Why Is Preaching Such a Challenge?

In the last post I shared a story about J. Vernon McGee seeing children in South Africa playing marbles with diamonds. I implied that when we handle the Scripture we are handling something valuable, the equivalent of diamonds. In this post I am going to introduce a series of posts on the question, Why Is Preaching Such a Challenge?”why preaching is such a challenge in our modern day setting. I will be expanding on some of the thoughts in J. Kent Edwards book, Deep Preaching.

A short time ago I hosted our three grandsons who live near us. It was to be a movie night. The movie? The latest in the Jurassic Park franchise, Jurassic Park rebirth. It starred Scarlett Johansen, the highest paid actor in Hollywood. As with all the special effects, these were outstanding. Here’s a quote from a review of the movie:

“Jurassic World: Rebirth” showcases a hybrid approach to special effects, combining state-of-the-art CGI with ingenious practical rigs to create immersive, high-stakes dinosaur action. While some critics noted flaws, the film demonstrates significant advancements in visual effects technology, particularly in water-based sequences and photorealistic creature design.

Millions of dollars were spent to make this film look realistic and terrifying. I found it interesting that my grandsons, 16, 14, and 12 years old, were not in the least bit awed by the spectacle on the screen. They are immune because they see so many productions with special effects.

The story line, too, was engaging, following the kind of narrative suggested for a good novel, Here is the recommended line for a great story:

The story arc for a novel is a structured framework that guides the narrative from beginning to end. It typically includes exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Each element plays a crucial role in creating a compelling and engaging story. Here’s a breakdown of the key components of a story arc:

The Challenge of Preaching

After they left I began thinking about what I had seen. Those three boys would be in church this coming Sunday. Their pastor was going to preach. How would he compete with that? What about you? If you are going to preach this week, know that your audience is conditioned by what they see on television and in the movies. Why is preaching such a challenge for the modern preacher? This is certainly one of the challenges.

Maybe you are using powerpoint (which came out in1987) or some images to enhance your message, but how do you grab peoples’ attention? How do you hold attention when they are used to the dynamic of the modern television and movies? Know that the people who come to hear you preach have been exposed to the very best that the communicators in Hollywood can provide.

Conclusion

I’m going to leave that thought hanging for the present. In the coming posts we’ll look at other challenges, and eventually get to the realities of how we can preach powerfully with the help of the Holy Spirit. Until the next post, don’t be discouraged by the things you compete with in modern entertainment. You see, no one’s life is going to change by seeing Jurassic World Reborn. It lacks spiritual power.

You, however hold before people a Word that is empowered by the Holy Spirit. This doesn’t mean that we can’t learn from modern entertainment, but we need to keep it in perspective.

Until next time…

May 12, 2026/by Bruce Ballast