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!
PREACHING AND REACHING PEOPLE.