The flying V
This sermon shape starts from a point of current interest, such as a news story, and widens out to incorporate Biblical input and further reflection. As it progresses its scope widens ever further. It has the advantage that it piques the interest straight away. However, its disadvantage is that it never returns to a focussed point. What do you think?
I think the ‘flying v’ sermon needs a matching reversed flying v that gathers the breadth back into a focussed point that links with the way the sermon started. i.e. this – but I often struggle with this.
Thanks for this, Nancy. Watch out later this week for “the broken arrow”, “the snub nose” and “the splotch”.
Yes, I agree with Nancy. It should be refocussed.
I am not a preacher, but a listener. To a certain extent refocussing is what we the listeners should do, or allow the Holy Spirit to do. I mean, to apply the “general” truth of the preaching to a specific follow-on action in our lives. We need to ask ourselves: “What difference should this make in my life? What response should these thoughts evoke in me? Is there anything I should be doing that I am not doing now?”
By simply asking these or similar questions, a preacher will kick-start the process!
Lin, I agree with you. Questions are often more effective than giving neat answers in a sermon. When I listen to a sermon I prefer those that ask questions that cause me to go on thinking about it (and hopefully acting on it) long afterwards. I think it’s important for preachers and listeners to remember that a sermon is a liturgical work by all the assembled people, not just the preacher.
LOVE that description “a liturgical work by all the assembled people”. I have often talked about preaching as teamwork – where one preaches but many pray. I think your description has more poetry to it, though!