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The truly great preachers have a curiosity to life. They want to see how things work. They want to look beneath the surface. They are concerned about more than just skimming the facts off the surface. They are not happy with prepackaged opinions or theological interpretations fed to them by radio shows, ecclesial organizations, or even their own traditions. They are forever asking the question “Why.”
I think that curiosity can be cultivated, but there is little help in the world for such endeavors. Today we are pushed to go to the experts for ready made answers to regurgitate to any who will listen to our ramblings.
But the preacher, the great ones, have a call towards their own interaction with God. Certainly it is informed by our ecclesial traditions. It is informed by but not totally guided by these things.
So how can a preacher cultivate this curisity? The preacher can begin by not just asking what the text says, but also what does the text not say? In fact what does the text refuse to say? What is written in between the lines of the text?
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