The following bullet points where written to express the common hindrances to preaching in this age. Your assignment is to tell me what year this came from and you get 3 bonus points if you can tell me who said it. Some of the language has been changed to veil the time period.
- The expansion of media access…which minimizes dependence on the local preacher and enables less attention to be paid to the preacher’s authority in the community.
- Skepticism, suspicion and doubt…higher critical skepticism challenging the claims of the Bible…human reasoning becoming more of a trusted authority.
- Shorter attention spans due to the frenetic pace of culture…
- A renewed attention to rhetoric, eloquence, and scholarship for respectability in society
- An increased preference for artistry over sermons…as other forms of art are sought to counteract the decline in church attendance
- Time demands hindering sermon preparation and communion with God. Pastors felt that they were spending their time doing everything other than prayer, preaching, and care for the people.
- The plagiarizing of sermons arising as a needed relief from the demanding pace of ministry.
I will cite these as soon as someone guesses the correct answer.