A guest preacher at our church last Sunday delivered a sermon on Psalm 91 titled "Homeland Security." The sermon offered a well-needed perspective on the Virginia Tech massacre which happened the previous Monday. What's interesting is that the guest preacher and I settled on the sermon's text and title about a month prior to the tragedy on the campus of VT! That was definitely God's Spirit at work.
Sometimes, I'm amazed at how a preaching text selected weeks or months in advance fits the need of the moment ? including the aftermath of a national, local, or family tragedy. Sometimes, though, I've sensed the Spirit's leading to preach a different sermon that the one I've scheduled and prepared. Here are a few suggestions for preaching in the wake of tragedy.
1. Don't miss the opportunity to address the need of the moment. People need perspective in the wake of national tragedies like Columbine, September 11, Terry Schiavo's death, the Asian Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and now Virginia Tech. People in my previous congregation needed comfort after tragic deaths in our church family rocked our world. A young mom lost her life in a accident at home. A junior high boy committed suicide. A high school freshman died in a drivers'-education car accident.
2. So then, switch preaching texts or sermons if necessary. The Sunday after our high school freshman died along with two other students and a teacher in the drivers' ed car, I interrupted my sermon series on on Malachi and preached from Lamentations 3:1-26.
3. But before switching texts, prayerfully consider whether the scheduled text speaks to the situation. You might be surprised! The scheduled text might offer a needed perspective from God on the crisis at hand. If not, then don't force it to say something that God has not said to fit the moment.
4. Also, consider addressing your own difficulties and tragedies in your preaching. Let me quickly offer a disclaimer. Do not attempt this until you've experienced some level of God's comfort, healing, or restoration. One of the most effective sermons I ever preached was "What My Dad's Death Taught Me About Life." This sermon developed several biblical passages rather than one. God used this message to help a lot of people maintain a kingdom-centered perspective during times of personal grief.
What insights can you share about preaching in the wake of tragedy? What struggles have you faced, and what lessons have you learned?
Posted by Steve Mathewson at 8:41 AM on April 27, 2007
