Desperate for Depth

I don't know if, like me, you are tired of what I call "skimmed milk sermons".

You know the sort? Flavourless, unsatisfyingly thin sermons that take a lot of time to say not very much, or what they do say is lacking in spiritual insight, theological depth or intellectual challenge.

Recently I once again had the misfortune to sit through just such a sermon, where we were subjected to a series of disjointed thoughts, tentatively strung together with a loose pattern of bible verses* and reaching a conclusion without structural support (or indeed (unkindly) the support of any sort of coherent thought process).

At one point I became so frustrated I turned to my wife and said "that simply isn't true" as the preacher made a mighty theological leap of supposition and landed, unsafely, on an island of his own construction surrounded by a sea of speculative interpretation.

I long for sermons which are the opposite of Skimmed Milk. Sermons of Springbok in a Port Wine Reduction. Meaty stuff that you can savour, put together with care and attention to detail, thoughts that will show you the depths of God's favour and glory - where each new nugget of truth wills you to explore the depths of His wonder again.

It doesn't have to be new stories - just retold with a modicum of understanding and insight.

If you are a friend reading this who is fortunate to go to a church where skilled pastors expound the Scriptures to teach you more of God - be grateful for what you have, and give glory to God. It's a rare thing.

Those of us desperate for depth say bring back preaching. Where have you been so long?


*The phrase "it's not me saying this; it's the bible" should be banned.