I have preached many sermons over the past 40 years, not as my primary duty, but when I filled in for vacationing pastors or was representing the campus ministry I served. Many of these churches were smaller and it was common for the preacher to go to the back after the service to greet the congregants. And I, like so many pastors, would be greeted with, “good sermon (sometimes even “wonderful”), or “I really needed to hear that.” And most recently I heard, “you really stepped on my toes!” 

 

From the comments I have received over the years, it would be easy to conclude my messages were having an impact; yet for years I have been questioning the value of stand-alone sermons. What I mean is sermons that are weekly given without any follow-up teaching in a different form. For so many churches, the pastor’s sermon is the primary tool of instruction. Some churches will have small groups that later in the week discuss the sermon, but for most it is just a one-off message. There might be a theme, but it is only explored for 30-40 minutes once a week.

 

The reason I am questioning the value of the stand-alone sermon is that people don’t typically learn through passive listening. Think about public education. Would we have learned anything if our teachers merely lectured us? No homework, no in-class assignments, no hands-on projects. Just lecturing. Likely very little.

 

How do we learn best? Of course there is listening and reading involved. But the way we really learn is by DOING. In an industrial arts class (i.e. shop class for us old-timers), students learn by mainly doing. They work on a car engine. They make a book case. They weld joints. If you are a nursing student, you learn to give shots, draw blood, and take blood pressure readings by doing those things. Once their teachers have shown them, then they do it. That is one of the great thing about YouTube, you can find a how-to video on doing almost anything. Once I had to take the headlight assembly out of my car. I had no idea how to do it, but a video gave me step by step instructions.

 

How many churches provide this type of training in biblical living? In most, the pastor just talks about various aspects of the Christian life, perhaps offering a few things to try, but rarely is there any actual training given.

 

In my view, this is the great flaw of the Church today. We are experts at passive teaching and listening. Each week, the pastor speaks and we listen. Then we go home. Unless we took notes, only a day or two later we will have forgotten most, if not all, of what was said. Then, we will return the next Sunday and do it all over again. Pastors try to employ memorable illustrations, and you may remember them, but how much do they actually equip you in biblical living?

 

The Apostle Paul tells the Ephesian Church that it is the role of pastors and teachers “to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:12-13) How much true equipping is going on in the Church today. Honestly, do you believe that your pastor’s sermons fully equip you to live out your faith in daily life?

 

If you do, then consider these questions:

 

·      Do you know how to explain your faith to an unbeliever using the Scriptures?

 

·      Do you know how, and feel comfortable, to lead others in extensive prayer?

 

·      Do you feel capable of discipling your own children?

 

·      Are you able to teach young believers how to grow in their faith?

 

·      Do you know the Scriptures well enough to obey their teachings?

 

·      Do you know how to serve others generously with your time and money?

 

These are just some of the things that as a follower of Jesus, you are to be trained to do. I suspect you may be wanting to revise your answer to my original question.

 

 It is nearly impossible for sermons alone to equip us to do the things we are called to do as followers of Jesus, yet that is what most churches offer. Yes, some do have Sunday School classes, small groups, and workshops that focus on biblical teaching and living. But most of these focus merely on the teaching part, not on practically equipping people. 

 

We just don’t learn well by listening alone. We must practice and in order to do that, most of the time we need someone’s help to do it until we can do it ourselves.

 

If the Church is to fulfill its commission to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20), then her pastors and teachers must do more than merely preach and teach. They must equip the saints to live out the faith and do the work of the Kingdom.

© Jim Musser 2021 All Scripture references are from the New International Version, 2011.