Categories: uncategorized
Date: 11 June 2011 11:00:12
I love reading twentieth century history, particularly early twentieth century religious history because every so often you discover something which makes you realise some "Fresh Expression" or "Urban Expression" is actually more of a retro expression for a Fresh Generation. By that I mean it's something which happened before and then faded out but is now being reinterpreted for a whole fresh set of people. This delving into history can also give you some of the most valuable advice you may find yourself reading - or maybe that's just my experience.
I'm currently reading through Saved to Serve The Story of the Wesley Deaconess Order 1890 - 1978 and it's full of this stuff which is making me smile that wry smile I do when I say yup...the late Victorians and particularly early Edwardians were really into Fresh Expressions and there is sooooo soooo much to learn from them, if we think how to apply their way of thinking.
I have particularly been struck by the way that one of the main emphases of the Deaconess Institute of the United Methodist Free Churches/ United Methodist Church (which was one of the strands which came together at some point) was evangelism. They were focused on how to do this in relevant ways coming alongside people in ways which were appropriate. I loved the stories of their caravan ministries which seem to be based upon many of the same values as urban expressions are today, and which were actually a late Edwardian innovation which carried on up to the 1970's .
My favourite bit though has been the description of the Thirty Precepts for Preachers which Dr. Maltby published in August 1942 - they should be the first things you read in Faith and Worship or any other manual for new preachers! They can be found on pages 77 - 79 of the book which I would heartily recommend you get hold of. However, I think I am on the right side of copywrite law reproducing them on here - and so am going to. If I am on the wrong side of copywrite could somebody message me or leave a comment and I will edit accordingly when I pick up the message or comment. I hope it is ok though, as I think this is just pure gold dust in terms of good advice which is still as useful as it was 60 years ago.
1. Listen before you speak. See before you say.
2. Remember Peniel and wrestle with great themes, even if they throw you. Jacob was not Israel until he shrunk a sinew.
3. You preach the Gospel; therefore, no demand without the gift; no diagnosis without the cure. One word about sin; ten for the Saviour.
4. Be loyal to your text. Be aware of the context; if you leave it, be courteous and ask permission. Possibly the writer had bigger thoughts than your own.
5. Irrelevance is sometimes an infirmity; usually it is a sin.
6. Preachers as well as motorists should remember that the aim is not to cover the ground, but to see the country - and seeing, to love.
7. There is always water if you bore deep enough.
8. The well is deep and you must have somthing to draw with. But there is no need to make people drink out of the bucket, still less to chew the rope.
9. A teacher should know more than he teaches, and if he knows more than he teaches, he will teach more than he knows.
10. Illustrate but don't illustrate the obvious.
11. We needs must illustrate the greater by the analogy of the less, but your illustrations must not belittle the theme.
12. Aim at being independent of the concordance, but do not disdain it until you are.
13. Emotion rises out of the truth; emotionalism is poured on to it.
14. Preaching without emotion is not preaching, but beware of the cheap substitute.
15. Love simple speech as much as you hate shallow thinking.
16. Polysyllables are not the sign of profundity. Often they are the cloak of poverty, and bought at a jumble sale.
17. Never talk down to your audience; they are not there.
18. Beware the abstract noun. The abstract puffeth up: the concrete buildeth up.
19. By your consonants people will know what you say; by your words where you come from.
20. Be audible, but it not needful to shout. Clearness carries further than clamour.
21. In speaking, legato rather than staccato is the rule; and andante rather than presto, but none of these continously for that is monotony. Heresy has slain thousands, but monotony its tens of thousands.
22. Having a heavy charge, the preacher needs a light heart. Let him not look any more miserable than he must.
23. 'The joy should from our hearts arise - And spea and sparkle in our eyes (if possible) - And vibrate our tongues'
24. Some preachers are like a Goods train - their sentences all tugs and stops. Glide, if you can.
25. Be sparing of gestures, but do not be a post or a robot. If your hands can talk, let them; if not give them a rest.
26. Be not like the brook; pause sometimes.
27. (For women only) - If your speaking voice is a natural contralto, give thanks; if not do your best.
28. One cannot always finsih, but one can always stop.
29. A preacher's damnation. 'He spoke of great things and made them small: of holy things and made them common: of God and made Him of no account.'
30. A preacher's Thanksgiving:
'I who have given to thee my best
Rejoice thy word is unexpressed,
And inexpressible must be
On this side of eternity;
And I with all my travail vast
Am glad that I must fail at last.
If I had found the Word complete
No glory could I march to meet
A pilgrim home from pilgrimage!
A solider with no fight to wage!
But now my powers I still must spend
And go on failing to the end,
But failing I shall leave behind
Some hints of the Eternal mind,
And hungry pilgrims where I went
May find a broken sacrament. (Edward Shillito).
W.R.M. Original Source: The Agenda (August 1942) pp 18-19 cited in Graham, E.D, Saved to Serve The Story of the Wesley Deaconess Order 1890-1978, Methodist Publishing House, Peterborough, (2002), pp77-79