As we planned worship services at Circle Church, many times we found secular sources to be especially effective. Scripted readings from the week’s newspaper columns dramatically amplified the dilemma of man. Phrases of contemporary writers poignantly displayed the despair felt in today’s world.
While preaching on the millennial reign of Christ and that eventual Utopia He will establish, the topic of mankind’s historic yearning for a perfect place was introduced by reading portions from a Time magazine editorial on Utopia which had appeared the preceding week. In fact, three members of the congregation who had read the preparation assignment in the bulletin had called to tell me about the editorial.
Since so much of our younger generation moves to the prevailing mood of music, even secular pieces can help to prepare a congregation for the theme of the sermon. A few phrases from Burt Bacharach’s “What the World Needs Now Is Love, Sweet Love,” played from a recording provided a perfect bridge to this sermon opening statement:
“My theme relates to the often-heard request of today’s world. Much of popular music is emphatically stating that the world is starved for love. My emphasis today is: ‘Christ repeatedly taught that His followers should demonstrate an attitude of love for others.’”
Of course, we much more regularly employed sacred music as a sermon introduction, including congregational hymns, choir, solos, etc. The general message of music used just before the message should be, “Having worshiped God, we are now anxious to hear Him speak to us. Let us open our understanding to His truth.”
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