2 Approaches to Preaching Online
2×2 has addressed the temptation for pastors to dismiss the web site as a place to post their Sunday sermon — which probably attracts zero readers. But we haven’t recommended any examples of good use of the web. Today we feature two.
Let’s start with the posting of sermons. While we advocate against this as a feature of congregational web sites, there is a pastor who has done this in a very helpful way.
Pastor Vincent Gerhardy of Australia offers his sermons online as a resource to other churches. Pastor Gerhardy has posted all of his sermons for the last eleven years.
His web site indexes his sermons by lectionary year and scripture. He makes them available to all and asks only that you ask permission to use them. His current sermon is usually posted the Friday prior to its “airing.” (Would he do this if he thought his congregation would rush to the web and read them in advance?)
This was a very helpful resource to our lay-led church. 2×2 (Redeemer) found this website about five years ago, when a pastor, engaged well in advance of Christmas Eve, called at the last minute with the message that he prayerfully could not go against the bishop and preach a Christmas message to the people of East Falls.
His decision changed Redeemer’s worship for the better, forever. We never again used a supply pastor.
We admit to feeling a bit frantic that Christmas Eve. We googled Christmas sermons and found Pastor Gerhardy. A match made in heaven? Perhaps.
We learned there was no reason to go to the considerable expense and trouble of engaging a supply pastor. After years of supply pastors, we had heard most of their stock sermons several times!
Centered around Pastor Gerhardy’s sermons, we developed lay leadership in leading our own worship. We discovered many talents within our congregation which had been fettered by the presence of a pastor. Soon almost any member of Redeemer could stand up and lead worship with a moment’s notice.
We rarely use his sermons totally word for word. We change the Australian colloquialisms and occasionally update an illustration, but his foundation of solid preaching—made available to the world—has been a God-send.
We have used Pastor Gerhardy’s biblically based sermons (carefully referenced) with a consistent message of love since 2008. Although we have never met, we look forward to his “voice” and often have discussion of his sermons during worship. We look forward to them when we meet together in East Falls once a month. We correspond with Pastor Gerhardy a few times a year to show our appreciation.
Pastor Jon Swanson uses the web in keeping with the ways 2×2 has recommended. He presents daily insights in short, 300-word, parable-like analyses of scripture. He has several expressions — his blog and by subscription what he calls 7×7. Seven minutes of scripture study, seven times a week.
If you are developing an online ministry, study this site. Note the interaction he is receiving from readers, some of whom start out — “I’m not a Christian, but . . .
. . .but people will read a short, well thought out message presented to them in the world they live in a way that resonates with them. Modern preaching!