Preaching to a Divided Nation
A Seven-Step Model for Promoting Reconciliation and Unity
by Matthew D. Kim; Paul A. Hoffman
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Pub Date 9 Aug 2022 | Archive Date 9 Oct 2022
Baker Academic & Brazos Press | Baker Academic
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Description
We live in angry times. No matter where we go, what we watch, or how we communicate, our culture is rife with division and polarization. Unfortunately, Christians appear to be caught up in the same animosity as the culture at large. While our faith calls us to Christian unity, the hard fact remains: our churches are tragically divided across class, ethnic, gender, and political lines. As these social chasms grow--both inside and outside the church--the role of the preacher becomes paramount.
This book issues a prophetic call to pastors to use the influence of their pulpits to promote reconciliation and unity in their churches and communities. Two scholar-practitioners who are experts in homiletics and reconciliation present a practical, seven-step model that empowers faithful leaders to bring healing and peace to their fractured churches and world. The book includes questions for reflection, salient illustrations, and an accountability covenant. It also includes useful appendixes on preaching themes, preaching texts, and sample sermons from three leading preachers: Ralph Douglas West, Rich Villodas, and Sandra Maria Van Opstal.
Advance Praise
“An issue that matters today is our divided nation, filled with too many divided churches and divided Christians. That is clear to all. For those of us who call Jesus Christ our Lord, we also know the prayer of Jesus ‘that they may be one’ (John 17:22). But how do we do this? We start with the single most influential time in the church each week: the sermon. But how do we do that practically? In Preaching to a Divided Nation, Matthew Kim and Paul Hoffman give a useful framework to confront the division in our time with preaching grounded in the Bible’s story line and founded on the redemptive work of Christ.”—Ed Stetzer, Wheaton College
“Pastors to diverse church communities always deeply feel the tension of congregants’ varied backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and politics. But when our people start welcoming, loving, and serving one another across the lines of difference because of Christ, it makes living in the tension not only worthwhile but sacred. To help preachers in our role as facilitators of such communities, Kim and Hoffman have provided a wonderful field guide. I can’t recommend Preaching to a Divided Nation highly enough.”—Scott Sauls, senior pastor, Christ Presbyterian Church; author of A Gentle Answer and Beautiful People Don’t Just Happen
“Preaching to a Divided Nation is a must-read for twenty-first-century Christian leaders. Kim and Hoffman offer an excellent road map for preachers, teachers, and leaders on how to use their voice, pulpit, and platform to heal our country’s divides. Get this book and read it with your church staff today!”—Michelle Ami Reyes, vice president of the Asian American Christian Collaborative; author of Becoming All Things
“In a polarized and hostile political, racial, and economic context, preaching has become a challenging and delicate pastoral art. With one simple sentence or sound bite, pastors risk unintentionally dividing their flock in a way that harms not only the local church but also the soul of the pastor. Division hurts all of us. Kim and Hoffman provide a theological framework for preaching while also guiding the pastor to remember that we are but heralds, not heart changers. We’ve needed a book like this for a long time now, and it comes just in time. If you want a framework for preaching that leads to reconciliation instead of division, this one’s for you!”—Tara Beth Leach, author of Emboldened and Radiant Church
“In such a polarizing and fractious time, Christian preachers need resources that bridge divides and remind us that God makes a way out of no way. Thankfully, Matthew Kim and Paul Hoffman’s timely new book gives us both. Preaching to a Divided Nation is grounded in theory, saturated with Scripture, centered on the gospel, informed by practice, and infused with hope. Job well done!”—Jared E. Alcántara, professor of preaching, Paul W. Powell Endowed Chair in Preaching, Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University
“Preaching has become something of a dreaded task. With self-appointed authorities declaring on social media what pastors should and should not address—and telling people to leave their churches if pastors don’t say the supposed right thing—the pastor bears the impossible task of speaking God’s Word to a disinterested and divided world. In a day where cultural land mines abound, the preacher can either dismiss the concerns of her congregation as invalid or irrelevant or become a prisoner to the narratives and perspectives of the moment. Kim and Hoffman give us a better way. They excavate a treasury of theological resources to address the chief causes of division and map the terrain of our cultural dynamics and historical context. And they teach us to become aware of our own lens as a preacher and to rely on the Spirit to breathe the Word of God to the people of God. The result is a stunning, scholarly, current, and critical guide for preachers to take seriously the complexity of preaching in a rapidly changing world.”—Rev. Glenn Packiam, lead pastor, New Life Downtown; author of The Resilient Pastor
“Our world is divided, our rhythms are disrupted, and the church is distracted. Nothing has more potential to unify us than the life-changing message of the gospel. Kim and Hoffman’s approach to preaching is practical and attainable. I’m grateful for their effort in training pastors to bring the redemptive power of the gospel in relevant ways to their communities.”—Scott Ridout, president, Converge
“Matthew Kim and Paul Hoffman know well the challenges facing pulpits in fostering true unity among believers. Rightly, they exhort faithful homileticians to listen to various social perspectives as a means of informing authentic Christian preaching. More now than ever, the preacher’s personal development as an emotionally, culturally, and historically intelligent shepherd contributes to the ability to proclaim the Scriptures in a way that makes the church a greater agent of righteousness and love in society. For the sake of the healing of divided nations everywhere, may all preachers eagerly hear this exhortation with ears of grace.”—Eric C. Redmond, professor of Bible, Moody Bible Institute
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9781540964748 |
PRICE | US$24.99 (USD) |
PAGES | 208 |
Featured Reviews
It seems that everywhere I go these days, I see a sharply divided [American] society; which is why I was very curious about a book designed to address this division (or at least how to preach to both sides). Most of what I found was fairly intuitive and somewhat generic vs something with more practical application. It beings with a focus on the reconciling mission of God through the incarnation of His son as found in the Scriptures. I doubt anybody would take an exceptions with this as it is pretty much the foundation of Christianity proper. Then we move into how we as a society classify and categorize our relationships and why that is so dangerous for Christian community (aka the four ‘isms). Again … interesting by not terribly controversial (or useful) … especially without any specific advice on how to get folks to actually acknowledge that they are actually doing that in an atmosphere that takes offense at any such suggestion (there are some example sermons in the appendix that are somewhat more helpful though). What you do get is an expanded version of learning tact … aka multiple intelligences that helps the preacher understand the audience … in other words, avoid conflict and develop empathy/humility. To be fair … each chapter does offer specific Questions for Reflect and Practical Next Steps that should help you do just that, but not specific examples of how to harness this toward a specific goal (so it remains generic enough to avoid triggering your audience but not how to change them). I guess that is not a huge surprise, given that Chapter 4 is all about not being concerned with results … that is the job of the Holy Spirit … the preacher is just the messenger. While I generally agree with that sentiment, there are problems with this approach … namely that it makes it easy to avoid the introspection needed to understand what went wrong and how to adapt or grow the gifts of the Holy Spirit used. Instead the focus here is on self-development … which is important, but more is needed …
Over all … the book can be summarized by telling us to look up [to God] for inspiration, look inside [yourself] to align with God’s mission, look outside to connect with the community before delivering your message of change/love. Then stand by for heavy rolls and don’t get discouraged … which pretty much seems like common sense to me?
Introduction
- Chapter 1. The Theological Steps:The Sons of Pride and Prejudice
- Chapter 2. The Contextual Step: America’s Past and Present
- Chapter 3. The Personal Step: Facing Our Sin and Acknowledging Our Prejudices
- Chapter 4. The Positional Step: We Are Heralds, Not Heart-Changers
- Chapter 5. The Methodological Step: A Homiletic for Reconciliation and Unity
- Chapter 6. The Practical Step: Pre-Sermon, Mid-Sermon, and Post-Sermon Practices
- Chapter 7. The Categorical Step: Biblical Themes and Texts
Conclusion
Appendix A: Reflections on Critical Race Theory
Appendix B: Sample Homiletical Integrity Convenant
Appendix C: Essential and Nonessential Doctrines, and Gospel Implications
Appendix D: Sample Muti-church Prayer and Unity Service
Appendix E: Ministries Pursuing Reconciliation and Unity
Appendix F: Further Reading
Appendix G: Sample Sermons (on)
-> Classism
-> Ethnocentrism
-> Political Division
-> Reconciliation
-> Sexism
-> Unity
I was given this free advance review copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
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