{"id":1932,"date":"2022-09-26T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-26T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/pastors\/2022\/09\/26\/strategies-preaching-polarized-sermons-bridge-division\/"},"modified":"2025-10-09T16:39:53","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T16:39:53","slug":"strategies-preaching-polarized-sermons-bridge-division","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/pastors\/content\/strategies-preaching-polarized-sermons-bridge-division\/","title":{"rendered":"Strategies for Preaching to the Polarized"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As I was working out at a local gym, my attention was drawn to the TV that hung from the ceiling. News anchors I didn\u2019t know from a channel I hardly watched made talking points I didn\u2019t understand about issues of which I was only vaguely aware. I feel like I don\u2019t even know the world I\u2019m living in anymore<\/em>, I thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This unnerving feeling also comes up in ministry. Sometimes I wonder, Do I even know the congregation I\u2019m pastoring anymore?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With all the political polarization, lingering resentments over how a church handled mask requirements, people taking sides regarding COVID-19 vaccination, and issues tied to deep pain like mass shootings, abortion, or race, we are pastoring communities in an ongoing state of elevated tension. These current realities layer atop the normal complications pastors face as we preach to congregations made up of different generations, political views, theological backgrounds, and relationships with Jesus (from committed Christians to spiritual seekers to those contemplating deconstruction).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a struggle to preach across so many divisions and differences. Recently, during sermon preparation, I was so distracted by all the opinions and arguments of the day that it felt like I was developing my message inside a hall of mirrors filled with fog while riding a Tilt-A-Whirl! Hyperbole aside, I came away with little confidence in the sermon I\u2019d cobbled together, and I felt further challenged by the reality that I had to actually love those I preached to. I thought of pastor John Ames\u2019s line in Marilynne Robinson\u2019s novel Gilead: \u201cProphets love the people they chastise.\u201d I felt chastened myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As pastors, we face a tremendous challenge today: How can we preach effectively in our \ncontentious moment, often to divided and polarized congregations?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sermons That Build Bridges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the city where I pastor, a mile-wide river runs through the middle of downtown. Because several bridges span the river, we\u2019ve incorporated one of the more iconic bridges into our church logo. When our congregation feels divided, leaving me confused about how to go forward in a sermon, I try to remember that image is more than a logo. It represents the preacher\u2019s calling: to build on the bridge Christ has built to us, across a separation far<\/em> more than a mile wide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a few ways I\u2019ve been helped in preparing and preaching sermons that seek to bridge divisions in my congregation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Develop a preaching team of rivals.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A famous book about Abraham Lincoln\u2019s \u201cteam of rivals\u201d refers to the people Lincoln assembled around him\u2014including those antagonistic to him\u2014to make his decisions and our divided country stronger. Developing a similar sort of team has been one of the most significant practices for improving the quality of preaching at our church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many years, we had a regular small meeting to debrief our sermons. But church growth and changes in staff created an opportunity to think afresh about the purpose of the meetings and who\u2019d be best to participate on the debrief team. Over several years, we\u2019ve built a team of nine: a mix of church staff and volunteers, men and women, young and old, experienced preachers and those who will never preach. We\u2019re all very different, but we share a love for orthodoxy and a commitment to our church\u2019s mission statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team members grab a sermon manuscript when they arrive on Sunday mornings so they have an easy place to write notes. (And yes, sometimes they even use a literal if not metaphorical red pen.) Then we meet together every Monday at noon to discuss the previous day\u2019s sermon and plan for the upcoming one.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t5 Books for Reaching Diverse and Divided Congregations\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t

\n\t\t\t\tCompiled by Kelli B. Trujillo\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

I would not consider the team \u201crivals\u201d in the sense that any of us desire to be antagonistic or contrarian. But it is<\/em> a group intentionally comprised of diverse perspectives, and candid feedback is encouraged. Together we work for the good of each other and the good of God\u2019s Word preached among his people. Typically, we discuss what went well in the sermon and what was confusing or even unhelpful. We touch on all the major questions about rightly dividing the Word, gospel clarity, quality of illustrations and applications, as well as tone, gestures, mannerisms, and so on. We also at times consider how diverse groups within our church might hear a particularly thorny or sensitive topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, recently a Scripture passage lent itself toward comments about race. One of our associate pastors was preaching that week, and he sensed his remarks could be contentious. So during his sermon preparation, he sought my feedback, pulling me aside to go over his application points. Perhaps because of my own blind spots and perhaps because I didn\u2019t listen closely enough, I missed anticipating how his words could be misunderstood by a few in our church. Rest assured that when we debriefed the sermon, the preaching team did not<\/em> let us miss our mistake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We all have blind spots. A preaching \u201cteam of rivals\u201d is like having a sophisticated system of cameras around your car when you park in reverse. The team gives me the blessing of seeing what I can\u2019t, and over time, my preaching instincts become refined even while my perspective enlarges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can be hard emotionally to prepare for Monday\u2019s feedback. Sometimes receiving it requires more humility from me in the moment than I have to offer. Some weeks my heart just wants to hear \u201cYou\u2019re a great preacher\u201d and not \u201cYou spoke too fast in the introduction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But alas, I must remember that, while painful, growing in awareness of my blind spots and hearing from different perspectives make me a better preacher and our church a better church. As the wise saying goes, \u201cWounds from a friend can be trusted\u201d (Prov. 27:6).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lean on expositional preaching (and keep a topical list of your church\u2019s biggest divides nearby).<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I am not against topical preaching\u2014in fact, I often preach a few topical series each year. But I\u2019ve found that the regular practice of preaching expositional series through books of the Bible is more helpful in our divided age than topical sermons. There are many reasons for this, but one in particular is that an expositional preaching series through a book of the Bible requires less of an explanation\u2014an apologetic, if you will\u2014for why a pastor did or did not cover a certain topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a topical series that a pastor or pastoral team has chosen, we implicitly give our people the impression we think they need to hear these topics and they need to hear them right now<\/em>. Our assessment may be true, of course, but this approach can potentially feel more confrontational to listeners than needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People \u201chave ears to hear\u201d more often when they don\u2019t sense the subtext of the sermon series is \u201cI don\u2019t think you\u2019re very good at this, so I\u2019m telling you now.\u201d Instead, applications are often received with warmer hearts (especially on controversial issues) when there is the sense that \u201cGod just so happened to have us focus on this passage this morning when such and such is happening in our country, so let\u2019s talk about it.\u201d Approaching controversial matters via expositional preaching (rather than topical preaching) tends to neutralize polarizations by gathering potentially divided listeners on the common ground of esteem for the Word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are times, however, when as pastors we do<\/em> want our churches to feel the sting. For example, this fall we\u2019re preaching through one of the longer topical sermon series we\u2019ve ever done\u2014focused on the purpose and beauty of the local church. And yes, in a sense, we are emphasizing that our leaders chose this topical series, among the infinite number of possibilities, because we think our people have underdeveloped ecclesiology. (Ask me at Christmas how it went.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some criticisms of expository preaching are a perceived lack of relevance and immediacy and the tendency to gravitate toward merely pietistic applications (like \u201cread your Bible more,\u201d \u201cpray more,\u201d \u201clove God more,\u201d and so on). I once received feedback from our elders that my preaching tended to stop short of preparing our people for why God breathed Scripture: \u201cteaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work\u201d (2 Tim. 3:16\u201317). Thoroughly equipping people for every good work requires sermons that prepare them for more than just what they can do on Sunday mornings or during their personal devotional times.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Article<\/a><\/span><\/div>\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tWhy Suffering Belongs in Our Sermons\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t

\n\t\t\t\tInterview by Angie Ward\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

An approach that has helped me change was to make a topical list of the sins, struggles, and divisions I perceived among our sheep. I typed out the list and asked other thoughtful believers and staff members to add to it. I consult the list often in sermon preparation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having a list like this front of mind during sermon preparation will not change the exegesis of the biblical text. But having the proper exegesis of one\u2019s audience<\/em> at the ready helps preachers connect congregants\u2019 particular struggles with God\u2019s particular grace. I can\u2019t tell you how many times this kind of congregationally aware expositional preaching has helped me address the controversial topics of our moment in a way that listeners could receive them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take controversial stands when it\u2019s costly, not when you\u2019ll get applause.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When I feel compelled to flip a proverbial table, I try to remember that Christ did so rarely\u2014and he often did it when it cost him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I confess that it confuses me when I see preachers take a \u201cbold\u201d and \u201ccourageous\u201d stance on a controversial issue and the predominant response from their listeners is applause. In contrast, the boldness of John the Baptist earned him the only pulpit that would have him: the wilderness. The courage of Christ led to the cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does it really mean to be bold? How should we consider when and how and why to take a stand on a tough issue in a sermon?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I find it helpful to examine the pastoring Jesus modeled in the letters to the churches in Revelation. The pastoring is so specific to each church and their moment, both in what Jesus praises and in what he challenges. The same church that hears \u201cI know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people\u201d also hears \u201cYet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first\u201d (Rev. 2:2, 4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More to the point, the bold and courageous challenge that the church in Ephesus received was to them<\/em> and for them<\/em>. Jesus did not say, \u201cChurch in Ephesus, there is a church just down the road in Pergamum committing sexual immorality and holding to false teaching.\u201d Instead, Jesus raised those<\/em> issues with that<\/em> church (Rev. 2:14\u201315).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To be clear, I\u2019m not saying the way we choose the right hills to die on is by choosing only those hills on which we might actually die. As preachers, we follow the Spirit and the Word where they lead. But when there is an opportunity to make a pointed sermon application, we ought to address the one that will challenge our congregations rather than pander to them\u2014while always remembering that loving to chastise people is not the same as loving the people you chastise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A place certainly exists for helping church members think biblically about the ills of society; it is one part of discipleship. But I\u2019m learning it is relatively easy to preach about the sins of culture and of those not in my congregation. It can even be intoxicating. In contrast, when church members hear the Word preached to them<\/em>, repent of their<\/em> sins (and not their neighbors\u2019 sins), believe the gospel afresh together, receive assurance of God\u2019s forgiveness, and ask for the Spirit\u2019s empowerment to walk in newness of life, these regular practices make a church a unified church. In our divided moment, I\u2019ve experienced that the members who repent and believe together stay together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rest in the power of the Word and the Spirit.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A friend in our church was a New York City police officer in the 1980s when the crime rate was extremely high. The murder rate, for example, was four times higher than today. He tells me the experience continually reminded him of two things: not only that he had a role to play in bettering the city, but also that he could not be the ultimate solution. The problems were too big for any one officer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I assume that, like crime rates in NYC, the macro-division pastors feel in our congregations will ebb and flow for reasons well outside the control of any one pastor in any one church. So I try to remember these same truths. Our sermons have a vital role to play in building on the gospel bridge Christ has built. But if, in the process of preaching, we feel as the apostle Paul once felt\u2014\u201cWho is equal to such a task?\u201d (2 Cor. 2:16)\u2014we must take comfort where Paul took comfort: Our competence comes from God who makes us ministers of a new covenant. For the Spirit still gives life, even in\u2014and maybe especially<\/em> in\u2014our divided age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benjamin Vrbicek is the lead pastor at Community Evangelical Free Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the managing editor for Gospel-Centered Discipleship, and the author of several books.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tJon Tyson: \u2018Run into the Controversy\u2019\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t

\n\t\t\t\tInterview by Kelli B. Trujillo\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

This article is a part of our fall CT Pastors issue. You can find the full issue here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As I was working out at a local gym, my attention was drawn to the TV that hung from the ceiling. News anchors I didn\u2019t know from a channel I hardly watched made talking points I didn\u2019t understand about issues of which I was only vaguely aware. I feel like I don\u2019t even know the Read more…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":1933,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"tax_ctp_authors":[894],"tax_ctp_books":[],"tax_ctp_categories":[165],"tax_ctp_field_guide_subcategory":[],"tax_ctp_field_guides":[],"tax_ctp_format":[131],"tax_ctp_multimedia":[],"tax_ctp_point_editor":[153],"tax_publications":[179,182,140],"tax_ctp_tags":[3601,3666,3709,4660,4688],"tax_ctp_topics":[],"class_list":["post-1932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tax_ctp_authors-benjamin-vrbicek","tax_publications-2022-ct-pastors","tax_publications-all-things-new_2022-ct-pastors","tax_publications-ct-pastors","tax_ctp_tags-church","tax_ctp_tags-conflict","tax_ctp_tags-covid-19","tax_ctp_tags-politics","tax_ctp_tags-preaching"],"acf":{"scripture_references":null},"yoast_head":"\nStrategies for Preaching to the Polarized - CT Pastors<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How can our sermons bridge the division of our contentious moment?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/pastors\/content\/strategies-preaching-polarized-sermons-bridge-division\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Strategies for Preaching to the Polarized - CT Pastors\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How can our sermons bridge the division of our contentious moment?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/pastors\/content\/strategies-preaching-polarized-sermons-bridge-division\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CT Pastors\" \/>\n<meta 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