Some of my ministry colleagues and I were discussing preaching. One of them said he'd been listening to a conference address by famed church planter Mark Driscoll. See http://www.acts29network.org/sermon/preaching-the-mission--chicago-2008.
Among other things, Driscoll, when preaching, asks an "apologetic question" and a "missional question". The apologetic question is "why do we resist this truth?". It tries to anticipate the objections of sinful minds and hearts. The missional question is "why does this matter?", and connects the content of the sermon to a missional purpose for our lives, families,church, and ultimately God's glory. I really like these two questions. If the apologetic question is basically "why don't we naturally want to do this?", the answer is "because the world, the flesh & the devil war against the Spirit". It's a way to identify the personal, cultural/environmental and supernatural reasons why living God's way is difficult. And if the missional question is "what difference does it make", it gives us a way to explore the other side of the coin - how would things change if we did live God's way? How would it change us individuals, our families, churches, neighbourhoods, cities, countries, the world? And that makes us look forward to the new creation, too - only then will this difference be complete and eternal.
Well, that's my thoughts, anyway. Comments, anyone...?
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