DANGERS
In Fall ’83 issue of my favorite quarterly journal, Leadership there is an excellent short article by LeRoy Patterson on “Dangers in Illustrating Sermons.” In summary he says there are four dangerous kinds of illustrations: the superfluous story (the really good story that doesn’t fit, but gets worked into the sermon anyhow), the egocentric story (first- person accounts of the preacher’s own spiritual triumphs), the specious story (fiction presented as fact), and the manipulative story (tear-jerkers just for the sake of emotional manipulation). Patterson suggests the following helpful checklist: Is the story relevant? Does it contain unnecessary details? Will it contribute to the overall quality and clarity of the message? What is my motive in telling the story?
To view this resource, log in or sign up for a subscription plan
