In this month’s Evangelicals Now, the editorial describes the visit of an elderly Welsh preacher as follows:
He began his address by explaining the difference between a Bible Study and a sermon. If we recall it aright, he said words to the effect that, while a Bible Study is aimed especially at imparting information to the mind, a sermon is aimed, additionally, at moving the heart, the soul and the affections. His words were general, not with that congregation particularly in mind! It is sad that he felt it necessary, and quite rightly, to stress that preaching is more than just the impartation of Scriptural truth.
I think he gets it half right and so too does the editorial. First, it is fair to say that at times and in some quarters, preaching has descended into information impartation, though I don’t think it is a fair description of all Evangelical or Reformed preaching. Indeed, we may go further and note that there has been a tendency to shape who services around information sharing with an educational feel. This can happen also when we choose songs purely on their ability to communicate knowledge in a memorable format.
However, I believe he was wrong to argue that a Bible study by way of contrast is for imparting information. In fact, I wonder if he has stumbled on the cause of the problem. If we’ve imported our faulty understanding of the midweek Bible study into the Sunday sermon then that will go someway to explaining things.
The truth is that our engagement with God’s Word should always be more than information sharing, more than education, more than an intellectual engagement. Bible studies as much as preaching should be to the affections. When our Life Group gathers, we open up the Bible together, we read a passage and discuss it. We always run with two big questions “What is going on here?” and “What has it got to do with us?” In other words, the aim is always application. The result is that there will quite often be an emotional response as the penny drops home. The study will move us to pray for each other and I hope that it will lead to a practical response in the rest of our weeks.
This means that we need to structure our Bible studies in a way that facilitates this. Whether it’s about sticking with the two simple questions I suggested above or having a set of questions that move from a look at the text to a look at ourselves, think about how you can shape things to encourage people to share from their hearts. Consider too how you can create space for response. That might include structuring sung worship, silence, meditation and prayer into your Bible study small groups too.
I would encourage you to make sure that when you are preaching, you “preach to the affections”. Don’t just impart information, apply God’s Word in a way that cuts to the heart. I’d encourage you to do the same when you are leading Bible studies.
Faithroots 