Transactional Language and Preaching

Ron Rienstra of Fuller Theological Seminary had a post on his blog regarding two worship services that both were problematic for worship that all preachers should keep in mind. In this and the next post we will discuss these worship errors that Rienstra found.

The first problem was that the Christian life was totally framed within transational language. In this version we give God prayer, adoration, etc. And God gives us eternal life. It is only a short jump to God also giving us all the riches down here that many of the Prosperity preachers are presenting as the gospel.

Is this what the Christian life is? Do we do this and God does that? What does this mean to those who end up hurting? What does this say to the one who finds out about Cancer and the doctor says that only a miracle will save?

Rienstra states that “It’s salvation as understood by a community shaped by consumerist values.” The big question becomes what Can we as preachers do to change this “world” that we find ourselves in? In Short, we as preachers must call into question the consumerism that is at the foundation of our society rather than merely using it as some kind of sermon illustration.

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