Preaching For A Decision: Interview With James Earl Massey

Massey: This becomes a problem, because in the whole range of the pastor's work, there will be times when we should deal with other important biblical concerns. That is why we pay close attention to the Christian year. Not every sermon will appear to be kerygmatic in the same sense, but all must be informed by the kerygma and by the realization that the kerygma must ultimately be served.

Preaching: But, as you acknowledge, Christian preaching — genuinely Christian preaching — cannot fail to be kerygmatic. The problem is that so much passes for Christian preaching these days which is, in reality, something else. The Christian preacher cannot escape Christ — and must come face to face with Him at every issue, and in every text.

Massey: Yes, we certainly cannot escape the kerygma. It has to inform us always. For instance, in dealing with Psalm 139 — that psalm is not explicitly Christo-centric, Christ is not explicitly mentioned — but it is theo-centric. Through that psalm, an individual has the opportunity to sense God's nearness to us. Those verses speak of us as "fearfully and wonderfully made," known by God within the secrecy of the womb. But this passage ultimately speaks of the love extended to us by God through Jesus Christ.

All preaching gets us ready for Christ, or introduces us to Christ, or helps us to expand our understanding of Christ and relate more readily to Him.

Preaching: Who have been the primary models who have helped you to develop your understanding of preaching?

Massey: There were three main models. One was my father, George W. Massey, Sr. My father influenced me because of his command of Scripture. He could quote Scripture at length — so well that if you quoted Scripture he could tell you where you were and join you in quoting it. So I learned from my father the importance of memorizing Scripture.

The second model was George Buttrick. He was a great stimulant at the level of outlining — learning how to let the Scripture unfold logically. He helped me to sense the mood in the text and then let the sermon be shaped by that mood. Buttrick also knew how to let the text shape the structure of the sermon, and serve the mood.

The third person who helped me was Howard Thurman, who modeled what I thought was an excellent devotional attitude toward God and toward the text as God's Word to us, so that the preacher becomes a worshipper along with the rest of the congregation. The preacher should not just say something to the congregation, but should respond to that pressure brought to bear upon himself or herself in the presence of God in the context of worship.

Preaching: What do you see as the future of preaching, viewed in light of the students you see day by day?

Massey: I discern on the part of my students a strong interest in sensing how to share Christ's Word with an aching generation. They are very much aware of the hunger of the human heart and of how little has really been done by a secular society to meet those needs.

Most of the students we now receive at the seminary are in their second careers. They are generally older than previous students; most are working, some have several degrees already. When they come to us, life has already prepared them to grapple with human need — much more so than the younger seminarians. The typical student of years ago came to seminary with a need to find out who they were. Today's student is more likely to have that settled, and so they have a strong sense of dedication to get about the business.

Preaching: You have taught and influenced thousands of preachers through your teaching, preaching, and writing. What is your word to your preaching colleagues — partners in the service of the Word?

Massey: Preaching as God intended it will never lose its power nor its reason for being. Human concern will shift with every generation, but God's means of addressing human need will never change. So, to find out how God has moved in history and to be open to follow that path is to remain relevant. Outside of that path, there is no relevance, even if there is, for a time, attractiveness.

The only path of success in God's eye is for us to follow what He has mandated for us to do. And that mandate, as spoken through His servant Paul, is to preach the Word, in season and out of season.