Ascetic X
Well-Known Member
Why is it that out of all the lecturers on science, history, politics, art, etc., it’s only Christian pastors who lace their speeches with requests for agreement or approval?
Every few paragraphs some preachers insert “and all God’s people said…” or “amen?” or “can I get an amen?”
Sometimes a pastor will say in the middle of a sermon, “there’s some good preaching going on right here!”
Can you imagine a college professor interrupting a lecture by saying, “and all my students said…” or “can I get a yes sir, you are correct?”
James Rosten on Quora states:
QUOTE
It is an affectation of culture going back to at least the 19th century revivalists.
In many churches where doctrine was preached, the adherents were aware that they had come out of, or were descended from others who had come out of, dogmatic churches that did not want your assent, they expected it.
Many of the evangelicals including people like Wesley, Whitefield, and the members of the English Baptist movement, that included the likes of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, had as their primary achievement the powers of persuasion.
A statement of “amen” from the congregation reinforced the message, and encouraged others not already persuaded to pay attention.
Over the years, preachers got into the bad habit of asking for the “amen” rather than just preaching a good message and allowing it to flow as a natural response.
The congregational response has therefore lost some of its “punch”. Preachers use, for better or for worse, certain methods of holding the attention and allegiance of a group of listeners.
END QUOTE
Every few paragraphs some preachers insert “and all God’s people said…” or “amen?” or “can I get an amen?”
Sometimes a pastor will say in the middle of a sermon, “there’s some good preaching going on right here!”
Can you imagine a college professor interrupting a lecture by saying, “and all my students said…” or “can I get a yes sir, you are correct?”
James Rosten on Quora states:
QUOTE
It is an affectation of culture going back to at least the 19th century revivalists.
In many churches where doctrine was preached, the adherents were aware that they had come out of, or were descended from others who had come out of, dogmatic churches that did not want your assent, they expected it.
Many of the evangelicals including people like Wesley, Whitefield, and the members of the English Baptist movement, that included the likes of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, had as their primary achievement the powers of persuasion.
A statement of “amen” from the congregation reinforced the message, and encouraged others not already persuaded to pay attention.
Over the years, preachers got into the bad habit of asking for the “amen” rather than just preaching a good message and allowing it to flow as a natural response.
The congregational response has therefore lost some of its “punch”. Preachers use, for better or for worse, certain methods of holding the attention and allegiance of a group of listeners.
END QUOTE
