HEARING OR READING?

I am reading that it is widely acknowledged that only 10 per cent is remembered from every sermon we hear by the time we leave the church or the meeting room.

I find that quite disturbing and I hope that I remember more than 10 per cent.

It seems that reading is better than  hearing! Or writing is better than speaking!

When I read twice about “eyes” in the CONTACT ENERGY NEWSLETTER, (Summer 2013) especially one verse from the BIBLE came to my mind straight away.

“All eyes on the prize!” and “All eyes were on the newly crowned Festival Senior Queen during the  Grand Procession at this year’s Alexandra   Blossom Festival,”  I am reading in the newsletter.

In Psalm 141:8 David says that he has his eyes fixed on the Sovereign LORD. And in Psalm 25:15 he says that his eyes are  ever on the LORD. He gives us also the reason why. He says that only the LORD will release his feet from the snare.

But the verse that came to my mind straight away is Hebrews 12:2 where it says, “Let us fix our eyes on JESUS, the author and  perfecter of our faith, …”

I love that verse and I want to be like David in the BIBLE, who had his eyes fixed on the Sovereign LORD.

PREACHING AND REACHING PEOPLE.

Preaching and reaching people in the 16th century.

In his book THE REFORMATION EXPERIENCE, Living through the turbulent 16th century, Emeritus Professor Eric Ives asks “Yet how effective was preaching?” and “So what did reach the people?”

“Yet how effective was preaching?”

He points out that it is well known that 90 per cent of a sermon is forgotten by the time the hearer of the sermon leaves the church or the meeting place.

“So what did reach the people?”

He points out that the answer is the Prayer Book itself. He says that the listeners in the 16th century were not readers but listeners. They were rote learners. They learned by repeating the liturgy every Sunday and the liturgy taught them first of all that they were saved by God’s grace alone  and secondly that they must obey God’s commandments. 

Preaching and reaching people in the 21st century.

How effective is preaching today?

We can say again that it is well known that 90 per cent of the sermon is forgotten by the time the hearer of the sermon reaches the door of the church or the door of the meeting place.

How do we reach people today?

Is the answer the Prayer Book? Is it the liturgy? Two more questions: Does your church have a Prayer Book? Does your church have a liturgy? What is your answer?

But at the present time most of us are bookish, we are not  only listeners but we are also readers.

We have the BIBLE.

WE CANNOT EMPHASIZE ENOUGH THE PERSONAL READING OF THE BIBLE AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE WORD OF GOD!