Gardner-Webb University Digital Commons @ Gardner-Webb University Divinity Projects School of Divinity 2013 Maximizing the Sermonic Moment at Adaville Baptist Church of Spindale, North Carolina Calvin Ray Sayles Gardner-Webb University Follow this and additional works at:http://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/divinity_etd Part of theReligion Commons Recommended Citation Sayles, Calvin Ray, "Maximizing the Sermonic Moment at Adaville Baptist Church of Spindale, North Carolina" (2013).Divinity Projects.Paper 10. This Project is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Divinity at Digital Commons @ Gardner-Webb University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Divinity Projects by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Gardner-Webb University. For more information, please [email protected]. MAXIMIZING THE SERMONIC MOMENT AT ADAVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH OF SPINDALE, NORTH CAROLINA A PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE M. CHRISTOPHER WHITE SCHOOL OF DIVINITY GARDNER-WEBB UNIVERSITY BOILING SPRINGS, NORTH CAROLINA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY CALVIN R. SAYLES MAY 2013 i APPROVAL FORM MAXIMIZING THE SERMONIC MOMENT AT ADAVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH OF SPINDALE, NORTH CAROLINA CALVIN R. SAYLES Approved by: _______________________(Faculty Advisor) _______________________(Field Advisor) _______________________(D.Min. Director) Date: _____________ ii Copyright © by Calvin R. Sayles All rights reserved iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To my beloved wife Sandy, the second greatest gift of God, who taught me love. To my sons, Joshua and Nathanael, in whom I have found such joy, love, and respect. To Dr. Robert Canoy, my faculty advisor, and my many professors at Gardner-Webb University who shared not only their wisdom but their lives. To Dr. Guy Sayles, my peer supervisor, who met me at the intersection of kingdom and culture, and taught me it is a good place to live. To my co-workers in Christ at Adaville Baptist Church with whom I have shared laughter, tears, and abundant life. iv ABSTRACT The goal of this study was to present the most effective weekly sermon that is fresh, clear, interesting, relevant and life-changing for those that hear it. Congregational feedback was gathered over four weeks, through surveys, biometrics captured on film, and simultaneous sermon feedback. Adjustments, based on the feedback gathered during the first four weeks, were utilized in sermons during two additional weeks. The desired outcome was that the sermonic moment will be meaningful to the congregation, help them to internalize God‟s desires and expectations for His people, and contribute to the transformation of His children into Christ-likeness. v CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………….……………………….…..iv ABSTRACT……………………………….…………………………………………...v Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………1 PROJECT SETTING 2 MISSION OF ADAVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH 2 VISION OF ADAVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH 3 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM 3 PROJECT GOAL 3 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION………………………………………………...……...5 BIOMETRICS CAPTURED ON FILM 6 SIMULTANIOUS SERMON FEEDBACK 7 POST SERMON SURVEYS 7 SERMON EMPHASIS BY WEEK 9 3. BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION……………………….……10 PREACHING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT: DEFINITIONS 10 PREACHING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT: THE PROPHETS 11 PREACHING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT: DEFINITIONS 13 PREACHING IN THE GOSPELS: JESUS THE MASTER 13 TEACHER AND PREACHER WHAT IS A PARABLE AND WHY DID JESUS SPEAK IN 17 THEM? PREACHING IN THE BOOK OF ACTS 25 vi CONTENTS THE PREACHING OF PAUL 29 PREACHING IN CHURCH HISTORY 30 THE PREACHING OF JOHN CHRYSOSTOM 31 THE PREACHING OF AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO 33 THE PREACHING OF MARTIN LUTHER 35 THE PREACHING OF JOHN CALVIN 37 CONTEMPORARY COMMENTARY ON PREACHING 41 THEOLOGICAL RECONSTRUCTION 44 4. CRITICAL ANALYSIS….……………………………………………………...47 MODIFICATIONS FROM INITIAL PROJECT DESCRIPTION 48 EXPLANATION OF SERMON EFFECTIVENESS GRAPHS 53 ANALYSIS OF SERMONS BY WEEK: WEEK 1 55 ANALYSIS OF SERMONS BY WEEK: WEEK 2 60 ANALYSIS OF SERMONS BY WEEK: WEEK 3 67 ANALYSIS OF SERMONS BY WEEK: WEEK 4 71 ELEMENTS TO BE APPLIED IN THE FIFTH MESSAGE 75 ANALYSIS OF SERMONS BY WEEK: WEEK 5 77 5. CONCLUSION..……………………………………………………………........82 APPENDIX SERMON EFFECTIVENESS QUESTIONNAIRE …………………………....97 (BASELINE) SERMON EFFECTIVENESS POST SERMON ………………………….…..103 SURVEY (SHORT TERM MEMORY) vii CONTENTS SERMON EFFECTIVENESS POST SERMON ………………………………106 SURVEY (LONG TERM MEMORY) FORM TO DECLINE PARTICIPATION…………………………………….109 SERMON 1 (NARRATIVE) 9 SEPTEMBER 2012……………………….…110 SERMON EFFECTIVENESS GRAPH…………………………………….…115 WEEK 1: NARRATIVE SERMON SERMON 2 (EXPOSITORY) 16 SEPTEMBER 2012……………………..…116 SERMON EFFECTIVENESS GRAPH…………………………….…………119 WEEK 2: EXPOSITORY SERMON SERMON 3 (BIOGRAPHICAL) 23 SEPTEMBER 2012………………….…120 SERMON EFFECTIVENESS GRAPH…………………………………….…124 WEEK 3: BIOGRAPHICAL SERMON SERMON 4 (TOPICAL) 30 SEPTEMBER 2012………………………….…125 SERMON EFFECTIVENESS GRAPH………………………………………129 WEEK 4: TOPICAL SERMON SERMON 5 (NARRATIVE/BIOGRAPHICAL) …………………………….130 7 OCTOBER 2012 SERMON EFFECTIVENESS GRAPH……………………………………....135 WEEK 5: NARRATIVE/BIOGRAPHICAL A QUESTION BY QUESTION COMPARISON……………………….…..136 ACROSS FIVE SERMONS AND THE BASELINE SURVEY A POSITIONAL COMPARISON OF ALL QUESTIONS………………….150 BY WEEK A PERCENTAGE COMPARISON OF ALL QUESTIONS………………..151 BY WEEK AN EXAMPLE OF GRAPH WITH NUMERIC VALUES……………...…152 BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………………..………..153 viii CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS AND TABLES POSITION OF DIGITAL CAMERAS………………………………………6 MEASURING ENGAGEMENT…………………………………………….6 IDENTIFYING STRONG AND WEAK POINTS………………………….8 MATRIX OF SERMON STYLES AND SIGNIFICANT FACTORS………9 PREACHING USING THE THREE CIRCLE MODEL………………...…42 PREACHING USING THREE ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS………….….43 ix