Here are two quotes from Richard Baxter’s “Reformed Pastor” which are interesting viewed side by side. In one he raises the bar for preaching through the roof, in the next he clearly identifies the importance of dialogue-based teaching with individuals (and families and groups by implication from the rest of the book).
What skill doth every part of our work require! – and of how much moment is every part! To preach a sermon, I think, is not the hardest part; and yet what skill is necessary to make the truth plain; to convince the hearers, to let irresistible light in to their consciences, and to keep it there, and drive all home; to screw the truth into their minds, and work Christ into their affections; to meet every objection, and clearly to resolve it; to drive sinners to a stand, and make them see that there is no hope, but that they must unavoidably either be converted or condemned – and to do all this, as regards language and manner, as beseems our work, and yet as is most suitable to the capacities of our hearers. This, and a great deal more that should be done in every sermon, must surely require a great deal of holy skill. So great a God, whose message we deliver, should be honored by our delivery of it.
Chapter 1, The Reformed Pastor
It’s tough to criticise Baxter for not taking the act of preaching seriously! His list of what a sermon preached should do is extensive and exciting (if a little daunting!). Amazingly, he finishes with “this and a great deal more should be done in every sermon”!
And yet he goes on to speak of the limitations of monologue preaching (for want of a better term), even of the type which he aspires to (and arguably achieved to a considerable extent for his congregation).
For my part, I study to speak as plainly and movingly as I can, (and next to my study to speak truly, these are my chief studies,) and yet I frequently meet with those that have been my hearers eight or ten years, who know not whether Christ be God or man, and wonder when I tell them the history of his birth and life and death, as if they had never heard it before. And of those who know the history of the gospel, how few are there who know the nature of that faith, repentance, and holiness which it requireth, or, at least, who know their own hearts? But most of them have an ungrounded trust in Christ, hoping that he will pardon, justify, and save them, while the world hath their hearts, and they live to the flesh. And this trust they take for justifying faith. I have found by experience, that some ignorant persons, who have been so long unprofitable hearers, have got more knowledge and remorse of conscience in half an hour’s close discourse, than they did from ten years’ public preaching.
I know that preaching the gospel publicly is the most excellent means, because we speak to many at once. But it is usually far more effectual to preach it privately to a particular sinner, as to himself: for the plainest man that is, can scarcely speak plain enough in public for them to understand; but in private we may do it much more…
Chapter 3, Motives from the Necessity of Work
Now I’m loathe to argue purely from someone's experience or from pragmatism. But here is a man whose evangelical convictions of word ministry I find hard to question, much less dismiss.
It raises for me an important question:what ought the right balance to be between monologue preaching and catechizing individuals/families/groups in private in what is surely a more dialogue form, as the rest of the paragraph makes clear:
…In public our speeches are long, and we quite over-run their understandings and memories, and they are confounded and at a loss, and not able to follow us, and one thing drives out another, and so they know not what we said. But in private we can take our work gradatim, and take our hearers along with us; and, by our questions, and their answers, we can see how far they understand us, and what we have next to do. In public, by length and speaking alone we lose their attention; but when they are interlocutors, we can easily cause them to attend. Besides, we can better answer their objections, and engage them by promises before we leave them, which in public we cannot do.
And next he drops the bombshell. It appears that public preaching serves in Baxter's mind evangelistically, but even then (and especially for discipleship) more is required. You need dialogue...
I conclude, therefore, that public preaching will not be sufficient: for though it may be an effectual means to convert many, yet not so many, as experience, and God’s appointment of further means, may assure us. Long may you study and preach to little purpose, if you neglect this duty.
Food for thought...
Baxter is now public domain (having died in 1691!) I cut and pasted from here.
