No other modern public speaker does what the preacher tries to do. The trial attorney has glossy photographs and bagged evidence to hand around; the teacher has blackboards and overhead projectors; the politician has brass bands and media consultants. All the preacher has is words, (Barbara Brown Taylor in The Preaching Life, 81).
JGO (Josh Graves Original)updated version of this quote.
No other modern public speaker does what the preacher, writer, teacher of Christianity tries to do. We cannot prove the very thing on which we've staked our lives--the ressurection of a teacher from Nazareth. We are preaching, writing, and teaching about something we cannot prove. Ever.
The trial attorney has CSI investigative techniques; the teacher has the internet, blogs, google, and Planet Earth; the politician has email, facebook, and Springsteen/George Jones. All the preacher, teacher, writer of Christian faith has is words. Of course those words are connected to the lives we lead. If we speak a word that betrays our life, we speak a word we do not own, to paraphrase Augustine. But, in the moment of truth, all we have are words.
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A new semester begins today at Rochester College. It's a good day.
Please wait one moment . . .
About the Book (The Feast)
About Me
- Josh Graves
- Nashville, TN, United States
- I'm the best friend of Kara, father of Lucas, minister, author (The Feast), life-long Piston fan . . . I am the Preaching and Teaching Minister for the Otter Creek Church (Nashville) and I am working on a doctorate degree (second year) at Columbia Seminary studying the relationship of postmodernism and Christianity.
Some of Josh's Published Work (essays, books, articles, reviews)
Links
- Barbara Brown Taylor
- Brian D. McLaren
- Bronx Fellowship of Christ
- Chris Lindsey
- Columbia Seminary
- Donald Miller
- Doug Sanders
- Dry Bones--Denver
- Duke Chapel
- Focus: HOPE
- Greg Boyd
- Greg Stevenson
- Greg Taylor
- Jason Steckel
- Jesus Creed
- Jinja Mission Team
- John Mark Hicks
- John York
- Jonathan Storment
- Josh Ross
- Kara Graves (My wife and best friend)
- Kibo Group
- Larry James Urban Daily
- Lauren Winner
- Lee Camp
- Luke Norsworthy
- Mark and Lori Manry
- Mark Love (Missional Church)
- Mike Cope
- My Twitter Page
- New Wineskins Magazine
- Otter Creek Church
- Patrick Mead
- Randy Speck
- Rochester Church
- Rochester College
- Rubel Shelly
- Sean Palmer
- Stockman Family
- The One Campaign
- TOKENS (Lee Camp and the Arts)
- Wade Hodges
- Walter Surdacki
- Will Willimon
Blog Archive
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2009
(125)
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January
(24)
- Talking to a Cop About Healing
- What's In a Name? Lucas . . .
- Confessions of a (Former) Dr. Pepper Addict
- ZOE Fresno
- Explaining Yourself
- Blazing a Third Way
- How to be Anti-Intellectual
- Hope: Christianity and America
- MLK Day
- Friendship
- Blogging: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
- Calling
- Film
- Say What?
- Wilderness
- Dancing with Both Legs (Part Two with Brueggemann)
- Dancing with Both Legs
- LORD SAVE US FROM YOUR FOLLOWERS
- Paul and Imagination
- Detroit
- Acedia, Movies, and Keeping Sabbath
- Words
- <!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 ...
- Is Christianity Good for You?
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January
(24)
6 comments:
Very good choice of colors and theme! Great blog! Check out my blog for a free internet speed test. All comments appreciated! Links too!
My Free Internet Speed Test Blog
I'd wish you luck - but you don't need it. Go with God Josh.
~ E
have fun without your culture and evangelism students in your classes this semester :) - i'm really going to miss that class.
of all the books my parents could have picked from my amazon wish list, they picked "the preaching life" -- i'm looking forward to it.
Eli--loved that quote Sunday. Religion is for those who are afraid of hell. Spirituality is for those who've already been there. You're an encouragement to me.
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Courtney, I will miss the class greatly. It's one of my favorite teaching experiences of the last five years! Can't wait to hear what you think about BBT.
mbrerenis,
I'll check out your blog. Thanks.
Words are very powerful! Words can manipulate, words can convince, and words can help us see things in fresh ways. BBT is an author who has mastered the usage of words (in my opinion).
You know one of the things I think about as I prepare for speaking on Sundays, is not only, “how are my words consistent with the life I lead”, but how do I make my words consistent with the experiences of my listeners. When I sit down to craft a sermon, my words are chosen through the images of the faces in the congregation I serve at. I ask questions like: How will I touch them, what will be of no interest to them (there are a lot of things in scripture I would love to hear a preacher talk about, but it may not necessarily be what I think this congregation needs to hear)?
And the neat thing about the whole preaching experience and trying to find the best words or illustrations is that I know if God were not involved, I would be a babbling idiot; if the Spirit did not intercede, I would be unemployed.
By the way, Peace be with you as you begin another semester.
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