As our nation is on the verge of inaugurating a new president, the country is deeply divided. There are many who have taken as truth that November’s presidential election was “stolen” and have committed or supported acts of insurrection in Washington D.C. Amid such turmoil, what is the role of pastoral leader? How shall we share God’s Word with our people in such a time? Is now the time to speak a prophetic word of God to our congregations or seek a path of unity and reconciliation? 

In the past few weeks I have seen many clergy members struggle with this question. We may feel the need to speak truth to power but how will our members respond? For those who serve in politically mixed congregations this is not an easy decision. Speaking out carries the cost of hateful emails and threats, not speaking means potentially compromising deeply held theological beliefs. For most pastors, this decision centered around their sermon and what they would preach. As a pastor, I am fully convinced and committed to homiletics, but I wonder sometimes about the importance and efficacy of the sermon.

What do we hope to accomplish through the prophetic sermon? What change do we expect to see as a result? Now while I fully support the prophetic sermon in situations of current events, a sermon on its own will not create transformation. The prophet Isaiah was given this exact instruction during his call:

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!” And he said, “Go and say to this people: ‘Keep listening, but do not comprehend; keep looking, but do not understand.’ Make the mind of this people dull, and stop their ears, and shut their eyes, so that they may not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and comprehend with their minds, and turn and be healed.”

Isaiah 6:8-10

God sent Isaiah to speak a message to God’s people they would not hear or respond to. In Isaiah’s case the people’s hearts had turned away from God and grown complacent. Today, we have been so deeply divided that people only listen to messages that confirm their own positions. As such, the prophetic sermon is a necessary but not sufficient step toward transformational change.

Build Your Team

If pastoral leaders truly want their congregations to be part of realizing the Beloved Community, they must do the deeper work of building a justice team in their congregation. A sermon on its own can be moving but is fleeting. When pastors work with lay leaders in the congregation to build a team of people committed to God’s justice in the world then progress toward lasting change will result. In addition, when a pastor has built a team of fellow leaders, they have the support to ward off the naysayers and voices of resistance. With a justice team in place, the prophetic sermon becomes the spiritual supplement to the ongoing work, rather than a one-off lightning rod event.

To build a justice team begins with conducting a listening campaign within the congregation. Leaders can connect one-on-one with their people to hear their experience, passion, and pain. From this process, leaders will discover others who are interested in the cause of God’s justice who can be invited into the process. It is empowering for pastors and congregations and it can make a world of difference! 

To learn more about how to conduct a listening campaign, build a justice team, or for clergy coaching, contact NOT DEAD YET!
The consultation is free, and we are ready to help you make a difference!