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Educator
Pastors can learn how to enliven their sermons from teachers who engage their students through stories and interactions. (Shutterstock Image)
Special to United Methodist Insight
Traversing the rows of desks in a classroom may seem like a world apart from strolling through the pews of a church, but they are not as far off as you may think. Although pastors are most often recognized for their spiritual leadership, missionary efforts, and pastoral care, religious education is also a vital aspect of their responsibilities. Both teachers and pastors share a common aim of reaching and instructing their audience.
Educators can impart valuable wisdom to pastors on how to construct powerful and unforgettable sermons. By tapping into their inner teacher, pastors can create messages that truly resonate with their congregation. It's important to acknowledge the significance of education in our religious teachings. So, in an effort to remember the word “education” as religious educators, let's look at how pastors can channel their inner teachers and create sermons that truly resonate.
Telling a Good Story
Remember that history teacher whose tales made you feel like a time traveler? Pastors can take a leaf from their book and focus on using stories to make text come alive. The narrative journey of a sermon can transcend the here and now, whisking congregants away to the times of Moses or the walks with Jesus. When a pastor becomes a storyteller, the sermon transforms into an experience, not just an exposition. If your sermon structure supports it, consider a scriptural narrative instead of just a recitation.
Curiosity Kills the Cat, Gives Life to the Sermon
Ever been in a class where the teacher asks those questions that linger in your mind all day? Pastors can adopt this inquisitive approach to provoke thought and self-reflection. Questions like "What would you do if you were in Jonah's sandals?" can spark imagination and internal dialogue, turning passive listeners into active participants in the story of faith. Imagine the empathetic connection to key characters in your scripture and craft ways of challenging your listeners to engage from the characters’ points of view. The emotional connection to a story brings a deeper understanding of the text and a better chance that the sermon and story are retained.
Shepherd, Know Thy Flock
A skilled teacher adjusts their lessons to suit the collective abilities of their students, ensuring that no one is left behind. Even a small classroom is diverse in learning styles, different intellectual abilities, and emotional lenses in which a teacher’s lesson must navigate. Similarly, a good pastor will understand the spiritual demographics of their congregation and tailor their sermons. There's a delicate balance between challenging the flock to stretch their faith muscles and providing enough spiritual nourishment to help them grow strong. Do some research into the different ways that people learn and work to expand how you create worship experiences. Are there ways to engage people who learn better by doing, by writing, or by touching? Imagine ending a message not with a period but a colon; a suggestion for personal or communal action that puts faith into the hands of the believers to mold and shape throughout the week. This hands-on application may be the key to someone both remembering the sermon and living their faith in a new and vibrant way.
Show Me! Show Me!
In classrooms, visual aids can breathe life into complex subjects, from cells to civilizations. Pastors can call upon this same magic with visual elements in their sermons. Projecting a poignant image, sharing a striking video, or displaying a symbol can anchor an abstract message to something concrete and memorable. Jesus used parables to connect people with the complex by tying it to the familiar. Being able to provide visual aids can do the same thing. If the sermon is discussing mustard seeds, bring in a mustard seed. If the sermon is talking about the lost sheep, bring in a shepherd’s crook. If you are preaching on Balaam’s donkey, maybe just bring in a picture.
Safe Sanctuaries
People thrive in spaces where vulnerability is not a risk but a welcome guest. Just as teachers strive to create these environments in their classrooms, pastors too must foster a church atmosphere where questions, doubts, and exploration are met with grace, not judgment. Even longtime churchgoers have questions and doubts, gaps in their education. Being patient, explaining things while avoiding insider language, and never assuming the congregation knows a backstory goes a long way to bringing an ethos of comfort in education.
Faith is a Team Sport
Group learning can turn challenging concepts into shared revelations. When a sermon segues into a community conversation, either within the service or after, the message morphs from a monologue into dialogues that dance through the pews and into lives. As tightly as we may want to hold onto the sermon structures and formulas we use, creating space for spontaneity, discussion, questions, and group dynamics will both build community among those present and create space to learn differently.
When pastors employ the tools and techniques used in teaching, they can do more than just educate; they can also inspire, engage, and shed light on the path of faith for your congregation. Even though pastors may not grade papers or manage a classroom, they shape minds and guide spiritual journeys that extend far beyond a report card. By adopting these approaches inspired by educators, pastors will not only deliver sermons but also create journeys into the soul of scripture. Every Sunday worship service offers an opportunity to learn something new, feel something profound, and leave equipped to live out what they have heard so engagingly.
Kellen Roggenbuck
Pastor Kellen Roggenbuck serves Stoughton UMC and teaches Evangelism and Discipleship at the Iowa Conference Licensing School.