Preaching Must Go

Reading Pete's comment to my previous post and the comments from a similar post over at Jesus Creed got me thinking about several things.

1. There's a difference between ministry and preaching. Ministry is a totally different and much larger enterprise than preaching - ministry may happen during the sermon (but I'd be willing to wager less than most people think), but it's clear that lots of ministry happens without sermons. If that's true, then why is the sermon the main center of most Sunday morning gatherings?

2. Here's an idea: lets separate the Sunday morning speaker(s), from the Senior Pastor. Why must the senior pastor be the main speaker, head pastor and CEO of the church? Why not separate those roles? (I know financial realities make that difficult, but just for fun let's dream). Imagine if the senior pastor's primary responsibility were to just be head minister (overseeing all church ministry) and leave the Sunday morning speaking/facilitating duties to someone else. Large company's have spokespeople because they know that the CEO isn't necessary the best person to speak in behalf of the organization.

3. As Pete pointed out, the goal is transformation. If so, then a one-man show on Sunday morning just doesn't work. A 30-minute monologue goes in one ear and out the other - even if the good-hearted preacher says he preaches to communicate God's word, the fact is that any type of lecture will be at cross purposes with that goal.

So why not try a panel discussion on Sunday morning. It can't be any worst than what's happening now.