. They believe it to be God’s word: authoritative, powerful, life-bringing, life-sustaining, and life-determining. They are keen to study it; to work hard at determining its meaning. They seek to submit to it, claiming that by doing so they find peace, joy, and favour in God’s sight. And they work hard at bringing the Bible’s message to others, claiming that only by submitting to the Bible will the world find life, both in this world and the next. Why then are so many sermons so boring? Why do so many sermons fail to engage their audience? Why do congregations go home with a ‘ho-hum’ response, rather than experiencing and being transformed by the Bible’s re-creative and life-giving power? After all, it does claim to be ‘living and active!’ (Heb 4:12). And why do so many preachers lack a confidence in their preaching, turning instead to liturgical practice or counselling, for instance, to find the heart of their ministry?

Read the full article (PDF): Please! No More Boring Sermons!