By Laura Stephens Reed
One of the main reasons I identify as a CBF Baptist is because the CBF world is, to use a term I’ve heard often in these circles, “a big tent.” This means that we can hold a few key commitments in common such as support for women in ministry and adherence to Baptist distinctives, and everything else can vary based on our own understanding of the Bible and relationship with God. I benefit so much from engaging with a variety of experiences and perspectives. It helps me continue to learn and grow as a person and as a Christian.
That said, it is increasingly hard to preach in big tent churches. The end of the Fairness Doctrine, which required broadcasters to present a range of positions on matters of public interest, has led viewers to consume media that tends to be more one-sided. The algorithms of our social media feeds ensure that we see images and articles that support our beliefs and heighten our emotions around them. This means that our viewpoints are less likely to be challenged in meaningful ways until we set foot in a big tent church.
Pastors of these churches, then, must prepare and deliver sermons to diverse congregants who are accustomed to consuming more curated news feeds. But that’s not the only tricky part. The news seems to be coming faster and faster, with one unprecedented event right on the heels of another. Ministers feel responsible for addressing this context in which we all live, even as some people come to church to get away from talk about current events.
For lectionary preachers (those who utilize the scriptures assigned by an international, ecumenical committee for each Sunday), Bible passages can line up so well with what is going on in the world that it’s hard not to bludgeon hearers with the parallels and the resulting lesson. On the other hand, congregants sometimes hear partisan speech even when a pastor is simply reading quotes from Jesus in the Gospels.
The combination of these circumstances can set people in big tent churches – including pastors! – on edge, either seeking out or desperately trying to avoid arguments.
The result is that preachers are under more scrutiny. They feel torn between proclaiming the nudges of the Holy Spirit and keeping the peace. Pastors thus put more time into their sermon preparation, trying to predict how every story and word will be received by hearers. Diligent study is faithful and good, but worry de-centers the Gospel and pulls time and focus from aspects of the pastoral role. It also constructs a fast track to ministerial burnout.
So, let’s step back for a moment and consider the purpose of preaching, which is not to tell hearers what they want or expect to hear. It is to help followers of Jesus tune into where God is at work, figure out how God is speaking into our personal and communal lives, and discern where we are being called to embody scripture. While sermons sometimes offer comfort, they also must stretch us. Since as a society we have largely forgotten how to respond well to being challenged, here are some things we can do so that both clergy and congregants can remain true to our shared commitment to learn and live the Gospel:
Preachers can:
Create brave space for conversation. Don’t let the pulpit be the only time for talking about hard things. Carve out opportunities for people to respond as well as to hear. Work with congregants on agreements (such as using “I” instead of “you” statements, taking responsibility for the impact of words, and seeking to understand) among all parties that will make this dialogue healthy and helpful.
Lean on (or create) a pastoral relations team. All pastors need a designated group of trusted people who can both encourage them and let them know when there’s a major issue to address. This team can be a useful sounding board when the preacher is concerned about how sermons are being received.
Trust leaders and teach them to have healthy dialogue with other congregants. This broadens the number of people who can have hard conversations, which in turn builds muscle in members for struggling together to understand and follow in the ways of Jesus.
Congregants can:
Talk with the pastor if there are concerns. This means scheduling a conversation and telling the pastor in advance what the topic is so that both people come into it prepared to have a robust, respectful discussion.
Enter and utilize brave space. Be willing and ready to learn from the preacher and from others and to share thoughts and questions. This is hard but holy work, and what better place than church to engage in it?
Trust the Spirit and the pastor’s attention to it. It is very true that pastors are human. At the same time, though, ministers have been trained in scripture study and sermon preparation. Pray for the pastor and then trust that the Holy Spirit is at work in, among and through the words of the sermon.
In such divisive times, big tent churches are more essential than ever. The places where we can live and learn alongside people who think differently from us are small.. At church, though, we can learn to listen to and care well for our theological and political opposite, a skill that is not only Christ-like but also has the potential to transform a chaotic, violent world. May we all be open to how God might guide us in this through the preaching and the hearing of God’s word.