TRANSFORMING THE STONE

TRANSFORMING THE STONE: Preaching Through Resistance to Change
Barbara K. Lundblad, author
(Nashville: Abingdon, 2001)

For some of us, prophetic preaching is a scary thing. And I suspect that for others, prophetic preaching is rushed into with too much enthusiasm. For all of us, eager or hesitant, Barbarta Lundblad has written a wonderful book. Five chapters, plus an introduction and a conclusion, offer seasoned and spiritual advice on preaching “transformation.” Because she chooses the word “transformation,” Lundblad points us to the purpose of ALL preaching. The wonder of the book is that Lundblad shows both the big picture of theory, and the little tricks that make it work.

The most important thing is stressed first: “For people of faith, transformation doesn’t happen: it is a gift from God.” (p. 13) Transformation is something to be excited about, and Lundblad both MAKES it exciting, and helps the preacher make it “good news.”

The first principle is that transformation is grounded in grace- it is a gift from God. God comes to us. Grace happens. But grace must be particularized. She quotes William Muehl, “Don’t talk to me about grace- show me grace!” But the reason for this is that the congregation needs to experience grace. This is a thought that has been working on me in more detail of late, and I intend to put a few thoughts together on it. But basically, the preacher needs to help the congregation see where God is at work and what God is doing. Both in the culture- local and larger- and in scripture, particulars abound for the preacher to work with.

Second, Lundblad asks the question, “Can preaching help people make the connection between God’s grace and the shaping of new communities?” (p. 49) Her first answer inspired a poem from me, “All Welcome.” She makes two helpful points: “For those who have known the tragic wounds of ostracism and oppression, God’s word of inclusion and blessing is the bottom line of preaching.” (p. 51) The second point is a follow up, continuing her theme of particularity: “Those who have felt the sting of exclusion need to hear God’s welcome in ways that honor and respect their particularities.” (p. 51) But then, Lundblad addresses resistance. She offers two possibilities for form: Moving from familiar to strange (p. 53-54), and moving from points of lesser resistance to greater. And she adds this possibility to both: the movement need not happen in one sermon, or in one series of sermons, or in a year of sermons. Finally, she reminds us to “reach out not only to the prodigal, but also to the older brother.” Name the particularities of tradition and scripture that are tried, true, and being kept.

This brings up her third point, “Testing What is Written in Stone.” She begins with a short but excellent discussion of Jesus’ hermeneutic (I have been looking for some time for an essay or even a book on the subject). To be more specific, she then offers a long series of questions from Christopher Morse. I made a note of this book, and I may want to at least look at it in a library: “Not Every Spirit: A Dogmatics of Christian Disbelief,” Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 1994) And once again, she reminds us, using the words of the parable, that old treasures are brought out, too. There are excellent suggestions and examples for bringing out both old and new.

Now the climb is more difficult, for the fourth point is “Hard Words.” She begins by reminding us that Jesus didn’t shy from hard words. She then points out that his words were not JUST critique, but “provocative alternative.” (p. 98) In follow up, she suggests that “stories can get through where statistics overwhelm” (p. 100), and she makes suggestions for finding the stories and the alternatives in your community.

The final chapter is really about congregational and community exegesis. The point is, “the hope is for transformation, not alienation” (p. 121)- what is the common ground, and how can you find it? In this chapter, she uses sexuality as a case study and provides numerous possibilities.

I particularly liked the many short sermons she offered as examples, but the whole book was like the best lectures we experienced at seminary- “very close to preaching.” She reminds us to read the text expectantly- and to be expectant in all of our ministry. Come to the text without notes, without commentaries, without other people’s sermons. Transformation, after all, begins with the possibility that God is going to do something we are not expecting.

George R. Pasley
August 5, 2002