Comments on: Why it’s okay that I can’t remember last month’s sermon.

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 11:28:54 +0000

Rich Mullins once said that he became a songwriter instead of a pastor because people remember Wesley’s hymns but not his sermons.

If we listened to sermons as much as we listened to music, we would remember them better. Since I can now listen to CDs in the car and online sermons while I’m working around the house, I can remember the sermons a lot better.

You’re right, the immediate effect that sermons have on us is powerful, but I have found it is also helpful to review them.

By: drjmarkh

drjmarkh — Fri, 30 May 2008 20:51:05 +0000

Great post and comments too.
Reminds me of what John the Baptist said, “I’m just a voice.” The real thing is Jesus…He’s the Word, the Living Word.
Thanks,
Mark

By: How about last week? « gospel muse

How about last week? « gospel muse — Mon, 26 May 2008 15:29:04 +0000

[...] Jonathan Bowers: Why it’s okay that I can’t remember last month’s sermon. [...]

By: Lance

Lance — Sat, 24 May 2008 14:58:38 +0000

Amen bro. I concur with Richard (two posts up). We may not remember what we ate three years ago, but it most certainly nourished us until the next meal (and so on).

“but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

By: Jeff Patterson

Jeff Patterson — Sat, 24 May 2008 14:20:13 +0000

Well said. Just wrote about this earlier this week and hit ‘publish’ for this morning. My perspective was to consider why so much preaching is of the “How To…” genre instead of focusing on the What, and especially the Why and WHO (!). Are we giving the people a system of redemption, or a Redeemer?

Your take is spot on, and probably more helpful (being shorter! :-)

By: What Really Matters In A Sermon « Pastoral Musings

What Really Matters In A Sermon « Pastoral Musings — Fri, 23 May 2008 23:49:18 +0000

[...] May 23, 2008 What Really Matters In A Sermon Posted by pastoralmusings under Preaching | Tags: Preaching, seeing Christ, sermons | I don’t know Jonathon Bowers, but he surely has a good post here. [...]

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 23 May 2008 15:52:41 +0000

My wife prepared lots of meals for me last month. I made a few myself. But I can’t remember them all. Indeed, I doubt whether I can remember what we ate for supper two days ago! But all these meals delighted me, fed me, kept me alive and healthy. Sermons work much the same way. Even when we can’t remember them they keep us alive and healthy.

By: True Convert

True Convert — Fri, 23 May 2008 02:57:13 +0000

I enjoyed that; to me it has major implications in how I respond to my children when they don’t seem to remember all that I’ve tried to impart to them in a given day. I think that this is why when I begin family devotions, I’ll focus on what of the Sunday sermon impacted them as opposed to quizzing them on the bullet points. Good stuff

By: thefoolsgold

thefoolsgold — Fri, 23 May 2008 02:29:00 +0000

I agree with the need to apply the truth that we hear in sermons. I think when Edwards says that the “main benefit” is the impression made on the mind during the hearing of the sermon, he isn’t denying that remembering content is important. He’s just saying that the need of the hour is the heart’s response to the glory of Christ.

By: Brittany K.

Brittany K. — Fri, 23 May 2008 00:45:38 +0000

I do agree with you that it is VERY important to see our God and the cross in a deeper way through a sermon (in order to lead us to worship).

But don’t you think it’s also important to have remembered at least one truth from the sermon to be able to apply to your life? God calls us to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. If all we did was listen to sermons in order to get some sort of spiritual high or momentary insight, only to lose it the next day, I doubt there’d be much lasting fruit. (I’m saying this from experience)

If we don’t apply the truth we hear (by the grace of God and work of the Holy Spirit), we don’t change.

what do you think (in relation to applying the word, and not just “experiencing” it)?