Listeners Dare with Rev. Dr. Will Willimon

Rector’s Cupboard Podcast

Have you heard a good sermon lately?

83% of people surveyed who attended a Christian church service said that the top reason for choosing and remaining in a church is the sermon.

In this episode we talk with Rev. Dr. Will Willimon about sermons and listening to sermons. He is a pastor, bishop in the United Methodist Church and the author of, in his approximation, about 100 books. We have had the pleasure of speaking with Will about his writing on several occasions and were very happy to speak with him again about his most recent book, “Listeners Dare. ” It is an engaging examination of the role of the listener in the sermon. Will points out that any true hearing of a sermon requires divine assistance.

Here are a few notes from the book;

To preachers:

“Beginning a sermon with a joke is nearly always a bad idea; including a sweet story about a child (particularly if the child is yours). It risks adulterating the gospel with maudlin sentimentality.”

“Don’t read your sermons; preaching is personal, bodily testimony to the gospel truth you have received, not a lecture about God.”

To listeners:
When told by a listener about a sermon, “I didn’t get anything out of it”, a reply should potentially be, “So how much did you put into it?”

“God’s word usually comes to us through others, those who dare to tell us truth we wouldn’t tell ourselves.”