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Sermon Review: Amanda Drury, An Other Greatness

Preacher: Dr. Amanda Drury

Sermon Title: An Other Greatness

Sermon Link: https://www.collegewes.com/sermons/anotherway/

Amanda Drury is a professor at Indiana Wesleyan University and widely received as a highly gifted preacher. Her teaching and preaching ministry crosses cultural, geographical, and denominational boundaries. From time to time, though, she preaches at her home church, College Wesleyan. Her preaching is fresh and calls us to new levels of obedience as we consider the dignity and value that Christ places on our children. We can learn from her in any number of ways, but here are a few.

The Gospel she preaches is counter-cultural.

Sometimes God’s Word is exactly what we want and need to hear. We are loved. God is faithful. God is our shield. God hears us when we pray. All of this is true and of course important to redeeming the image of God in us. Yet sometimes Jesus says things like “blessed are the meek,” or “you should forgive not seven, but seventy-seven times.” Sometimes Jesus steps on our toes. He embraces the sinner we despise. He validates the worshiper we would like to keep out. He ignores the rule we hold most dear. The Gospel is not always easy to hear. Yet it is always good news for those who have ears to hear.

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

“Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Dr. Drury knocks on the door of our private board meeting and asks the room if we will allow a child to enter and speak at the table. While this Gospel is counter-cultural, it’s still good news. God loves and values children as whole persons, whereas we often patronize their thoughts and desires. This God is gracious and kind to those whom the world would push aside. We do sometimes need to preach things the practically minded adults will say seem ridiculous.

The Gospel calls for engagement (and sometimes it is even fun).

Dr. Drury engaged the congregation with a fun exercise. The Mosquito Tone is a series of sounds, Amanda tells us, that only the young can hear. The second tone could only be heard by those 49 and under. The next can only be heard by those 30 and under. The last can only be heard by those 18 and under. And, of course, we all wanted to know if this was really going to work; this is fascinating stuff. “Can you hear that?” Amanda asked. . Dr. Drury engaged the congregation with an exercise that asked for (but did not demand) participation. That exercise was critical in helping us understand this portion of the Gospel. You have to watch the sermon video to experience it. There are things that children can hear from God that perhaps, as we grow old, we cannot hear. The engagement of the congregation was clear, and it was fun!

The Gospel is fresh.

Often the texts and concepts we preach are familiar. They should be, we have studied long and hard to become biblically literate and theologically well rounded. At other times the topic or the text or the doctrine is relatively new to the preacher. Either way, the challenge is to keep the gospel fresh for the listener so that the gospel is news not just good. This passage before might be one we avoid because it is difficult to hear, and difficult to understand. But preaching a fresh message does not only mean talking from a less common passage. Giving a fresh Word means the preacher has leaned in to listen to what the Holy Spirit says. God has given the preacher a Word for this season, this day, this congregation.

How can we follow Amanda in faithfully communicating the Word in a way that makes sense to our hearers today?

  1. Embrace the counter-cultural nature of the Gospel.

You don’t need to look long or far to find aspects of Scripture that are counter-cultural. What aspect of your passage for next week makes little sense in the eyes of the world? What part of the passage honestly does not make sense to you at first? Are you asking your people to have faith in that which is unseen? To give generously when the world’s tendency is to hoard and protect wealth? We embrace the counter-cultural nature of the Gospel because we first belong to God; the nature of our fallen world means that God’s way often is different than what seems natural in our world. We belong to a higher kingdom. When you land on which aspect of your message is counter-cultural, then ask: why is this good news? The Gospel is always good news. It may be counter-cultural; it may be difficult to hear and live. But the Gospel is always good news. If it remains shaming, condescending, judging or pressure-filled the gospel has not yet been re-released. How does your sermon run cross grain to the cultural tendencies you have? How can God’s alternative way be good for you and those you serve?

  1. Ask them to participate.

The more we study the Word of God (and preach it), the more we find that it is even more captivating than we first thought. God continually surprises us, why shouldn’t the scriptures do the same? How can you engage your congregation in an active, participatory way this Sunday? This should not be complicated or gimmicky. Beware the forced participation that causes many to groan. Dr. Drury’s example is audio. Silence can be engaging as well however. A break in the sermon for reflective thought, journaling in the bulletin, or simple prayer can engage the listener making them more than mere listener.

  1. Face a new passage head-on.

As you read Scripture personally, do you ever come across a passage that intimidates you? One that follows you around, rubs you the wrong way, or one you just cannot figure out? Take time this week to begin to engage a text like that. Ask questions. Make observations. Begin your process of studying that passage. Don’t preach on it right away. Take time to learn from it yourself. In a few months, preach that passage. This is a great way to begin to incorporate lesser-known (but still important) passages of Scripture. Allow the time. Don’t be afraid. And keep a lookout for the Holy Spirit’s subtle ways of communicating. Remember a fresh Word isn’t just about coming up with something to say—a fresh Word comes from the Holy Spirit alone.