Skip to content

Soul Preaching

Menu
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Popular Updates
    • Preaching Methods
    • Homiletic Theory
    • Sermon Construction
    • Exegesis
    • Feature Articles
  • SUBSCRIBE
Menu

Looking at the “Insignificant” Parts of the Text

Posted on September 23, 2012

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

People expect preachers to read, understand, and preach from the text of scripture. In some of our ecclesial and ethnic traditions we are expected to powerfully “tell the story” as we have heard and understood it in the text. This is a call to preach both the unfamiliar as well as the familiar stories. You know the stories that we have heard on many occasions.

Preaching familiar stories, provide a benefit to both the preacher and the people. The people already know the story that you are seeking to proclaim. In addition, the preacher does not have to go looking in obscure sections of the Bible for something to preach. In addition as Bishop Rudolh Mckissick wrotes: it will “increase [the people’s] comfort as they listen to you.”

The New Spin

But if we are to preach familiar stories, we must listen to Mckissick and attempt to “give the ‘old text’ a ‘new spin.'” That is not to say, make up something, but find something dormant in the text that needs unearthing.

Eugene Lowry, in the book The Homiletical Plot writes about how to find this “new spin.” Lowry suggests that preachers “Attend to every ‘insignificant’ line.” He is telling preachers that when they preach the familiar stories, don’t immediately jump towards the features of the text that you have heard preached repeatedly. Instead, go to those aspects that might otherwise be considered “insignificant.” Look at the text very closely. Look at every word. Often the preacher can discover an important sermon from looking more closely at the text.

I must repeat that I am not talking about pulling words out of context and building a sermon based on that misunderstanding of the text. I am talking about looking deeply at the text and finding aspects of the text that have not been explored as much.

“Insignificant” Details Make Significant Points

Lowry gives the example of Nicodemus coming to Jesus “by night.” I admit that I have heard preachers build sermons on this feature of the text, but it does serve to demonstrate that small features of the text that might otherwise be considered insignificant can be very important and even guide a sermon.

Great preaching is not merely reading for surface, but it includes looking deeply at even those aspects that seem insignificant. If the Bible writer chose to put it in the narrative, then it is truly worthy of exploration.

My fellow preachers. It is in the details where we find very important features that can strengthen our sermons immensely. Look at these details in your attempt to give that “new spin” to an “old text.”

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates.

Related posts:

Nommo – Creative Power of the Word Default ThumbnailKerygma and Didache Default ThumbnailProphetic Preaching Default ThumbnailAuthenticity and Preaching

7 thoughts on “Looking at the “Insignificant” Parts of the Text”

  1. scott says:
    September 24, 2012 at 1:52 pm

    Hello; I think that is a very good point, I also think today that preachers should also preach on the whole gospel and not just love. JESUS preached on Hell more than he did HEAVEN. I think that people dont want to hear about the concequence of sin they just want to hear about Heaven, Church people that is, but the people in this world that need to know JESUS as their SAVIOUR need desperetley to hear the whole truth. Conviction brings repentance and repentance brings ya to salvation. I just thought that I needed to post that, sorry if it’s kinda off the subject. May GOD THE FATHER BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE THAT READS THIS. Have a GREAT DAY.

  2. Tyrone Leonard says:
    September 25, 2012 at 4:19 pm

    I totally agree, looking beyond the surface of the text definitely bring out new insight. If we are careful a lot of the commonly preached scriptures are not the correct interpretation. I thank God for Soul preaching.com.

  3. Kim says:
    September 25, 2012 at 6:03 pm

    I appreciate your site. It helps me to develop in so many aspects.

  4. Minister Samuel Andrews says:
    September 25, 2012 at 9:14 pm

    Greetings Bro. Cox
    A very significant point you made, holds true to every line and precept “we must experience the text by engaging our senses”. this my brothers and sisters will ultimately make our sermons “Christ Centered”. Seeing Christ is not an option, it is essential.
    Example: We all often heard the story of David and Goliath, with the implications that we too can defeat the giants in own own lives. The problem with this type of preaching is that it leads the audience to believe that it is something that “we can do”, which points to us as opposed to Christ. The sermon should always point to Christ and His finished work on the Cross John 19:30. The victory in David’s life was a foreshadow of Christ and how He alone have already defeated the giants of life,He has already overcome the world, death, hell and the grave. No matter what we attempt to preach, if we don’t preach the finished work of Christ….the significant will remain insignificant and people will walk away with no means of cofidence or application. The word of God is to tranform lives thru application and not just story telling…..finding Christ and what He has already done, will accomplish the will of God in all our lives..because that is what truth does in application. When we understand what Christ did, who he did it for and how it relates to current events…we move our people from milk to meat and position Christ to be fully effective in our lives.

  5. Valerie Robinson says:
    September 26, 2012 at 5:43 pm

    That’New Spin’ should include taking the Scriptural text as it is stated and then as preachers expound on its meaning and then relate its meaning into our World and Society today. I agree, that people are looking for how the Biblical scripture apply to them personally with their existing life problems, circumstances and or present living conditions. Plus, we as Christians and preachers have to remember that Christ death as a sacrifice bought us closer to have that intimate relationship with our Father as it was intended from that very ‘beginning’..Genesis. I believe that as preachers we have to feed the flock based on what their Christ-ian development can hold..feed milk and watch growth.hopefully.

  6. Kristin Patrick says:
    November 11, 2012 at 8:24 pm

    This is a very good article because it is so true how many preachers mention the parts of a text that is familiar. I also believe that the insignifant parts can provide knew dimensions or revelations to not only the preacher but the people listing. The fine details make any story interesting especially when we get to talking about the great miracles that Jesus was able to perform. How old he was when he began His ministry. Toward the end you mention how in the details we can find very important features that can strengthen our sermons immensely. This is an awesome preaching tip!

  7. Evang. P. Bacon says:
    January 10, 2013 at 5:44 pm

    This has been so helpful to me and I am so excited that the Lord allowed me to come across this and I can’t seem to break away from it. I will be using this on a regularly basis. The article was so helpful. We as Preachers should always just preach the word of God and allow God to do the rest. But your website is a valuable tool to have that will help to furnish important information related to the word and to feed us bread from heaven. Its so important to have a sermon well put together that will pierce the hearts of all mankind and point them to Jesus… his death, burial & ressurection.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recent Posts

  • Stop Sleeping In The Pulpit
  • Thou Shalt Have Good News
  • The Answer Is In The Records
  • Just Keep the Ball In Play
  • The Importance of Good News
  • Preaching Advent With Imagination
  • Why The Thorn

Free Email Training

Sign up for the New Preaching TIPS Email Newsletter. You will recieve 5-7 emails a week.

Click Here

Revised Common Lectionary

    Instagram

    shermancox

    Instagram post 18041906996079829 Instagram post 18041906996079829
    Instagram post 17910296783919000 Instagram post 17910296783919000
    Instagram post 18035493148903548 Instagram post 18035493148903548
    Instagram post 17887097775081541 Instagram post 17887097775081541
    #smule #smuleduet #easylikesundaymorning #smule #smuleduet #easylikesundaymorning
    I feel Good #smule #smuleglobal I feel Good #smule #smuleglobal
    Instagram post 18087447073438590 Instagram post 18087447073438590
    Instagram post 17851233018147535 Instagram post 17851233018147535
    Instagram post 17907649217946063 Instagram post 17907649217946063
    Intro to prayer Intro to prayer
    Instagram post 17982108473571505 Instagram post 17982108473571505
    Instagram post 18030258256647195 Instagram post 18030258256647195
    Instagram post 18128574130309862 Instagram post 18128574130309862
    Instagram post 18388873843007811 Instagram post 18388873843007811
    What’s on the wall when I’m singing? What’s on the wall when I’m singing?
    How bout some blues harp. With a blues guitarist. How bout some blues harp. With a blues guitarist.
    Goodness of God cover. Goodness of God cover.
    Instagram post 18229306630087412 Instagram post 18229306630087412
    Instagram post 17972316937910455 Instagram post 17972316937910455
    Logged into lose it and it said Logged into lose it and it said
    Load More Follow on Instagram

    Recent Posts

    • Stop Sleeping In The Pulpit
    • Thou Shalt Have Good News
    • The Answer Is In The Records
    • Just Keep the Ball In Play
    • The Importance of Good News

    Archives

    • September 2024
    • March 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • October 2023
    • January 2020
    • December 2019
    • October 2019
    • September 2019
    • March 2019
    • August 2018
    • June 2018
    • January 2018
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • April 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2017
    • January 2017
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • October 2016
    • July 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2016
    • April 2016
    • March 2016
    • February 2016
    • January 2016
    • November 2015
    • October 2015
    • September 2015
    • August 2015
    • July 2015
    • June 2015
    • May 2015
    • April 2015
    • March 2015
    • January 2015
    • November 2014
    • September 2014
    • August 2014
    • July 2014
    • June 2014
    • May 2014
    • April 2014
    • March 2014
    • February 2014
    • January 2014
    • November 2013
    • October 2013
    • September 2013
    • July 2013
    • June 2013
    • May 2013
    • April 2013
    • March 2013
    • December 2012
    • September 2012
    • August 2012
    • July 2012
    • June 2012
    • May 2012
    • April 2012
    • February 2012
    • January 2012
    • November 2011
    • October 2011
    • September 2011
    • August 2011
    • July 2011
    • June 2011
    • May 2011
    • April 2011
    • March 2011
    • February 2011
    • January 2011
    • December 2010
    • November 2010
    • October 2010
    • September 2010
    • August 2010
    • July 2010
    • June 2010
    • April 2010
    • March 2010
    • February 2010
    • January 2010
    • December 2009
    • November 2009
    • October 2009
    • September 2009
    • August 2009
    • July 2009
    • June 2009
    • May 2009
    • April 2009
    • March 2009
    • February 2009
    • January 2009
    • December 2008
    • November 2008
    • October 2008
    • September 2008
    • August 2008
    • July 2008
    • June 2008
    • May 2008
    • April 2008
    • March 2008
    • February 2008
    • January 2008
    • December 2007
    • November 2007
    • October 2007
    • September 2007
    • August 2007
    • July 2007
    • June 2007
    • May 2007
    • April 2007
    • March 2007
    • February 2007
    • January 2007
    • December 2006
    • November 2006
    • October 2006
    • September 2006

    Categories

    • 11Cartoons
    • 11Fiction
    • 11Instruction
    • Associate Ministry
    • Audio
    • Basic Preaching
    • Bible Study
    • Black Church
    • Black Preaching Style
    • blog
    • Book of the Month
    • Book Reviews
    • Devotional
    • Exegesis
    • Feature Articles
    • feedburner
    • Fixing the Sermon
    • Funeral
    • General
    • Gospel Music
    • Headline
    • History
    • Homiletic Theory
    • Issues
    • MiniBlog
    • Ministry
    • Negro Spirituals
    • Planning
    • Podcast
    • Practice
    • Prayer
    • Preaching
    • Preaching Methods
    • Preaching Style
    • Premium
    • Questions and Answers
    • racism
    • Scripture Selection
    • Sermon Analysis
    • Sermon Construction
    • Sermon Craft
    • Sermon Editing
    • Sermon Outline
    • Sermons
    • Software
    • Theology
    • Titles
    • Uncategorized
    • Video
    • Web Ministry
    • WebSeminar
    • Whooping
    • Without Notes
    ©2025 Soul Preaching | Design: Newspaperly WordPress Theme