​Listening to a Sermon
with an Open and Relational Heart

​"For decades, millions of Christians have been leaving church behind. Among those who have stayed, not only individuals, but entire congregations are rejecting traditions that fail to address the challenges of our contemporary world. They yearn, instead, for a profound relationship with the ever-present God who is loving, inclusive, persuasive, and uncontrolling. 

This rich and diverse collection of sermons, essays, and worship elements explores how to preach, teach, and practice Open, Relational, and Process theological perspectives in local faith communities. It is a powerful resource for pastors, ministers of worship arts, lay church leaders, professors of preaching, worship, and practical theology, and anyone seeking a deep understanding of God that aligns with the Bible, science, and inclusive love and justice for all life on Earth."

This book lives up to its description. It offers resources for all of us who seek a renewal of church life, guided by faith leaders and creative congregations. Many of us believe that open and relational (process) theologies can help. Preaching the Uncontrolling Love of God features 67 contributors and 73 contributions from clergy and lay authors who belong to a variety of congregations: large, small, and in-between. Many of them are Protestant Christians, but the contents of submissions are relevant to Christians of all communions: Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, African, Asian, Latin American, Pentecostal. I heartily recommend the book.

There is one essay that, to my mind, is missing and that concerns how laypeople, influenced by open and relational (process) theologies might listen to sermons in the spirit of open and relational theology: that is, with open and relational hearts. After all, a sermon is a process, and its 'success' depends on the active listening of those who hear the sermon as well as the content of the sermon and the style and mood of the giver. Moreover, it is not easy to be a pastor, a minister of worship arts, or even a theology professor in an age when millions of readers are leaving the church. How might we, as open and relational listeners, "listen" to a sermon in a generous, open and relational way? I offer twenty suggestions.

​- Jay McDaniel

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​Listening to a Sermon with 
an open and relational heart

20 Guidelines

A sermon is an event. The meaning of a sermon cannot be contained in a text. It is like the meaning of poem or a piece of music or a passage from the Bible. It includes how the sermon is received and interpreted by the listener and how it is presented.  As recipients receive a sermon, they are adding commentary and thus adding quiet sermons of their own, likewise events. Thus a sermon co-created or poly-created. It has no exact end. It is still becoming in the minds and hearts of listeners, and perhaps also in the mind and hear of the one who presents it. The preacher inevitably rethinks the sermon after presenting it, and this rethinking is part of the sermon. 

Open and relational (process) theology proposes that the universe as a whole consists of events, not things. A sermon is among the events, and thus a small moment in the cosmos. objectively immortal even after its immediacy passes away. It plants a seed. Open and relational (process) theologians trust that all events are unfolding within the heart and mind of an uncontrolling yet quietly effective Spirit of love, addressed in prayer as God. God is the deep Listening of the universe. A sermon is a kind of prayer into the Deep Listening. When a minister understands sermon as prayer, it feels authentic to human listeners, even if they are not sure of its meaning and even if they disagree with it. Here are twenty guidelines for listening to a sermon in an open and relational way.

1. Understand the Shared Responsibility in a Sermon: Know that the "success" of a sermon depends as much on you as the minister. Your listening, your reflection, your presence is part of what makes any sermon work.
2. Listen with Empathy: Understand that preaching is a human and vulnerable act. Be patient and forgiving of any blunders or missteps. Recognize the challenges of being a preacher, who, like anyone else, has good days and bad days. Always listen with gentle appreciation and love, understanding the effort and courage it takes to stand before a congregation and speak from the heart.
3. Listen to the Sermon Prayerfully: Listen to the sermon in a way that is undergirded by your own desire and intention to be open to the Spirit. Don't just listen for information or even for interesting ideas. Listen with the intention of being spiritually renewed.
4. Avoid the Need to Be Entertained: Shift your mindset from expecting to be entertained to being open to nudges from the living spirit of God. The purpose of a sermon is to provoke thought, reflection, and spiritual connection, not to please you as a spectacle might.
5. Listen for Mood: Pay attention to the emotional tone of the sermon, often conveyed through tone of voice. Listen for warmth, solemnity, urgency, or tranquility. Also listen for anxiety and insecurity. The mood may vary throughout the sermon but it part of the sermon. We can “feel the feelings” of others. This is part of our presence to the minister. The value of a sermon is as much in the mood of the preacher as in what she or he or they say.
6. Help Hear the Preacher into Speech: Listen actively to the best of our ability and let the preacher know it. Show that you are listening and processing the sermon through your body language and responses, which can help the preacher deliver their message more effectively.
7. Listen for Content: Focus on the ideas being presented. Are they inspiring and engaging? Listen for messages that challenge, stretch, and inspire you to think and grow spiritually. Be especially open to content that rings true to experience, tradition, reason, and scripture - with experience as primary. Don't leave your intellect at the door.
8. Listen for Musicality: Notice the cadence and rhythm of the sermon. Is there a harmonious flow that resonates with you internally, allowing you to "dance" with the words in your mind? Also, appreciate the beauty in the sermon, which can manifest through eloquent language, insightful messages, or the profound truth it delivers. Both musicality and beauty in preaching can elevate the spiritual experience, creating a deeper connection to the divine. The meaning of a sermon can lie in its musicality. Even if the words don't fit, there is beauty in the rhythm.
9. Listen for Context: Understand the cultural, historical, and personal context in which the sermon is delivered. This awareness can deepen your appreciation of its messages and help you see the broader implications of the preached words.
10. Listen for Practical Application: Focus on how the teachings can be applied in your daily life. This turns the sermon into a practical tool for personal growth and community improvement. Listen also for how the sermon might better enable you to help heal a broken world, responding to crises both local and global. 
11. Listen for Dialogical Openings: Notice whether the sermon invites conversation or contemplation. Does it pose questions or leave space for engagement? A sermon that encourages dialogue can stimulate deeper understanding and connection.
12. Listen with the Ears of Others: Try to understand how the sermon might be received by different individuals within and outside the congregation. Consider the diverse backgrounds and experiences that could influence their reception and interpretation of the message. This empathetic approach promotes inclusivity and a deeper communal connection.
13. Listen with a sense of the Broader Worship Experience: Acknowledge that the worship experience encompasses more than just the sermon. Elements such as music, prayers, communal participation, and even the setting can significantly shape the spiritual atmosphere. Recognizing that these components are often at the heart of the worship experience can help you appreciate the full spectrum of spiritual engagement offered during the service.
14. Listen for Magic Moments: Realize that you don't need to connect with the entire sermon to find value in it. Be on the lookout for those magic moments—specific phrases, simple ideas, or stories that resonate deeply. These can be gems of wisdom that speak to you personally.
15. Don't Worry Too Much About Truth or Falsehood: Understand that sermons can have meaning and value not simply because they are true or false, but because they contain lures for feeling and imagination. Recognize that no sermon is "absolutely" true, and perhaps none are "absolutely" false. Be open to the wisdom that cannot be rendered into logical propositions, allowing yourself to be moved and inspired in ways that transcend conventional preoccupations with unquestioned truth.
16. Know that you can Disagree: Understand that disagreeing with parts of a sermon can be just as enriching as agreement. Engaging with and reflecting on contrasting views can deepen your understanding and broaden your spiritual perspective.
17. Discuss the Sermon with Others Afterwards: Use the opportunity post-service to talk about the sermon with others. This can enhance your understanding, provide new insights, and encourage deeper community bonds.
18. Provide Feedback to the Preacher: Offering constructive feedback to the preacher helps refine their approach and acknowledges their role in your spiritual life. Sharing your thoughts—both positive and critical—supports their growth and the evolution of the worship experience.
19. Know that you, too, are writing a Sermon: Consider your internal response to the sermon as a "sermon" in its own right—an attempt to put thought, word, and feeling into a coherent response. This is your way of processing the sermon, an act of creative reflection that is just as important as the spoken sermon. Your response co-creates the sermon, making the experience interactive and deeply personal.​​
20. Trust in the Subtle Workings of the Spirit: Recognize that the Spirit’s influence through the sermon can be gradual and may work on both conscious and unconscious levels. The effects of a sermon can permeate your thoughts and actions over time, often in ways you may not immediately recognize.

These ways of engaging with a sermon should not be viewed as a strict checklist to be followed rigidly. Rather, they are lures for feeling, ideas for your consideration. 

Can sermons simply be rejected?

Yes, their content can be rejected wholesale, if needed. We live in an age when sermons cannot neglect the crises the world now faces: environmental, social, cultural. Forms of violence and hatred are very much alive in the world. If a sermon foments them, the sermon should be ignored or rejected. This need not mean you despise the messenger, but you reject the message. Not all sermons need to be about these crises; but no sermon should contribute to them. The Spirit can be at work in the rejection. The prophetic impulse includes saying "no" as well as "yes."

Is it Alright to sleep through a Sermon?

It's important to acknowledge that there will be times when listening attentively to a sermon is challenging. Distractions, personal concerns, fatigue, or a combination of these factors can impact our ability to engage fully. We can even sleep through a sermon. In these moments, the value of the sermon does not diminish, but our interaction with it might change.

Moreover, the preacher also plays a critical role in recognizing and being sensitive to the congregation's varying ability to engage. Preachers must be patient and understanding, realizing that sometimes they might not reach everyone as effectively as they hope. When congregants are unable to connect with the sermon, it might feel to the preacher like they are merely going through the motions.

However, even in these less-than-ideal circumstances, delivering the sermon still holds value. It can provide a sense of continuity and stability for the congregation, and sometimes, even when engagement seems low, the act of preaching can subtly support and comfort the listeners.

Thus, both the listeners and the preacher are part of a dynamic relationship within the worship experience. Each has their part to play, with flexibility and understanding, enhancing the spiritual journey for all involved. The goal is to foster an environment where every sermon, regardless of the immediate level of engagement, contributes positively to the communal and individual spiritual growth.

Is it Worth Listening To?

I realize in saying this that many people are leaving churches, not simply because sermons are boring, but because they can communicate image of God and life's meanings that are implausible, harmful, or repugnant. Many in the open and relational (process) movement join it because they are looking for, and finding, alternatives to just such images. "The Deconstruction of God" by Thomas Oord and Tripp Fuller show the many reasons why they leave, and how images of an omnipotent, controlling God, meanspirited to boot, can be part of the problem. To those drawn to open and relational (process) alternatives, the entire question of listening to a sermon may come down to: What is its content? Is it worth listening to? Number 5 above - Listen for Content - will be paramount and the others subservient if not irrelevant.

Still, it seems to me that we in the open and relational (process) movement have a responsibility to partner with those who think differently from us. This is John Cobb's point in the preface he writes for "Preaching the Uncontrolling Love of God." We must, he says, partner with our enemies, or love them. Ministers who preach authoritarian views of God are not exactly "enemies," but they can be hard to listen to. The problem is pronounced if they also preach offensive social teachings concerning sexuality, gender, or, increasingly, Christian nationalism. For many, understandably, the best option is not to listen generously, but to leave church altogether - at least that church. One value of "Preaching the Uncontrolling Love of God" is that it shows that there are alternative churches where the gospel preached is, in fact, good news not bad news. 

It is possible that the twenty guidelines above are only relevant in this setting. But I myself hear many a sermon that is neither open and relational nor offensive, and I want to learn from the sermon, listening for the magic moments, agreeing with some things and not with others, but wanting to help hear the minister into speech in a kindly way. I want to offer, as it were, an open and relational spirit.

We in the open and relational community believe that theology can be about spirit, too. It can be, as it were, pneumatology. I hope the guidelines above might give a sense for what a theology of preaching might look like, pneumatologically, when it is recognized that sermons belong to us all, and that our listening can be part of their beauty, even apart from questions of content, when linked with the larger whole of worship, music, prayer, liturgy, and service to the world.

- Jay McDaniel





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