The Art of Getting Out of the Way
There’s an old trope that gets applied to a lot of different subjects, “It’s both an art and a science.” Whether the skill in question is drilling wells, acting, or writing fiction, this is a way of conveying that there are objective, mechanical aspects that can be taught and learned by most anyone, but there’s another side that is somewhat ineffable, having a certain “je ne sais quoi.”
In the realm of homiletics, the discipline of preaching, we can say (and I’m sure others have said it before), “It’s an art and a science.” There are a lot of great books, large and small, that walk the reader through the “science” of preaching. From Broadus to Ryle, they give “concrete” concepts and practical advice. Identify the main theme of the text. Find other texts of Scripture that speak to the same subject. Use metaphors to explain key ideas. Place the main idea of the text in the context of redemptive history and Christ Himself. Make a clear presentation of the law and the gospel. All of these things are important in the proclamation of God’s eternal truths.
There’s even the science of public speaking that plays a role. A preacher has to be able to speak in a clear, audible voice. He should vary tone and sentence length. It helps to be a little funny, but not too much, and so on.
But what about the art of it? If you’ve listened to multiple preachers, you’ve probably encountered a sermon (or many) where the essential elements were there, but the sermon fell flat. The doctrine was sound, and the preacher got across the main idea of the text. He didn’t lose his place or have a meltdown in the middle of the sermon. But your heart wasn’t lifted or warmed to praise. It was mechanical, and not in a good way. Then there’s the really scary ones, where the combination of the preacher’s smile, silky voice, piercing eyes, and winsome humor initially captivated you until you got that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, the same feeling you get right before someone pitches a pyramid scheme. There the art of preaching is replaced by the art of the con.
The real art of preaching is God’s work. When God moves, it doesn’t matter if it’s Charles Spurgeon or Balaam’s donkey. The subject of effectual calling should remind every pastor that it’s really up to God whether or not sinners are saved when they preach. It could be the most eloquent, elegant sermon in the 2,000 years of Christ’s church, and no lives will be eternally changed if God doesn’t attend the preaching and apply it to the heart. On the flip side, it could be the worst sermon of a minister’s life, and someone could get saved if God sees fit to use it. Most seasoned preachers can testify to the reality of both.
The human responsibility side of this art is “getting out of the way.” The preacher’s job is to clearly present and exalt the truths of Scripture, especially in terms of how they connect to Christ and the Gospel. All of his education, study, meditation, and other preparation should serve this end, this telos. It’s tempting for a preacher to exalt himself in the preaching, especially indirectly. Many sermons have a subtext of “Look at how many theologians I can quote and how good I am with words.” I say this self-consciously as a preacher that quotes a lot to avoid accidental plagiarism. A preacher should remember to forget himself and consciously uphold Jesus. All his work should serve the goal of making God’s Word, Christ, and the Gospel clear, beautiful, and preeminent. The congregation should leave the sermon in awe of Jesus, not the preacher.
A key element in this is prayer. No matter how redundant it may feel, a pastor should be praying over sermon preparation. Pray before, pray during, pray after. As with other prayers, it does as much or more in us than it does for us. Praying petition reminds us of our dependence, our reliance upon God. Spurgeon attributed the success of his labors to the fact that his people prayed for him. My co-elder, the right reverend Eric “Shorty” Owens, has offered up the same prayer for me again and again on Sunday mornings. “Lord, hide your servant behind the cross.” Pray this for your pastor. If you’re a pastor, pray this for yourself. I pray for you, that you would master the art of getting out of the way.
Admittedly, such preaching will not likely earn much acclaim. Humble, meek, and lowly men are easily overlooked, even in the church. I’ve often meditated on the idea of reaching heaven and asking, “Who were the greatest preachers to have ever lived?” My guess is that if someone were to ask, the answer would largely be names we don’t know. Many of them likely served small churches in times and places where the gospel was “out of season.” They succeeded in getting out of the way and directing all the glory to Jesus. If that’s the “chief end of man” it should most certainly be the chief end of preaching.
This is key to preaching and evangelism, having a heart for God’s glory. Whether you’re preaching for thousands of people or sharing the gospel with a friend, strive to get out of the way. We don’t save people, Jesus saves people. May your feet be beautiful (Isa 52:7).
Chris Marley is the pastor of Miller Valley Baptist Church in Prescott, AZ. Chris has an M.Div. from Westminster Seminary California (from the Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies). He is the author of Scarlet and White.
