The Homiletical Value o f the Apostle Paul’s Preaching

for the Contemporary Korean Preaching Context

A Professional Project

presented to

the Faculty of

Claremont School o f Theology

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree

Doctor o f Ministry

by

Sungyul Lee

May 2013
 UMI Number: 3575404

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 This professional project completed by

Sung yu l L ee

has been presented to and accepted by the

faculty o f Claremont School o f Theology in
partial fulfillment o f the requirements o f the

D o c t o r o f M in i s t r y

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Lincoln Galloway, Chair
Gregory J. Riley

D ean o f th e Faculty
Philip Clayton

May 2013
 ABSTRACT

The Homiletical Value o f the Apostle Paul’s Preaching

for the Contemporary Korean Preaching Context

by

Sungyul Lee

Most Korean churches have been worrying about the serious decline in their

number o f church members since 2000. The main reason for the decline in members is

regarded as a lack o f leadership by pastors. Leadership in the Korean ministerial context

might be best expressed through preaching. Throughout a strong preaching ministry,

pastors can design great sermons that will have the added benefit of reducing the loss of a

positive image, increase church membership, and recover a sense of strong leadership.

Through an analysis o f Paul’s sermons in the Acts o f the Apostles, this project

develops a proposal for a style and form o f preaching that will develop pastoral

leadership. The persuasive methods, delivery skills, chiasmic structures, key points, and

spiritual essence of Paul’s preaching and sermons are examined. In order to apply this

study o f Paul’s preaching to contemporary preaching, some sermons o f two famous

Korean preachers, Dongwon Lee and Sunhei Kawk, are analyzed. Then this analysis is

compared with Paul’s preaching and suggestions are made for how Korean ministers can

preach more effectively in the present.

 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In this long journey, the completion o f my doctorial studies would never been

possible without the contributions o f many people. First, I want to express my gratitude

to my advisor, Dr. Lincoln E. Galloway, who provided me with great teaching, thoughtful

attention, and love for two years and gave me good insights, comments, and direction for

this project. I am also very grateful to my second advisor, Dr. Gregory J. Riley, who

likewise gave me valuable suggestions, comments, and encouragement. I wish to thank

the CST thesis secretary, Elaine Walker, who not only helped to correct my footnotes and

bibliography but also showed me kindness and love while I worked at the library with her

for over a year.

I am grateful for my CST friends, who have been through a lot together with me

over the past eight years. In addition, I will never forget the church members o f The

River o f Living Water Church with whom I shared during my stay in the U.S., especially

Rev. Shinwuk Kang and his wife, Yong Ran Kang. Their love will remain in my heart

forever.

Finally, I really thank my family, who are very precious to me. While I studied

for this project, my family experienced difficulty because my wife had a lot o f

complications during her third pregnancy. In spite o f this situation, we prevailed, and I

love and thank my family for encouraging and helping me: my wife, Soyoung Cho, my

considerate daughter, Yeyoung, my smiling son, Yeseong, and my lovely baby, Yegeon. In

addition, I am very grateful to my parents who pray for and support me all the time,

although my father has suffered a stroke and my mother has been sick due to breast
cancer.

I truly thank God for putting all these people on my path and for granting

strength and inspiration throughout this process. To God be the glory.

 Table of Contents

Chapter Page

1. Introduction 1

The Problem -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1

Thesis------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2

Work Previously Published in the Field ---------------------------------- 2

Scope and Limitations o f the Project --------------------------------------- 5

Procedure for Integration ---------------------------------------------------- 6

Chapter Outlines -------------------------------------------------------------- 7

2. Definition, Elements, and Styles o f Preaching -------------------------- 9

Dictionary Definitions o f Preaching ---------------------------------------- 9

Terms for Preaching in the New Testament ------------------------------- 9

Preaching from the Perspective o f Ancient Rhetorical Methods — 10

Ethos (HOoq) ------------------------------------------------------------- 11

Pathos (Ild0o<;) --------------------------------------------------------- 11

Logos (Aoyo<;) --------------------------------------------------------- 11

Modem Understandings o f Preaching ---------------------------------- 12

Contemporary Methods o f Preaching -------------------------------- 12

Expository Preaching ---------------------------------------------------- 13

Narrative Preaching ---------------------------------------------------- 13

Topical Preaching ---------------------------------------------------- 14

v
 Two Major Models: Sermon Movement and Design -------- 14

3. The Sermons o f Paul in the Acts o f the Apostles --------- 16

Paul’s Preaching in Antioch o f Pisidia (Acts 13:16-41) 17

Characteristics ------------------------------------------ 17

Style Analysis ------------------------------------------ 19

Paul’s Preaching in Lystra and Derbe (Acts 14:15-17) 20

Characteristics ------------------------------------------ 20

Style Analysis ------------------------------------------ 21

Paul’s Preaching in Athens (Acts 17:22-31)----- ----------- 22

Characteristics ------------------------------------------ 22

Style Analysis ------------------------------------------ 24

Paul’s Preaching in Miletus (Acts 20:17-38) --------- 25

Characteristics ------------------------------------------ 26

Style Analysis ------------------------------------------ 28

Paul’s Preaching in Jerusalem (Acts 22:1-21) — 29

Characteristics ------------------------------------------ 30

Style Analysis ------------------------------------------ 31

Paul’s Speeches before the Sanhedrin, Felix and Agrippa

31
(Acts 23:1-6; 24:10b-21; 26:2-23,25-27,29)

Characteristics o f Paul’s Three Defense Sermons 33

Style Analysis ------------------------------------------- 34

Paul’s Preaching in Rome (Acts 28:17-28)------------------ 35

vi
 Characteristics ----------------------------------------------------------- 35

Style Analysis ----------------------------------------------------------- 37

4. Korean Preaching Styles and an Analysis o f Two -------------------------- 38

Korean Preachers’ sermons
____________________ 41
Characteristics o f Dongwon Lee’s Sermons
Preaching Style -------------------------------------------------------- 41

Preaching Techniques --------------------------------------------------- 44

A Critique o f Dongwon Lee’s Sermons --------------------------- 47

Characteristics o f Sunhui Kwak’s sermons --------------------------- 50

Preaching Style 51

Preaching Techniques ------------------------------------------------ 53

A Critique o f Sunhui Kwak’s Sermons --------------------------- 54

5. A Model o f Effective Preaching Based on a

Comparison between Paul’s Sermons and the
Sermons o f Two Great Korean Preachers
M ajor Themes in Paul’s Sermons -------------------------------------- 58

Paul’s Pathos --------------------------------------------------------------- 61

Autobiographical Essay Style ------------------------------------------- 65

The Contextualization o f the Listeners ------------------------------- 67

The Structure o f Chiasmus ---------------------------------------------- 70

6. Summary and Conclusion ------------------------------------------------------ 78

Appendix ----------------- 2007 Survey o f Korean Preaching ---------- 81

Bibliography -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 98

vii
 Chapter 1

Introduction

The Problem

This project will explore how Korean preachers may develop their preaching

skills and methods by understanding and analyzing Paul’s preaching as presented in the

book of Acts.

The Importance of the Problem

As we move into the twenty-first century, our world continues to change at an

increasingly fast pace. Every aspect of life is changing, including how and why people

choose to join a religious community. Thus, almost all religious communities are

changing directions and using so many learning methods, that church groups organized

around traditional principles cannot keep up.' As a consequence o f this rapid and varied

change, congregational leaders are faced with the reality of leading communities that

not only have members grappling with the changing world, but are also faced with the

need to change the way in which they "do church." However, because many churches do

not or cannot respond adequately to this rapid change, they are faced with decreasing

membership numbers.

According to the Korean Christian Newspaper o f July 9, 2006, during the

previous decades (1995-2005), Christian churches in Korea decreased by 140,000

members. The Korean Christian Newspaper pointed out that the main reason for the

decline in members is a lack of leadership by pastors. Therefore pastors need to

cultivate the right kind of leadership to cope with this rapid change and enable church

1Thomas G. Bandy, Christian Chaos: Revolutionizing the Congregation (Nashville: Abingdon Press,
1999), 11.

1
 growth. This new strategy will need to nurture leadership among the laity through

healthy relationships with pastors that will facilitate both quantitative and qualitative

growth.

In order to respond to the membership decline and revive the church, it is of

primary importance to develop the leadership skills o f pastors. In the context o f Korean

Christian churches, preaching is an important element o f leadership. Great preaching has

the power to change people’s minds and hearts and to convert ideas into action. To

uncover methods and skills for effective preaching, I will analyze the sermons o f Paul

found in the Acts o f the Apostles. I will also describe the image and spirit o f Paul, as

preacher. These analyses of Paul’s sermons and character as a preacher will be placed in

dialogue with the styles and sermons o f two famous Korean preachers. Finally, guidelines

for contemporary Korean preachers will be offered that will help them develop their

preaching skills. In sum, great preaching is characterized by expository elements,

inductive style introductions, the connection between the Old Testament and New

Testament, rhetorical skills—such as gradation, repetition, climax, etc.—the chiasmus

structure, the understanding of the audiences, and the passion o f persuasive pathos.

Thesis

This project will analyze seven sermons by Paul presented in the Acts o f the

Apostles and offer an analysis o f several sermons by two famous Korean preachers in

order to suggest an alternative preaching approach derived from these preachers’ effective

and persuasive sermons.

Work Previously Published in the Field

Many Korean pastors and theologians are aware o f the crisis in many Korean

2
churches because o f the decrease in church membership and the lack o f young adults,

youth, and children needed to lead the church in the future. They want a reformation that

may be attained through leadership development as a way to solve this crisis within

Korean churches. Since preaching is a critical element o f pastoral leadership, it is

important to examine what type o f preaching will have a significant impact in the Korean

context. Reflecting on the role o f preaching, Ronald Allen examines patterns o f preaching

in his book, Contemporary Biblical Interpretation fo r Preaching. He analyzes traditional

and contemporary patterns of preaching and compares various perspectives on preaching.

His study can supplement information on styles and methods o f preaching.

In his book, The Witness o f Preaching, Thomas Long deals with what preaching

means and what role preaching plays in the church. Long explains the function of

preaching, compares the refining form to the basic form, and presents images of

preaching that can be examined for their potential use in the Korean church.

Paul Scott Wilson describes the typical understanding o f homiletics and an

appropriate model that uses “a threefold parallel activity o f exegesis, hermeneutics, and

homiletics.”2 He discusses the expressed need, the actual need, and the preacher’s need

for the congregation. From this perspective, he suggests the direction and various

methods o f preaching that can be examined in light o f the Korean context. Similarly,

Richard Lischer describes the important elements o f preaching by analyzing “the

triangle structure o f message, speaker, and audience.”3

Nancy Lammers Gross indicates that “the homiletical trend o f the last twenty-

2 Paul Scott Wilson, The Practice o f Preaching, rev. ed. (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2007), 87.
3 Richard Lischer, ed., Theories o f Preaching: Selected Readings in the Homiletical Tradition (Durham,
NC: Labyrinth Press, 1987), 2.

3
 five years has been narrative preaching”4 and attempts a paradigm shift through

analyzing Paul’s preaching. She describes “how Paul could be better described as a

practical theologian than a systematic theologian, and how models of practical theology

are important models for the consideration o f preachers and pastors.”5 James Thompson

also focuses on the works of the apostle Paul and his essential message from the

perspective of homiletics.6 In his book, Preaching Like Paul, Thompson describes

Paul’s letters from the viewpoint of giving a sermon and he finds characteristics that are

adaptable to contemporary homiletic elements. In a similar way, Michael Knowles

“seeks to discover what Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians has to say about

preaching, in particular the spirituality of preaching.”7 In addition, he examines

“fundamental patterns o f cruciformity throughout the Pauline corpus.”8

Brad Braxton studies the homiletical, biblical, and theological issues surrounding

preaching in general and preaching from texts written by the apostle Paul in particular.

Braxton shows how much Paul is interested in narratives and argues that “Paul’s letters

do not simply offer independent snippets of truth or isolated gems o f logic. Instead,

Paul’s understanding o f Israel, the church, and ministry were part o f the larger story o f

God’s dealing with the world.”9

Another scholar who explored Paul’s letters through a homiletical lens is Frank

Matera. He presents a number o f strategies for preaching from the Pauline readings. By

4Nancy Lammers Gross, I f You Cannot Preach Like Paul (Grand Rapid, MI: W. B. Eerdmans, 2002), xii.
5 Gross, I f You Cannot Preach Like Paul, 71.
6 James W. Thompson, Preaching Like Paul: Homiletical Wisdom fo r Today (Louisville: Westminster John
Knox Press, 2001), 14-19.
7 Michael P. Knowles, We Preach Not Ourselves: Paul on Proclamation (Grand Rapids, Ml: Brazos Press,
2008), 10.
8 Knowles, We Preach Not Ourselves, 15.
9 Brad R. Braxton, Preaching Paul (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2004), 50.

4
 analyzing Paul’s preaching, he points to the passion, spirit, theology that Paul had.10

Herman Ridderbos, the professor of New Testament at Kampen Theological Seminary

in Netherlands, introduces the sources o f Paul’s preaching in his book, Paul and Jesus:

Origin and General Character o f Paul’s Preaching o f Christ. He explores Paul’s

preaching resources by analyzing the content o f Paul’s preaching in the Bible, especially

in the Acts of the Apostles.11

In his book, The Thirteen Methods o f Paul’s Preaching, Hyungjung Kim

introduces thirteen methods of Paul’s preaching by analyzing “the structure of Hebrew’s

sentences” and applying them to Paul’s preaching.12 He maintains that to apply Paul’s

methods to Korean preaching, the background, styles, and characteristics of Korean

preaching should be investigated.

Jung Young Lee, who was professor o f Systematic Theology at Drew

Theological Seminary as well as a senior pastor in a Korean church, engages in this

investigation. In his book, Korean Preaching, Lee studies the congregation through

history and culture and he names distinctive characteristics of Korean preaching.

Specifically, he describes “the Confiician mind-set” o f Korean preachers and maintains

that this mind-set influences the preaching o f Korean preachers.13

Scope and Limitations o f the Project

This project focuses on Korean preaching in Korean Protestant churches. The

reason this project deals with Korean preaching is because Protestant Korean preachers

think one of the most influential and effective elements o f pastoral leadership is

,0 Frank Matera, Strategies fo r Preaching Paul (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2001), 1-4.
11 Herman N. Ridderbos, Paul and Jesus: Origin and General Character o f Paul’s Preaching o f Christ
(Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1958), 41-62.
12 Hyungjung Kim, The Thirteen Methods o f Paul's Preaching (Seoul: Chueum, 2004), 14.
13 Jung Young Lee, Korean Preaching: An Interpretation (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997), 93.

5
preaching. In addition, preaching is a criterion in electing a new senior pastor and in

judging the leadership o f pastors. This project deals with the styles and methods that

shape the content o f preaching. In particular, these styles or methods are analyzed

through the lens o f insights found in the sermons o f the Apostle of Paul.

The importance o f Paul’s preaching as presented within the New Testament,

especially the Acts of the Apostles, will be covered. The reason I selected Acts is that

the Acts o f the Apostles includes sermons that are attributed to Paul. Although these

sermons are written from a Lucan perspective, the analysis o f Paul’s sermons in Acts

will be insightful because his sermons are realistically written with direct speech, and

they include diverse preaching elements.

Following my analysis o f Paul’s sermons, I will examine the preaching skills o f

two famous Korean preachers. I chose these two persons because they have been

recognized among Korean preachers as those whom Korean people view as effective

preachers.

Procedure for Integration

A number o f books provide studies o f Paul’s preaching and spirit. I will use

these studies to review the exegeses o f biblical texts and examine how the sermons

attributed to Paul reveal the spirit and methods of Paul’s preaching.

First, I will study what preaching is from biblical, theoretical, and theological

perspectives and the expository, inductive, deductive, and narrative methods for writing

sermons.

The second step will be to analyze Paul’s preaching as presented in the Acts o f

the Apostles. I will form an image o f and clarify the spirit o f Paul as a preacher by

6
examining his sermons in Acts. This analysis will be helpful in understanding Paul’s

preaching in more varied and deeper ways.

Third, I will consider preaching in the Korean context. I will explore the current

situation of Korean preaching and analyze the preaching methods of two famous

Korean preachers. Furthermore, research on the attitude o f Korean Christians is needed

to develop effective preaching skills. For this research, I used the 2007 Survey o f

Korean Preaching found in the magazine, Mokhoe wa Sinhak (Ministry and Theology)

to explore what aspects of preaching pastors regard as positive. The results o f this

research will encourage critical reflection on preaching and point to criteria for

preaching that are sensitive to the stance o f the faith community at large, the

organization’s characteristics (including age and needs), and the developmental stages

of potential preachers.

Chanter Outlines

Chapter 2 will introduce what preaching is, what kinds of preaching there are,

what kinds o f preaching styles are, and the elements o f preaching. This chapter attempts

to find for this project the most appropriate definition o f preaching as defined in the

noted scholarly literature. It will indicate a way to find a direction in preaching.

Preaching has various styles such as expository, topical, narrative, inductive and

deductive. Examining these preaching styles should help clarify Paul’s preaching styles

and Korean preaching styles in our contemporary context for the next step.

Chapter 3 will examine seven sermons o f Paul recorded in the Acts o f the

Apostles and present the image and spirit of Paul as reflected in his preaching. The

chapter will describe why Paul preached, what Paul proclaimed, and the words and

7
structures he used in his preaching.

Chapter 4 focuses on Korean preaching. It looks at present trends in Korean

preaching and presents the results o f a research study of Korean pastors’ views and

evaluations o f various aspects o f preaching. Based on this research, this chapter will

explore the preaching methods, styles, and images found in the sermons of two famous

Korean preachers, Rev. Dongwon Lee and Rev. Sunhei Kawk. This analysis will be a

resource for making suggestions and offering guidelines to Korean preachers for the

development and movement o f their preaching in new and more advanced directions.

Chapter 5 suggests practical directions for Korean preaching. This chapter will

analyze the preaching and evaluate the styles, methods, spirits and images o f Korean

preachers’ sermons by comparing them with Paul’s preaching. It will attend to the

elements, methods, and styles that reflect the Pauline spirit and image to help develop

Korean preaching.

Chapter 6 summarizes important points and suggests possible tasks for further

development o f Korean preaching. In other words, the chapter indicates a way toward

developing a preaching method for Korean Methodist preachers through the study of

Paul's preaching.

8
 Chapter 2

Definition, Elements, and Styles of Preaching

What is preaching? Although the question looks simple, the deeper we consider

the question, the more complex it becomes.

Dictionary Definitions o f Preaching

According to Larousse Dictionary o f Beliefs and Religions, preaching is defined

as “the public proclamation of a religion with reference to the religious texts upon

which that religion is based.”1 In the New Oxford Dictionary, preaching means “to

deliver a sermon or religious address to an assembled group o f people, typically in

church.”2 In Webster's New World Dictionary, preaching is defined as “to speak in

public on religious matters or to give moral or religious advice.”3 In terms o f the

dictionary definitions, preaching is primarily focused on the delivery o f a sermon,

meaning that preaching can be regarded as a form o f public speaking. How then is

preaching presented in the New Testament?

Terms for Preaching in the New Testament

Sidney Greidanus insists that there are thirty three verses in the New Testament

(NT) which describe the term preaching.4 Among these verbs, “the most important

verbs used are KqpuKeuu) (proclaim), 8tSdaKw(teach), eu<ryYeXiCopai(to preach the

Gospel), gapTtfpeio (bear witness, testify), and tt<el0oj (persuade).”5 These terms indicate

the varied methods of preaching in the early church. In particular, the term Kqputceuu) is

1 Larousse Dictionary o f Beliefs and Religions, s.v. “Preaching” (New York: Larousse, 1994), 412.
2 The New Oxford American Dictionary, s.v. “Preach” (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001).
3 Websters'New World Dictionary o f American English, s.v. “Preach,” 3rd ed. (New York: Prentice Hall,
1994).
4 Sidney Greidanus, Sungkyung Hasuk wa Sungkyungjuk Seolky (which means The Interpretation O f the
Bible and Biblical Preaching) ed. Youngcheol, Kim (Seoul: YuRun Publisher, 1995), 34-35.
5 Ibid.

9
 used more than fifty times through inflections such as icripucraoj (Luke 4:19). The use o f

KTipuKeuuj means that a preacher proclaims to a congregation a message received from

God. Another aspect of preaching is euayyeXiCopai. This term is related to preaching

the good news, the gospel. The term SrSdcncaj means to teach. Greidanus maintains that

“teaching” means “to impart knowledge of or skill,” but the NT makes no distinction

between preaching as KTipuiceuio or as SrSdaxoj.6 In Matthew 4:23, “Jesus was going

about all Galilee, teaching in synagogues, and proclaiming the gospel o f the kingdom.”

In Luke 4:15, Jesus began “teaching in their synagogues” and then again in Luke 4:44,

he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea. Luke also had the terms to teach and

to preach combined in Acts 28:31 “preaching the kingdom o f God, and teaching

concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.” Teaching and

preaching are often combined in the NT as well.

In the NT, preaching can be defined as a ministry which delivers the message o f

salvation and develops faith through various methods such as teaching, proclamation,

and persuasion. However, preaching cannot be totally explained through these terms

alone.

Preaching from the Perspective o f Ancient Rhetorical Methods

Aristotle defined rhetoric as “the faculty (or power) o f discovering the possible

means o f persuasion in reference to any subject whatsoever.”7 For him, there were two

categories o f proof that were the means o f persuasion. The first category is proof that

“the speaker does not have to invent since they are ready at hand, such as witnesses,

6 Ibid.
7 Aristotle, The Poetics, trans. W. H. Fyfe (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1927), Rhet. 1.2.1.

10
 tortures, contracts, and the like.”8 These proofs are called axexvoi, those which are non­

fabricated and are independent of the speaker’s efforts.9 The second category contains

the svtExyoi, those which the speaker has to construct through his or her own literary

and logical instrumentality.10 There are three evtexvoi proofs: ethos (rjQoq), pathos

(7id0o<;), and logos (koyoq).

Ethos

Ethos (r]0oq) is a proof based on the moral character of the speaker. Aristotle said

that the speech itself must carry the weight of the persuasion; the speech must project

the speaker’s ability, truthfulness, and congenial disposition toward the audience.11 In

addition, rjGoq includes even “the character or ethical condition of the audience.”12

Pathos

Pathos (jr&Soq) is a form of proof that puts “the hearers into a certain frame of

mind by arousing their emotion.”13 Aristotle indicates that the orator persuades by

arousing emotion in hearers through his or her speech, for the judgments we deliver are

not the same when we are influenced by joy or sorrow, love or hate.14 Pathos can be

depicted as “a quality arousing feelings of pity, sympathy, tenderness, or sorrow.”15

Logos

Logos (Xoyoq) is proof from the speech itself, “in so far as it proves or seems to

prove”—through the use of the logical arguments such as enthymeme and example,

8 Mario M. DiCicco, Paul's Use o f Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in 2 Corinthians 10-13 (Lewiston: Mellen
Biblical Press, 1995), 18.
9 Ibid.
10 Ibid.
11 Ibid., 37.
12 Ibid., 41.
13 Aristotle, Rhet. 1.2.3.
14Aristotle, Rhet. 1.2.5.
15 Webster's II New Riverside University Dictionary, s.v. “Pathos” (Boston: Riverside Publishing, 1988).

11
 induction and deduction, and antithesis and parallelism.16 In short, ’k&yoq can be

expressed as a “rhetorical reasoning.”17 A,6yo<; is normally used to indicate “reason,

thought of as constituting the controlling principle o f the universe and as being

manifested by speech.”18 Having sound content also enhances na&oq, because well-

prepared information makes the speaker look knowledgeable and competent to his or

her audiences.19

Modem Understandings of Preaching

Thomas G. Long explains that for preachers,

To join our human words with the word that God in Christ in the power of the
Spirit is already speaking to the church and to the world, and to speak in Christ’s
name is to claim Christ’s own promise, “whoever listens to you listens to me”
(Luke 10:16).20

On a similar note, J.I. Packer defined preaching as “the event o f God bringing to

an audience a Bible-based, Christ-related, life-impacting message o f instruction and

direction from Himself through the words of a spokesperson.”21 Ronald Allen holds that

“preaching is interpreting the significance o f the gospel for the situation o f the

congregation and the world.”22 Thus, for modem scholars, preaching is about conveying

a spiritual message connecting the church and the world.

Contemporary Methods o f Preaching

At present, various preaching methods have been developed as modem

16 Ibid.
17 William M. Grimaldi, Aristotle: A Commentary. Vol. 2. Rhetoric II. (New York: Fordham University
Press, 1988), 5.
18 Webster s 'New World Dictionary, 3rd ed., s.v. “logos.”
19 Ibid.
20 Thomas G. Long, The Witness o f Preaching, 2nd ed., (Louisville: John Knox Press, 2005), 17.
21 J. I. Packer, “Authority in Preaching,” in The Gospel in the Modern World: A Tribute to John Stott, ed.
Martyn Eden and David F. Wells (Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press, 1991), 199.
22 Ronald J. Allen, Interpreting the Gospel: An Introduction to Preaching (St. Louis: Chalice Press, 1998),
12.

12
understandings o f preaching have extended. Among these methods, the most popular and

well-known methods include expository, narrative, deductive and inductive. In addition,

the rhetorical device o f chiasmus will be examined.

Expository Preaching

Expository preaching seeks to draw out the meaning and intent of a biblical text,

providing commentary and examples to make the passage clear and understandable.

According to Concise Encyclopedia o f Preaching, expository preaching is preaching

“which faithfully brings a message out o f scripture and makes that message accessible

to contemporary hearers.”23 The central principle for expository preaching is “the

authority o f scripture in the pulpit.”24 “The expository form usually embraces a biblical

unit o f thought” such as “a single word, phrase, verse, paragraph, chapter, or biblical

book.”25 Thus, textual preaching may be regarded as expository in nature. As Sidney

Greidanus points out, “all textual preaching is therefore understood as expository

preaching.”26 The two principle types o f expository preaching are verse-by-verse

exposition and thematic exposition.27

Narrative Preaching

Narrative preaching “has come to include several kinds of quite similar sermons

linked together by the fact that all involve some kind of procedural plot.”28 “Typically,

narrative preaching will embody a storylike process, moving from opening conflict,

23 John S. McClure, “Expository Preaching,” in Concise Encyclopedia o f Preaching, ed. Willian H.

Willimon and Richard Lischer (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1995), 130.
24 Ibid.
25Joel C. Gregory, “Expository,” in The New Interpreter's Handbook o f Preaching, ed. Paul Scott Wilson
(Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2008), 381.
26 Sidney Greidanus, The Modern Preacher and the Ancient Text: Interpreting and Preaching Biblical
Literature (Grand Rapids: W. B. Eerdmans, 1988), 123.
27 Willimon and Lischer, 130.
28 Eugene L. Lowry, “Narrative Preaching,” in The New Interpreter s Handbook o f Preaching, ed. Paul
Scott Wilson, 201.

13
 through complication, toward a peripetia or reversal or decisive turn, resulting in a

denouement or resolution o f thought and experience.”29 Narrative preaching may

exhibit the following characteristics: (1) the form of the sermon is “intentionally shaped

by the form o f a narrative text,” for example, the structure o f a short story; (2) the

preacher’s imagination is utilized; and (3) the sermon brings about the intersection of

“the world of the preacher, the congregation, and the biblical text.” 30 Long observes

that in order to discern narrative preaching it is necessary to recognize that: first, the

narrative encourages the listener to identify with one of the characters in the story;

second, a story impacts the reader by making claims on how we live our lives; and third,

in any text that employs narrative, certain “dynamics or devices” must be considered.31

Topical Preaching

In topical preaching the preaching means a sermon that “gives a systematic or

integrated treatment of a theme considered worthy o f discussion.”32 Topical preaching

may or may not be biblical.

Two Major Models: Sermon Movement and Design

There are two main types o f sermon design and movement: inductive and

deductive preaching. If the message first establishes general truth principles, and then

applies them to particular situations, the preaching is called deductive. In other words,

“the particulars are deduced from the principle.”33

39 Eugene L. Lowry, “Narrative Preaching,” in Concise encyclopedia o f preaching, ed. Willimon and
Lischer, 342.
30 Mark Barger Elliott, Creative Styles o f Preaching (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000),
1- 2 .
31 Thomas G. Long, Preaching and the Literary Forms o f the Bible (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1989), 74-76.
32 James W. Cox, “Topical Preaching,” in Concise encyclopedia o f preaching, ed. Willimon and Lischer,
492.
33 Bryan Chapell, “Alternative Models,” in Handbook o f Contemporary Preaching ed. Michael Duduit,
(Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992), 122-23.

14
 In contrast to deductive preaching, “inductive preaching is often described as a

sermon that begins with the specifics o f experience and ends with a general

conclusion.”34 The inductive preaching form has been influenced by inductive

argumentation and reasoning.35

In Chapter 3, Paul’s styles o f preaching will be studied through the lens of these

methods of preaching.

In addition to analyze the form o f Paul’s preaching, his sermon structures will be

explored the use of the rhetorical device o f chiasmus. This term includes the pattern of

inverted parallelism, introverted parallelism, regression, envelope figure,

correspondence, and a number o f others.36 However, this project will deal primarily

with a basic chiasmus: inverted parallelism.

34 Wilson et al., 390.

35 Ibid.
36 Ian H. Thomson, Chiasmus in the Pauline Letters (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1995), 18.

15
 Chapter 3

The Sermons o f Paul in the Acts of the Apostles

This chapter deals with Luke’s presentation o f Paul’s primary preaching in Acts.

Paul was a person whose ministry was defined by preaching. Some preachers and

scholars assume that Paul is difficult to understand, overly opinionated, and supportive

of, if not directly responsible for, various kinds of oppression in the church. In addition,

“They regard Paul’s preaching in a pre-Christian culture as an unlikely model for the

post-Christian culture.”1 Paul Scott Wilson, however, insists that “In some ways Paul’s

letters are more immediate than even the liveliest biblical narratives.”2 James W.

Thompson forcefully argues that “if the various biblical genres are themselves

revelatory, one can scarcely fail to consider the importance o f Paul’s letters as a model

for preaching.”3 1 think that Paul’s sermons can open a new preaching path for future

ministry if we can discover new insights from them and discern the preaching skills that

Paul had.

Paul, as presented by Luke in the book o f Acts, preaches seven sermons. Each

sermon includes the skills, structure, subjects, characteristics, and methodology that are

particular to the Lucan author. When these elements o f Paul’s sermons in Acts are

analyzed, the spirit and image o f Paul as preacher will be revealed. In addition, I will

make connections between Paul’s sermons, rhetorical persuasive styles, and

contemporary preaching, since this analysis o f his methodology will be very useful in

understanding his preaching and applying it to contemporary preaching practices.

1James W. Thompson, Preaching Like Paul (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001), 15.
2 Paul Scott Wilson, “Texts Shaping Sermons,” in Listening to the Word: Studies in Honor o f Fred B.
Craddock, ed. Gail R. O’Day and Thomas G. Long (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993), 160.
3 James W. Thompson, 16.

16
 Finally, I will explore the phenomena that occurred after he preached, because that will

demonstrate his effectiveness as a preacher.

Paul’s Preaching in Antioch o f Pisidia (Acts 13:16-41)

Acts 13:16-41 provides the first example of a sermon by Paul. The setting is

Antioch o f Pisidia during Paul’s first journey. Paul and Barnabas enter the synagogue

on the Sabbath and the synagogue officials invite them to give words o f exhortation.

The sermon seems to have a threefold structure with verses 16, 26, and 38

marking the division o f the speech.

Verses 16-25 are a review o f salvation history through David, leading to the
thesis of v. 23: Jesus is the savior; Verses 26-37 set forth the message o f
salvation, with a reiteration of the thesis in v.32.; Verse 38-41 are a sort o f
peroration, with a promise and threat that resemble the Krisenspruch (declaration
of judgment) found in prophetic and sapiential speeches.4

The point o f the sermon is not to prove the resurrection from Scripture, but to

prove that Jesus has fulfilled Old Testament Davidic promises and as such offers

forgiveness and justification to those who believe. The apologetic for the resurrection

along the way, such as the citing of Psalm 16:10 in verse 35, is designed primarily to

support this contention.

Characteristics o f Paul’s Preaching

Paul preaches the history o f Israel as an aspect o f salvation history. In

particular, Paul emphasizes Jesus Christ as a savior o f Israel, mentioning historical

events and characters such as Exodus, Israel’s time in the desert, Samuel, and the kings

Saul and David. H.N. Ridderbos regards the center o f Paul’s theology as salvation

history.5 Ridderbos points out that “the governing motif o f Paul’s preaching is the

4 Richard I. Pervo, Acts: A Commentary (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2009), 335.

5 H. N. Ridderbos, Paul: An Outline o f His Theology, trans. John Richard de Witt (Grand Rapids:

17
 saving activity o f God in the advent and the work, particularly in the death and the

resurrection, o f Christ.”6

Two other themes appear in this sermon by Paul: justification by faith and

judgment. In w . 38-39, Paul emphasizes that forgiveness o f sin is being proclaimed

through Jesus, and everyone who believes is justified through Jesus. This concept of

justification by faith is evident in Paul’s letters as well, especially in Romans and

Galatians. In the thirteen letters of the Pauline corpus, the noun form o f S ik ciiw ctk ;

(justification) is presented eight times7 and 8iK m ot> five times8 in his letters. However,

the noun form SiKaioawTi (righteousness) similar to SiKaCuaiq in terms o f meaning, is

used 59 times in his letters, while the adjective 8 l k g u o <; (righteous) is used 10 times.

Ridderbos asserts that the reason why Paul emphasizes justification by faith is because “it

is connected with the basic eschatological and Christological structures o f Paul’s

preaching.”9

In verses 40-41, Paul “warns against spuming the Christian message” by quoting

one of the prophets o f Israel.10 In particular, by using fJXeneTe (imperative present active

second person plural) Paul expresses a strong tone. In verse 41, by using the crucial word

cQyov (work or deed), Paul brings his sermon to a climactic ending.11 The term tgyov has

been interpreted as “the resurrection” of Christ, or of what God “has done in Christ.”12

Eerdmans, 1975), 38-39.

6 Ibid., 39.
7 In NASV, Rom. 4:25; 5:6; 5:8; 8:32; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 5:2; Rom. 5:18; ICor. 15:17; 2Cor. 5:15
8 In NASV, Rom. 3:26; Eph. 6:1; Phil. 1:7; Col. 4:1; 2Thess 1:6; Titus 1:8
9 Ridderbos, 161.
10 Joseph A. Fitzmyer, The Acts o f the Apostles: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary
(New York: Doubleday, 1998), 519.
11 The term epyov is translated as “work” in NASV and “deed” in RSV.
12 Fitzmyer, 519.

18
The term would be understood as “the goal and purpose of Paul’s speech.”13 In addition,

this term is a warning drawn from the prophetic writings o f the Old Testament.14

Style Analysis

When Paul’s preaching style is analyzed in contemporary perspective, his style in

this sermon has expositoiy, narrative, and inductive characteristics. First, in terms of

expository elements, Paul supports the ideas and purpose of his sermon, through some

citations of authoritative texts.15 This way o f preaching seeks to bring the message from

the text and to apply it to the hearers.

Second, Paul uses elements o f narrative preaching. In other words, the sermon

proceeds in a story-centered direction about salvation history, which is achieved through

the death and resurrection of Jesus as the promise of God. By chronologically introducing

the biblical characters, such as Abraham, Samuel, Saul, David, John the Baptist, and

Jesus, the story o f salvation history is depicted through the characters.

Third, this form of preaching uses an inductive skill in which “thought moves

from the particulars of experience that have a familiar ring in the listener’s ear to a

general truth or conclusion.”16 In other words, Paul’s sermon begins with a real story

about an event from salvation history and proceeds to explain the important points, such

as the forgiveness o f sin or justification by faith.

In terms o f rhetorical styles, this sermon from Paul has a strong inclination

toward using Xoyoq proof. Namely Paul proclaims the fact of salvation history through

13 Ibid.
14 Ibid.
15 1) the citation o f v. 22 derived from several texts - Ps. 88:21 LXX; 1 Sam. 13:14 (a man after His own
heart); and Isa. 44:28, 2) the quotation of v.33 derived “from Ps. 2:7”, 3) the citation o f v.34b shown
“from Isa. 55:3”, 4) the citation o f v.35 from LXX Ps 16:1015, 5) the citation “from LXX o f Habakkuk
1:5. See Fitzmyer, 517.
16 Elliott, 6.

19
references to figures such as Samuel, David, and Jesus. In particular, he utilizes syllogism

and induction. Jesus died (v.29) but he rose from the dead (v.34) because he was the holy

one (v.34). In addition, this sermon exhibits some o f the xaOoq-proof style. Paul tries to

deliver the good news with joyful, exciting emotional expression (v.32), and he uses the

imperative terms yvcooxov eaxco (v. 38) and P^xnexe (v. 40) to persuade audiences through

the strength o f his language.

Paul’s Preaching in Lvstra and Derbe (Acts 14:15-17')

After the initial uproar in Antioch o f Pisidia, the Gentile hearers reacted

positively so that “the word of God” spread abroad; however, the Jews incited some

leaders of the city and drove Paul and Baranbas out the region. Nevertheless, rejoicing

and full o f the Spirit, they went to Iconium in Lycaonia, where they preached in a

synagogue with great success. However, hostility o f some Jews and Gentile forced them

to flee to Lystra, where they healed a man with crippled feet. This miraculous cure led the

crowd to think Paul and Baranbas were gods who had come to earth in human form, so

they attempted to offer sacrifices to them. Their reaction created the opportunity for Paul

to give his first speech to pagans.

Characteristics o f Paul’s Speech

This speech is based on a traditional pattern that can also be found in 1

Thessalonians 1:9-10.17 It would have been a familiar pattern to Paul’s audience. 1

Thessalonians 1:9-10 begins with a proclamation about one true living God and then

addresses the topic of Jesus, God’s son from heaven.

Fitzmyer points out that Paul’s speech to the Gentiles in Lystra “is neither

17 Ibid.

20
kerygmatic nor Christological, as were the missionary speeches addressed to Jews, but

rather theological, as the apostles preach about ‘the living God .’”18 This means Paul

wanted the Gentiles to be converted first to the one true and living God, which was

necessary before the announcement of Christ’s resurrection and his appointment as judge

would make sense.19 In addition, although Paul often uses the scriptural citations in

defense o f his position, here he approaches a form o f natural theology by making

reference to the evidence of the living and true God in creation.

In Lystra, Barnabas and Paul rush into the crowd and protest the blasphemy of

the crowd by tearing their robes. The phrase, “tear their robe” occurs frequently in the

Septuagint (LXX) as a response o f extreme emotion, especially as a sign o f horror (Gen.

37:29, 34; Num. 14:6; Josh. 7:6; Judg. 11:35; 2 Sam. 1:2, 11; 3:31; 13:31; 1 Macc2:14;

3:47), or as a gesture of sorrow and mourning.20 In addition, in Matt 26:65 and Mark

14:63, the gestures were employed by the chief priest to signal the “blasphemy” of

Jesus.21 Paul’s gesture shows the expression o f “either horror at the blasphemy or more

probably profound regret.”22 Likewise, through Paul’s radical gestures, we can recognize

his passion and his efforts to teach and awaken his audiences. Gestures such as these are

often associated with Paul’s speeches. These will be considered more fully in Chapter 5.

Stvle Analysis

This sermon leans toward being a typical topical sermon with the theme o f the

living and true God as the creator and sustainer of the world and with the purpose o f the

18 Fitzmyer, 532.
19 Elliott, 6.
20 Luke Timothy Johnson, The Acts o f the Apostles, Sacra Pagina Series, v. 5 (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical
Press, 1992), 248.
21 Ibid., 248-49.
22 Pervo, 356.

21
teaching the Gentiles.

In terms o f rhetorical styles, by expressing his emotions, first Paul appeals to the

crowd to stop committing sins. Then, he introduces the Gospel of the living God and

explains who this God is by logically describing the works of God with examples drawn

from God’s works in creation and God’s sustenance of the universe. Thus, this sermon

begins with the 7ta 0 o<; style and proceeds to use the Xoyoq style.

Paul’s Preaching in Athens (Acts 17:22-31)

This sermon in Acts 17:22-31 is “a missionary speech, addressed not to Jews, but

to pagan Athenians and alien Greek-speaking sojourners.”23 It is a more developed

presentation o f the speech delivered by Paul in Lystra (14:14-17).24

The well-known sermon has produced a number of analyses and interpretations.

As many scholars have noted, the body o f this speech discusses three main, intertwined

themes: i) God’s self-sufficiency, ii) humans were created to need God, and iii) worship

of God, rather than images or idols.25 Fitzmyer delineates the structure and themes of

this text as follows:

After Paul’s introductory words in v. 22-23, three parts o f the speech and a
conclusion can be discerned: 1) in v. 24-25, Relation o f the unknown God to the
world, as creator and preserver; 2) in v. 26-27, proximity of this God, who has
made human beings; 3) in v. 28-29, kinship o f this God to humanity; and 4) in v.
30-31, Conclusion alluding to God’s judgment through the risen Jesus.26

Characteristics o f Paul’s Preaching

The approach that Paul uses is to find common ground with the audience. He

23 Fitzmyer, 601.
24 Ibid.
25 Stanley E. Porter and Jason C. Robinson, Hermeneutics: An Introduction to Interpretive Theory (Grand
Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 2011), 118.
26 Fitzmyer, 602.

22
understood the problems of communicating with persons who were neither Jew nor God-

fearers, but religious pagans. Yet, there was “a common ground” that enabled Paul to

make a connection with his hearers, and that was our “common humanity within our

common world. Both are gifts of the benevolent Creator.” 27

Likewise, Paul introduces God as a common image, a being that creates and

preserves us and everything else in the world. Through this image, he approaches the

Gentiles on familiar ground in order to help them understand his message more easily.

Pervo maintains, “Paul has no need to inculcate interest in religion. He assumes that

interest and sets out to correct it.”28 Thus, Paul was an observer and a man of insight who

considered who his audience was before preaching to them.

Luke’s Paul tries to convey the relationship between God and humans. He

describes the notion o f God’s proximity (vv. 26-27) and kinship of God to humanity (w .

28-29). First, Paul stresses that God is close at hand. This means God does not dwell in

some distant place, but rather, God is not far from any one of us. This relationship “leads

to a sense o f kinship with the deity” (verse 28) 29 In his letters, Paul teaches that people

are all the same before God, whether Jew or Gentile, black or white, and rich or poor,

because all are ultimately children of God, a point that is expressed in Acts 17:28-29.

Thus, Luke’s Paul concentrates on the concept o f God’s immanence and the equality o f

human in portraying the relationship between God and humans.

This speech uses rhetorical devices such as alliteration,30 assonance,31 and

27 Gerhard A. Krodel, Acts (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1986), 324.

28 Pervo, 433.
29 Pervo, 437.
30 E.g., m cm v TTapaaxiiiv iraaiv (v. 29).
31 E.g., oujK ejv xeipoTOLTFots l'ac*S KaToim (v. 24).

23
rhyme,32 paronomasia,33 and effective repetition .34 These rhythmical devices make Paul’s

sermon sometimes soft, sometimes strong, or sometimes emphatic. These rhythmical

tools play an important role in the construction of a sermon because, in terms o f delivery

o f words, the value of the words a preacher employs depends largely on tone and pace.

Paul would have made an effort to make use o f these devices in order to effect a good

delivery.

Style Analysis

This sermon has a tendency to be didactic in order to teach the audience certain

concepts, particularly about God. Therefore, Paul includes his sermon in certain subjects

such as God as the creator, repentance, and the resurrection o f the body through Jesus, the

son of God. These subjects are connected with each other and develop the themes for

forbidding idolatry, worshiping the true God, and resurrection through Jesus. Therefore,

this sermon is best categorized as a form o f topical preaching.

In terms o f rhetorical styles, Paul first uses the element of rjOoq to begin his

sermon by referring to the religious practices o f the audience and so connecting with

them (v. 22). He proceeds to develop the content (Xoyo<;) of his speech. In other words, he

gives the audience information about who God is and what God does. In this sermon,

Paul primarily engages in rhetorical reasoning and focuses on theological issues for the

audience. Then, he provides a strong emotional appeal by citing one o f their poets and

familiar literary works.

32 E.g., £iof)v Kdi Trvot]v (v. 25).

33 E.g., 1) the “unknown god (dywjcrTajGedj) whom you worship without knowing (dyvooOvTe?) (v. 23)
2) “observe”(6eu)pti)and “examine” (dva9eaip(Lu) (v. 22-23).
34 E.g., {rrcdpxoj (“be”), vv. 24, 27, 29; forms o f “all” (rrd>?), w . 24, 25 (two times), 26 (three times), 30
(two times), 31 (one time).

24
 Paul’s Preaching in Miletus (Acts 20:17-38)

The text of Acts 20:18-35 is Paul’s preaching addressed to the elders of the

Ephesian church who were called to a meeting with him at Miletus. “They are the

current leaders of one of the main churches founded by Paul.” 35 “The discourse is the

only Pauline sermon addressed to Christians in Acts.”36 In contrast to other speeches in

which Paul came to the audiences, here, Paul invited the audience to meet him to hear

his sermon (w.17-18).

This discourse provides Paul’s last will and testament, and belongs to the genre

of farewell speeches. In contrast to Paul’s missionary speeches, this one addresses “a

pastoral setting similar to that o f his letters, many of which convey similar concerns and

interests.”37 For this reason, an analysis o f this sermon may prove to have special

importance in understanding the relationship between the Paul of Acts and the Pauline

letters. 38

Paul’s preaching to the Ephesian elders yields a threefold harvest: “a paradigm

for leadership, reinforcement o f leaders’ authority, and guidance for believers.”39 By

lifting up the relationship between being church leaders and doing the work of

leadership (including supporting, caring for, and protecting church members) and by

frankly acknowledging the possibilities for pain within the Christian ministry, this text

provides us with a model for preaching ministry and leadership .40

35 Fitzmyer, 674.
36 Ibid.
37 Robert W. Wall, “The Acts o f the Apostles,” In Vol. 10 o f The New Interpreter's Bible (Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 1994), 280.
38 Ibid.
39 Pervo, 517.
40 Ibid.

25
 Characteristics of Paul’s Speech

Luke’s Paul often makes use of a chiastic “ring composition.”41 This structure

helped Paul’s Jewish-Christian audiences comprehend the meaning o f his sermons,

because chiasmus is based on Hebrew thought and analysis. David Noel Freedman

points out that chiasmus systematically helped to concentrate “the audience’s interest on

the central message of a sermon.”42 Thus, Paul utilized this rhetorical method in order to

emphasize his primary point.

This speech in Acts 20:18-35 has received considerable attention, and its structure

has often been debated. However, there has been some convergence of agreement

around the following structure:

I. Self-defense and Announcement (w . 18b-27).

A. Previous Conduct (apologetic) (w . 18b-21).
B. Announcement o f Departure & Future Occurrences (w . 22-25).
C. Previous Conduct (apologetic) (w . 26-27).
II. Exhortations and Farewell
A. Warning: Vigilance in the Face o f Danger (Paul as example) (w . 28-31)
B. Farewell (v. 32).
C. Warning: Help for Weak (Paul as example) (vv. 33-35) . 43

Pereira has proffered a chiastic structure:

A. Past record (v.18, £mara<70e)(you know) (w . 18b-21).

B. Present Activity (v. 22a, kcll vw)(and now) (w . 22-24).
C. Forecast (v. 25a, eyoi ol8 a)(I know) (vv. 25-27).
Consequently (8 iori)(therefore) (v. 26a).
D. Charge (v. 28).
C'. Forecast (v. 29, eyw otSa) (“I know”) (w . 29-31).

41 Ibid, 518.
42 David Noel Freedman, “preface” to Chiasmus in Antiquity: Structures, Analyses, Exegesis, edited by
John W. Welch, (Hildesheim: Gerstenberg, 1981), 7.
43 Jan Lambrecht, “Paul’s Farewell-Address at Miletus (Act 20:17-38),” in Les Actes des Apotres:
Traditions, Redaction, Theologie, edited by Jacob. Kremer (Leuven: Leuven University Press, 1979),
307-37.

26
 Consequently (810) (Therefore) (v. 31a).
B'. Present Activity (v. 32a, Kai w ) (“and now”) (v.32).
A'. Past Record (v. 34a, yiP aknceT e) (“you know”) (w . 33-35) .44

Paul summarizes his experience and work in Asia in such a way that it can

function as an example and norm for ministry in the future (w . 18b-21).45 Paul

describes ministry in the church as serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and

trials, as Paul himself had done. Thus, Paul shares his life with his audience in his

sermon.

Paul’s life is an example o f what he teaches. He has been an evangelist for the

gospel, teaching in public settings and from house church to house church. He has also

exhibited a martyr’s mindset in his willingness to do whatever was needed and to suffer

in order to accomplish his goals and provide the ministry to which the Lord Jesus had

commissioned him. As Pervo states, “Paul’s private behavior does not contradict his

public teaching”46 Paul demonstrates consistency o f speech and action through his work

and behaviors.

Paul expresses himself as guided and determined by the Holy Spirit. In fact, in

the text the only spirit expressed is not his own spirit but more likely the Holy Spirit,

because “elsewhere Luke has described Paul’s missionary activity as guided by God’s

Spirit”(l 3:2, 9; 16:6-7; 19:21) 47 Paul introduces the Holy Spirit and shows himself

bound as bound by the Holy Spirit. Although the way that the Holy Spirit leads is

through suffering, he insists that it is a living way and a true way that gives him energy.

44 Francis Pereira, Ephesus: Climax o f Universalism in Luke-Acts: A Redaction-Critical Study o f Paul ir

Ephesian Ministry (Acts 18:23-20:1) (Anand, India: Gujarat Sahitya Prakash, 1983), 201.
45 Gerhard A. Krodel, 384.
46 Pervo, 520.
47 Fitzmyer, 676.

27
 His central concept is the Holy Spirit. The main messages that the Holy Spirit has given

Paul are connected to the kingdom of God, repentance toward God, and faith in our

Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul claims that the Holy Spirit has appointed the elders as overseers and tells

them how to care for and teach their flocks. In other words, Paul instructs the elders to

tend to ecclesiological elements, such as to watch out for false teachers, care for and

love church members, and give one’s service freely. These teachings demonstrate that

“the proper object of the farewell speech was not to glorify its speaker but to provide

helpful counsel and advice to those left behind .”48 Paul wants to apply his teachings to

the lives o f his listeners. He uses “the approach o f application in order to extend the

areas o f the sermon’s relevancy.”49 William Willimon maintains that this sermon would

be “a fine text for an ordination sermon or for a reconstruction of our theologies o f

ordination .”50 By sharing the elements of ministry which the leaders of a church should

exercise, this sermon illustrates Paul’s passion for spreading the Gospel (without fear o f

death) and Paul’s love with his hopes that the church leaders will lead their flock well.

Stvle Analysis

Paul describes what he has experienced in his missionary work in a narrative

way. In w . 20-21, Paul illustrates his work as an evangelist and in w . 22-25, he depicts

his situation and journey. After verses 22-25, Paul uses the narrative method to give

advice to the presbyters. In addition, the sermon is inclined to use topical elements that

portrays Paul’s farewell situation. His farewell speech deals with ministerial subjects

such as false teaching (w . 29-30) and pastoral care to members (w . 31-35). Exhibiting

48 Ibid., 531.
49 Ibid., 531.
so William H. Willimon, Acts, Interpretation (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988), 158.

28
 an inductive style, the sermon begins with the specifics o f Paul’s experience and

proceeds to general applications and a conclusion.

In this speech, the Lukan Paul wishes to take advantage of “the rj0 oq suitable to

epideictic displays and squeeze in all o f the mxBoq that he can .”51 “The first section

(18b-21), a single sentence, builds a bond between speaker and audience, through

reminding the hearers o f what Paul has stood for and experienced (r|0oc;).”52 In

particular, the Lucan Paul uses the q0o<; language of “humility” (v. 19), and the naQoc,

language o f “tears” in the speech (v.19, 31). In this sermon the aspects o f t t 0o are
& <;

shown more strongly because this speech is a kind o f fawewell preaching and touches

the emotion between speaker and his audience. The text in w . 29-31 includes the

concern and love that Paul holds for the leaders to whom he is speaking. In addition, in

terms of rj0oq, by expressing his moral attitude toward financial issues, Paul teaches

how the leaders serve the ministry.

Paul’s Preaching in Jerusalem (Acts 22:1-21)

Paul’s sermon in Acts 22:1-22 is “the first in the third and final series o f defense

speeches in Acts (23:1-6; 24:10-21; 26:2-23; 28:1 S7-28).”53 Luke describes Paul

addressing “the crowd gathered before the Fortress Antonia in Jerusalem .”54 Paul stands

with the Roman fort behind him, the Jewish temple before him, and surrounded by Jews

and Romans. The essential message o f the speech is his conversion from persecutor to

Christian evangelist. He shares his own history in order to explain his credentials and

ends with his mission as an evangelist.

51 Pervo, 518.
52 Ibid., 519.
53 Robert H. Smith, Concordia commentary: Acts (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing, 1970), 325.
54 Fitzmyer, 702.

29
 Characteristics o f Paul’s Sermon

Paul quiets his audience by addressing them in Aramaic (21:40; 22:2). By

choosing Aramaic rather than Greek, the Lukan Paul shows a great sense o f what is

necessary in the beginning of a defense speech: winning the attention and sympathy of

the audience, which in this case was Jewish.

Paul’s speech is autobiographical. In other words, the Lukan Paul not only shares

his own early history as it was given by Luke in 7:58; 8:1a, 9:1-30 but he also gives one

of the three accounts o f his “conversion” (cf. 9:1-9a and 26:1-23) in Acts.55 Willem van

Unnik identifies his autobiography as having “three components of a biographical

pattern: birth, nurture, and education.”56 By offering his own history, Paul first tries to

create a relationship with his audience and then share his evangelization and missionary

endeavors with them.

Paul characterized his speech as a defense speech (Greek, apologia). In this

speech, he makes an effort to correct two misunderstandings in the mind o f the tribune

Claudius Lysias and the crowd: He is not an Egyptian, but a Jew; he is not a

revolutionary, but a citizen of Tarsus. In addition, he plays a role as “the public defender

of Christianity.”57 Krodel argues that “his defense is not a rebuttal of each o f the charges

against him but a witness to his Lord in the light o f his own experience.”58 In addition,

Paul’s defense moves from a declaration of solidarity with his audience to an intensive

55 Pervo, 559.
56 Willem C. Uniik, van. Tarsus or Jerusalem: The City o f Paul's Youth, trans. George. Ogg (London:
Epworth Press, 1962), 1034-36. Luke deploys this trilogy in reference to but one other person: Moses
(Acts 7:20-22). Pervo, 562.
57 Krodel, 409.
58 Krodel, 412.

30
challenge to his hearers.59

Stvle Analysis

Paul is portrayed as animatedly telling his own story of his background, his

persecution o f Christians, and his conversion to Christianity. Richard Pervo asserts that

“almost every word (w . 3-21) belongs to the realm o f narration.”60 Fred Veltman

suggests that this speech is “apology with strong emphasis upon narration.”61 In addition,

the use of the style of question and answer (vv. 7-10) enhances the goal of the speech as

apologia.

Paul briefly establishes his ethos at the beginning his story in verses 1-5.62 He

fulfills this with “his dutiful request, his use o f Aramaic, his polite address, his praise o f

Jerusalem, his assurance about his own observance, and his flattery o f the audience’s

religious commitment.”63 In this speech, the ethos appeal is evident throughout his

autobiography and his conversion story.

This sermon and Paul’s other defense speeches in Acts (23:1-10; 24:10-21; 26:1-

23) have similar structures and contents, with the exception o f the speech in 23:1-10,

which is brief and has a simple structure. These three other defense speeches will be

analyzed together in the following section.

Paul's Speeches before the Sanhedrin. Felix and Aerippa

(Acts 23:1-6: 24:1 Ob-21: 26:2-23. 25-27. 291

These speeches resemble defenses more than sermons and have an inclination to

59 Ibid., 413.
60 Richard I. Pervo, 560.
61 Fred Veltman, “The Defense Speeches o f Paul in Acts,” in Perspectives on Luke-Acts, ed. Charles H.
Talbert (Danville, VA: Association o f Baptist Professors o f Religion, 1978), 243-56.
62 Pervo, 562.
63 Ibid.

31
 being personal. However, because preaching includes God’s promise and proclamation

to the world, these speeches will be dealt with in terms of this meaning o f preaching.

Also, since these speeches have similar content and contexts, and exhibit characteristics

of each type of preaching, they will be explored together.

The first sermon of Paul before the Sanhedrin (23:1-6) is comparatively simple.

Pervo describes the sermon as follows: it is “a transitional scene introducing Paul at trial

and establishing his basic thesis: that the real charge against him is his belief in the

resurrection and that death will be the inevitable result of trial by the Jewish senate.”64

Through this sermon, Paul tries to first insist on his innocence as a loyal Jew before the

Jerusalem Sanhedrin and the high priest. However, his speech raises a divisive uproar in

the assembly. The episode ends with an affirmation o f Pauline testimony.

Five days later, the high priest with his entourage appears before Felix, the

governor in Caesarea. Their lawyer, Tertullus, delivers a speech bringing charges

against Paul as a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the

world and “a ringleader o f the sect o f the Nazarenes” (v.5). As the reply to Tertullus’

speech, Paul makes his defense to Felix (24:1 Ob-21). This defense consists of “judicial

rhetoric in which Paul denies the accuracy o f the charges brought against him through

statement o f facts, without offering any evidence .”65

The subject o f the speech is first to explain the reason why Paul came to

Jerusalem. Paul had come to Jerusalem to worship, not to make trouble. In other words,

a pilgrimage was the positive purpose for the visit.66 Also, Paul proclaims his own faith

64 Pervo, 571.
65 Marion L. Soards, The Speeches in Acts: Their Content, Context, and Concerns (Louisville:
Westminster/John Knox Press, 1994), 118.
66 Pervo, 562.

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 worship of “the God o f our fathers,” following the Law and the words o f the prophets

(v.14). Lastly, as the previous defense mentioned, Paul emphasizes the subject o f the

resurrection o f the dead .67

Paul’s final sermon, given before King Agrippa (26:2-23, 25-27, 29) starts with a

defense (apologia) and ends with a missionary speech (verses. 23, 27). It employs

judicial rhetoric that “ultimately seeks through metastasis to transfer the responsibility

for Paul’s manner of living to God as is clear from the reference to the Hebrew voice

and the recitation o f the statements by the raised Jesus in w . 14-18.”68

Characteristics of Paul’s Three Defense Sermons

The speeches before Felix and King Agrippa begin with Captatio benevolentiae

(Currying o f favor), which is a convention of the rhetorical style .69 Paul attempts to sway

Felix and Agrippa to be benevolent toward him by recalling their great experience and

competence. As important elements o f persuasion, recognition and understanding o f the

audience by using this style play an important role in preaching.

All the speeches deal with the resurrection.70 This is an important element and

theological concept, not only in these three speeches, but in Paul’s preaching as a whole.

Herman Redderbos insists that the character o f the resurrection in Paul’s preaching is

“not o f an anthropological but o f a redemptive-historical, eschatological, that is to say, of

a Christological and pneumatological nature .”71 On the other hand, in these defense

speeches, his rhetorical tactic is to displace the subject of the resurrection, so it seems

67 Fitzmyer, 736. Paul’s belief in the resurrection ofthe dead is based on Dan 12:2-3.
68 Soards, 122.
69 Hans Conzelmann, Acts o f the Apostles, trans. James Limburg et al. (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1987),
198.
70 Acts 23:6; 24:15, 21; 26:23.
71 Herman Ridderbos, Paul: An Outline o f His Theology, trans. John Richard de Witt (Grand Rapids, Ml:
W.B. Eerdmans, Publishing, 1975), 205.

33
irrelevant but is actually a controversial theme that paralyzes the court.72 As the subject

o f the resurrection creates a debate between the audience members, Paul escapes the

present crisis. Thus, we see how Paul figures out what problems he has and resolves them

through his orotund speech.

Even as Paul seeks to defend himself, he simultaneously advances testimony

about Christ that almost transforms his defense speeches into missionary sermons on the

resurrection o f Jesus.73 Hans Conzelmann observes, “The thrust of the speech leads from

the apology, addressing the situation, to a missionary appeal.”74 The Lucan Paul includes

“strong elements o f deliberative rhetoric through portions o f the speeches” and places his

key point at the end of each speech.75 In other words, the ultimate concern o f Paul’s

speeches is to fulfill his vocation as a missionary, even though he stands on trial and

faces the threat o f death.

Stvle Analysis

The defense speeches exhibit the narrative style. They are story-like: Paul is the

central subject and the other characters, like Sanhedrin, Felix, and Agrippa, play key roles

as accusers, judges, and audience members. These speeches sound like stories and are

shaped by the form of a narrative text.

In terms o f rhetorical styles, the circumstances o f a defense speech calls for an

appeal to ethos. In other words, the Lucan Paul not only gives his identification and

justification but also states his adversary’s competencies and experiences. The character

o f making a defense also means that the style will follow the way o f logos rather than

72 Pervo, 574.
73 Soards, 122.
74 Conzelmann, 209.
75 Soards, 122.

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pathos. For example, although Paul expresses pathos when he calls Ananias a

“whitewashed wall” (23:3), Paul primarily uses a logos appeal. He develops his defense

through logos to show he is a reasonable person.

Paul’s Preaching in Rome (Acts 28:17-28)

After a long, arduous journey, Paul has arrived in Rome, the city of his destiny.

In Rome, Paul is lodged privately with a guard, and after being there for three days, he

called together the local Jewish leaders to explain his own position and to tell them

about Christ. The speech recalls Paul’s earlier judicial addresses, but in the informal

setting the rhetoric is essentially epideictic.76 Conzelmann observes that this speech is

the final example of the pattern “to the Jews first.”77 It is divided into two parts: a

meeting about having a meeting, which covers Paul’s defense of himself (w . 17-22),

and the actual meeting, which Paul uses as an opportunity to share his message (w .

25b-28).78

The first part (w . 17-22) summarizes Paul’s innocence and the reason why he

came to Rome (to defend himself), and the second (vv. 25b-28) proclaims that salvation

has been delivered to the Gentiles, who, in contrast to the Israelites, will listen to this

message. Luke also refers to Paul’s important subjects in v. 23: he preaches the kingdom

o f God and tries “to convince them about Jesus both from the law o f Moses and from

the prophets.” Paul preaches continually on these subjects for two years to everyone

whom he meets (w . 30-31). This tells us that Paul was a passionate evangelist.

Characteristics o f Paul’s Speeches

Whenever Paul has a chance to spread the Gospel, he makes an effort to share his

76 Soards, 130.
77 Conzelmann, 227.
78 Pervo, 681.

35
 message, despite opponents who are enemies o f those who spread the Gospel. During

Paul’s two-year stay in Rome, his work was to preach the Gospel to whomever visited

him .79 Even though he had the status o f a prisoner, he boldly invited the leaders of the

Jews to meet with him and spoke o f “the hope of Israel” (v. 20). Likewise, when he

shared the Gospel, Paul spoke without shame, although he was in a difficult and

stressful situation. This shows his passion and devotion.

As noted in v. 23, Paul often used sources from the Old Testament in his work,

such as the Law of Moses and the prophets. He uses these sources to form a ring of

connection with his listeners. Furthermore, he does not confine himself to talking about

the Old Testament; rather, he uses Jewish scriptures to justify his claims about Jesus. He

seems to try to create a string that connects the present, in which he has experienced

Jesus and feels the Holy Spirit, with the past, when God promised to restore Israel

through the Messiah, Jesus. In addition, when divisive opinions about what Paul has said

arise among his listeners, Paul quotes the words of the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 6:9-10) to

point out to them their spiritual dullness (vv. 25-27).80 Paul’s incitation from the Old

Testament also is connected with the message o f salvation through Jesus.

Paul preaches that God’s salvation has been delivered to the Gentiles because of

the Jews’ ignorance (v. 28). This is an important subject o f his speech. In particular, “the

aorist tense of anecrraATi emphasizes the fact that God’s salvation has already seen effects

among non-Jews.”81 This means that God’s blessing has been sent from the Israelites to

the Gentiles because the Gentiles have faith that Jesus is the Christ for them. Thus, Paul

79 This fact is well expressed in w . 30-31.

80 Isaiah 6:9-10 (NASV): “Go, and say to this people: ‘Hear and hear, but do not understand; see and see,
but do not perceive. Make the heart o f this people fat, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they
see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.’”
81 Fitzmyer, 796.

36
stresses the providence o f God’s salvation.

Style Analysis

In the first part o f the speech, Paul explains how he was a prisoner of the local

leaders of the Jews and describes the events that he has experienced in a narrative way

and in chronological order. In particular, Paul uses the narrative structure o f cause and

effect. Verses 17-22 are characterized by the use o f conjunctions such as 8 ia (v .l 8),

ow(v.20), and yap(v.20). In addition to this, the word a m a is included, which

expresses a reason and a result.

The second part (w . 25b-28) is structured as expository preaching rather than as

narrative preaching. After Paul’s speech, a division among the Jewish leaders about

what Paul speaks arises, and Paul recites Isaiah’s prophecy to illustrate their ignorance.

In its original context, Isaiah’s prophecy about Israel’s spiritual dullness (Isa 6:9-10) is

featured in his commissioning as a prophet o f God (cf. Isa. 6 :6 - 8).82 Paul cites the words

o f Isaiah in order to have heaven apply the words to his listeners.

In terms o f rhetorical style, as soon as Paul reaches Rome, he regards as his first

target the leaders o f the Jews, with the purpose o f giving a defense o f his own innocence.

His speech has the purpose o f resolving the misunderstanding that the leaders o f the Jews

have about him. There is an element o f ethos in this defense. This teaches that in order to

create a great sermon, first it is essential to build up the moral and ethical character o f the

preacher, so the audience respects him or her.

82 Ibid., 362.

37
 Chapter 4

Korean Preaching Styles and an Analysis o f Two Korean Preachers’ sermons

The purpose of this chapter is to analyze current trends in Korean preaching and

the characteristics of two famous preachers. Traditionally, most Korean sermons use a

deductive rather than an inductive approach.

However, through a generational shift produced by the preachers o f many mega­

churches, Korean churches have experienced a transition in preaching styles. This

change has caused many Korean preachers to reflect on their preaching and to switch

from deductive preaching to inductive preaching or a mixed preaching style. For

example, according to the 2007 Ministry and Theology survey of 586 pastors about their

preaching, this trend in Korean preaching is quite prominent.1

This Ministry and Theology study found that the cognition o f pastors about the

importance o f preaching had increased greatly when compared to the recent past, when

liturgical elements such as the Eucharist or praise were emphasized.2 In addition, in terms

of the level o f satisfaction with their own preaching, respondents’ satisfaction levels were

twice as high as dissatisfaction levels.3 However, in response to a question about the

techniques and skills o f preaching, about 70 percent o f the pastors answered that they

needed to develop their skills more and put more effort into their sermon preparation.

This shows that although these preachers were satisfied with their sermons, they

1 See Appendix.
2 Seventy five percent o f the respondents answered that the importance o f preaching is increasing.
Specially, 83 percent o f the respondents in their thirties, who will lead the Korean Church in the future,
emphasized the importance of preaching. From “2007 Survey o f Korean Preaching,” Ministry and
Theology Magazine (Seoul), April 2007, 66.
3 The level o f satisfaction was 69.5 percent, but the level o f dissatisfaction was 30.3 percent. See “2007
Survey o f Korean Preaching,” 135.

38
recognized the necessity o f upgrading their preaching skills and gaining more impressive

responses from their audiences. In terms o f the qualifications o f preachers, respondents

focused on the importance of a pious life and spirituality (63 percent o f respondents).

These traits were noted most often by ministers in their sixties and pastors o f mega­

churches.

The subjects of sermons are chosen in various ways. About 50 percent o f Korean

pastors said they preached “only God’s word.” Around 30 percent drew upon current

events and issues; about 10 percent talked about the ethical life, and approximately 8

percent preached on educational and doctrinal issues. When asked how they chose

scriptures, most of the respondents said they usually selected passages based on the

situations o f their church members and the season o f the year. These statistics illustrate

that most o f these pastors paid attention to the lives o f their listeners, although pastors

who deal with various subjects make an effort to connect the subjects o f sermons to the

lives o f their listeners.

In terms o f the purpose o f preaching, about 61 percent of the pastors primarily

focused on encouragement, consolation, and blessing the congregation. Around 12

percent o f them were inclined to try to convict their listeners o f their sinfulness. This

emphasis is most prominent among preachers in their forties and pastors o f larger

churches and mega-churches.

When asked to characterize their sermons as conveying a passionate or a calm

mood, 53 percent of the pastors said “passionate,” and 26 percent of them answered

“calm.” Passionate preachers were more likely to be pastors o f larger churches and mega-

39
churches than small churches.4

In characterizing their approach to preaching, most pastors (about 40 percent)

stated that they followed the model o f the teacher. The prophet type was the second

favorite role. The role of teacher was popular among pastors in their thirties, and the

model o f the prophet was more evident among respondents in their fifties. Dr. Unyoung

Kim suggests that this generational difference results from the traditional preaching

paradigm and emphases of Confiician culture.5

In terms o f preaching style, about 60 percent o f the respondents preferred

expository preaching. The topical style was the second most popular (23.6 percent), then

narrative style (three percent). An inductive style o f preaching was considered superior to

a deductive style (49.5 versus 11.2 percent). The statistics show a surprising shift in

preferred preaching styles, because the Korean preaching style has traditionally been

deductive. It is very encouraging that preachers in their thirties and forties use the

inductive style.

When asked who the best living preacher was, 36.1 percent o f pastors chose

Dongwon Lee, and 21 .6 percent selected Sunhui Kwak. Why did the pastors choose these

two persons as examples of great preachers? In the rest of this chapter, I will analyze Rev.

Lee’s and Rev. Kwak’s sermons in order to discern what characteristics they might have

in common. I will focus on their general preaching styles, sermon structures, and special

elements of their preaching.

4 O f the pastors who said they were passionate preachers, 67.6 percent o f them were in mega-churches,
54.6 percent of them served churches bigger than the mid-size level, and 48.1 percent o f them were in
small churches. See appendix.
s See “2007 Survey.”

40
 Characteristics o f Dongwon Lee’s Sermons

As the Ministry and Theology study found, Dongwon Lee was selected as the

best preacher by Korean pastors. Rev. Lee built the Global Mission Church (Jiguchon

Church) in 1993 and developed the church until now over twenty thousand people

attend. Although he retired from the church, he continues to be active as a preacher and

an elder pastor. Many people attribute the growth and revival of the church to Rev.

Lee’s impressive preaching. Rev. Lee describes the meaning o f preaching in Sunjin

Han’s book, Why Are the Audiences Fascinated by Their Sermons?, as follows:

Preaching is sounds toward heaven and the words o f the earth for it. In addition,
preaching has to totally convey the message o f the kingdom o f God. However, it
has to put on the clothes and has to be heard through the language o f the earth .6

In addition to this, Rev. Lee insists that “preachers have to understand the situation of the

times as well as the Biblical situation simultaneously. When the two situations meet,

preaching creates a crisis.”7 For him, preaching means delivering God’s will (words) to

the congregation using the language o f humans, and a preacher is recognized as a person

who plays the role of making a bridge between the Biblical story and contemporary

situations. These concepts are evident in his sermons. Before examining the content o f

Rev. Lee’s sermons, I will first explore his style o f preaching.

Preaching Style

The most conspicuous characteristics o f Rev. Lee’ sermons is their expository

style. In his book, Expository Preaching Awakening the Audiences, he emphasizes “the

need for preachers to demonstrate faithfulness to the Bible”:

6 Sunjin Han, Why Are the Audiences Fascinated by Their Sermons? (Seoul: Bedeuro Publishing, 2000),
14. The author of this book chose ten famous preachers in Korea and examined the expertise o f these
preachers through interviews with them.
7 Ibid., 12.

41
 It is no exaggeration to emphasize faithfulness on the Bible in expository
preaching. If it is agreed with that a preacher is the messenger who delivers
God’s words, the primary responsibility o f the preacher is to the message and
then to deliver it responsibly. However, today, many humanistic sermons are
rampant with the name o f God .8

The Faithfulness which Lee describes means sermons are based thoroughly on

the text. His faithfulness to the text has been revealed in over one hundred sermons that

can be found in a collection o f his sermons. In other words, he first analyzes the text and

tries to ascertain its main points, then transfer the key points to his audiences. He often

calls up several scriptures related to the subject in order to emphasize the key points; and

he often introduces cultural, historical, and ideological backgrounds o f the text.

In terms o f sermon structure, the introduction o f almost all Rev. Lee’s sermons

follows an inductive style by using a story. He argues that inductive introductions cause

listeners to pay attention to his sermon, because they can stimulate their imaginations

and curiosity.9 He creates a story that will help listeners encounter the text. For

example, on November 11, 2011, he preached on the theme o f “The Great

Commandment: Love Each Other.” He began as follows:

While I was recently Twittering, several people recommended that I watch a

particular movie. After a long time, I finally saw the film everyone was talking
about. This was just a few days ago, in a small theater located in Youngsan. By
the way, the movie totally blew to pieces my ideas that I want to enjoy my life
after retirement. This is a documentary movie. The title of the movie is, “D on’t
Cry TonzT The movie portrayed the story of the priest Taesuk Lee, who worked
as a medical missionary and who established a base camp in the small village o f
Tonz located in the South of Sudan which is in the interior o f Africa and had been
suffering from poverty and despair due to civil war. The movie had a profound
impact on me not only because he died so young, but also because he maintained
the trace o f an intense love, more than his passionate work, his passionate
devotion, and his missionary tasks. During the entire movie, each screen made me

8 Dongwon Lee, Expository Preaching: Awakening the Audiences (Seoul: Jodan Publishing, 2000), 175.
9 Sunjin Han, 17.

42
 worry myself with the question, “How much have I loved my flock o f sheep
during the forty years of my ministry?” Then, I planted an ember in my heart
which will sacrifice myself with love for the rest o f my life, so I can express
honest love to the persons who come to me.
The opening o f the movie starts with the singing o f the song “The Passionate
Love” which does not fit the image of the priest. [He read the lyrics o f the song]
“As if I were a stranger who flits through my mind, in the beginning, I thought it
is a scattered wind. With longing which springs continually, I want to live in it for
my whole life. I will be a brilliant pearl as a twinkling star and a beautiful flower
in your heart. . . I will bloom a brilliant love which does not become an ash even
if it can be burned continually.” O f course, the objects of the song he sang and
thought about were the persons o f Tonz. If so, why did he go to them? Why did he
oxidize his short life for them? This is right because o f Jesus’ words, today’s text,
John 13:34-35, which we read. This is the message that—before the hero was
sacrificed for people of Tonz—Jesus already gave to his disciples before he died,
during his farewell time: “Love each other.” By the way, why should we who are
living in contemporary times grasp and live with these words, even though time is
passed away two thousand years ago?”10

This is the opening o f the sermon. Rev. Lee shows his practical inductive style by

starting with an impressive story and then connecting it with the biblical text. Lee

believes that an inductive style is a great way to introduce a sermon. In order to create

an effective inductive introduction, Lee emphasizes four things: (1) appropriate length

in time; (2) excitement; (3) bring up a clear subject; (4) connect the subject with the

body o f the sermon.11

Lee develops the body of his sermon using a deductive style o f three points under

one main topic. This approach is a famous Korean style of preaching. However, Lee’s

deductive style is a little different from the typical Korean style, because he tries to

draw out his three points from the text, while many Korean deductive style sermons are

10 Dongwon Lee, Widaehan Myungryeong: Seoro saranghara (“The Great commandment: love each
other”), www.j iguchon.org/gmc_sermon/s_content.asp?s_id=680&gubun=sun&page=6# (accessed
December 10, 2011).
11 Dongwon Lee, Seolkyu Clinic, “The Clinic o f P r e a c h in g teaching resource, Preaching Seminar,
Pasadena, CA, August 21-24,2111.

43
 topical sermons and the three points o f these sermons are usually chosen in relation to

the topic rather than the text. Rev. Lee tends to cite many Bible verses or stories in the

body in the body of a sermon that can support his selected text and content.

For example, in his sermon, “At Pithom and Raamses,” of his sermon collection,

The Roadmap o f Life to the Promised Land, he develops the body o f one sermon with

three points under the theme o f “bearing a vision in suffering” based on the text o f

Exodus 1:8-14.12 He finds the first point, “bursting hope even in suffering” through

analyzing the background of the text. Next, he depicts the idea that a vocation exists in

suffering through the story of the artist, Van Gogh, and Verse 1:11. Then, he connects

suffering with prayer, citing the words God gave to Moses in Exodus 3:7-8

(emphasizing verse 9),13 and various Biblical verses about prayer, then concluding with

a story from his own life.

Thus, Rev. Lee primarily uses an inductive style in the introductions o f his

sermons, and then the body of his sermons exhibits a deductive style focused on three

points.

Preaching Techniques

Keen and interesting questions can be great tools for making speeches more

appealing. Dr. Seoungyoung Jung asserts, “A question creates an invisible conversation

between a preacher and the audience and encourages the listeners to take part in the

sermon by building up tension among them .”14 To ask the listeners questions is to focus

12 Dongwon Lee, “At Pithom and Raamses,” in Yaksokui Ttangeul hyanghan Roadmap (The Roadmap o f
life to the promised land) (Seoul: Duranno, 2009), 11-21.
13 He makes the connection o f God hearing the prayers o f Israelite people in their suffering.
14 Seongyoung Jung, Preaching Style (Seoul: Handeul, 2004), 103.

44
their attention on the sermon and to suggest the direction in advance, rather than leaving

them open to follow their own thoughts. Rev. Lee’s use of questions can be divided into

two patterns: ( 1) the question is a way for him to share his feeling with the congregation

and to communicate with them, or (2 ) the question is a rejoinder to what he has said and

challenges the listeners. He usually uses the first style of question to make a transition

between the introduction and the body of the sermon, and he often employs the second

question style in his conclusion when he wants to challenge the congregation. He also

likes to ask a series of questions, which induces the listeners to follow his line of

thinking.

These styles o f posing questions are evident in most o f Rev. Lee’s sermons. In

his series about miracles in the Bible, the sermon “The Miracle of the Word,” given

February 27, 2011, provides fitting examples o f these types o f questions. He opens the

sermon by sharing two movie clips that depict interesting and funny, but real, miracles.

After explaining the movie clips briefly, he connects the miracles o f God’s creation with

Jesus’ miracles in the Bible. Then, he explains the background of the text (1 Peter 1:23-

2 :2 ) and introduces his topics as they relate to the text through the use o f questions:

Peter testified to two great miracles o f the Word to the early Christians in the first
century who suffered persecution and had to be scattered. He pointed out that they
experienced and felt the miracles in difficult situations. They had confidence that
only the miracle o f the Word can be a hope in this world of darkness. If the
miracle can also be experienced by us who live today and can be shown in the
world, the world will be changed. If so, what are two great miracles o f the Word
which we look forward to? First, there is the miracle o f being bom again. Why is
being bom again a miracle for the world? 15
Here, Rev. Lee uses the questions, “What are two great miracles o f the Words

15 Dongwon Lee, Malseumui Kijuk (“The Miracle o f the word”),

www.forleader.org/bbs/view.php?id=joumaI_sermon&page= I &sn I =&divpage= I &category=20&sn=off
&ss=on&sc=off&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=521 (accessed December 27, 2011).

45
which we look forward to?” and “Why is being born-again a miracle for the world?” to

create a turning point from the introduction to the body of the sermon. In the body, he

develops two subjects: the miracles o f being bom again and spiritual growth.

In the conclusion, the second style of questioning is evident. The conclusion

begins with a question that introduces the impressive story, The Adventures o f Robinson

Crusoe, and ends with a series o f questions:

Do you know a world masterpiece that witnesses to the fact that a person can be
changed only through the Bible, without a person to help his spiritual growth, a
preacher, or even a church? This is The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel
Defoe. The wrecked ship that Robinson had been on was a symbol o f the wreckage
of his spiritual life But he started to read the Bible found from a wrecked ship
one day by accident.. . . Not only did he save the youth, but he also made him a
Christian by sharing the Gospel with him. Now he was a missionary to the island.
So, finally and miraculously, he returned to his hometown with the youth after
going through all kinds o f hardships for 28 years and two months. Shouldn’t this be
the picture all of us carry with us when we finally return to heaven after being bom
again through the Word, matured with the Word, and produced fruit with the Word?
If so, there is an important question which all o f us have to ask before God and
before the Words. Are you bom again? Have you grown up spiritually? 16

Rev. Lee often uses a series of questions like this at the end o f his sermons to challenge

congregants and to demand a response from them.

Rev. Lee emphasizes the importance of logical development in his sermons. He

argues that it is important to make a sermon outline for four reasons: first, to create a

logical form; second, to develop a subject; third, to provide a connection with the text;

and last, to suggest a direction for the preacher himself and also for the congregants.17

When Lee develops the body o f his sermon according to three key points, he primarily

uses three methods for creating a logical progression: first, he follows the order o f a text;

second, he makes sure his thoughts flow in a logical order; and third, there is a gradual

Dongwon Lee, “The Clinic o f Preaching,” in The Roadmap o f Life to the Promised Land, 11.

46
development of his reasoning in his outline.

For example, the three key points of his sermon, “A Journey O f Life Finally

Started,” in his sermon collection, The Roadmap o f Life to the Promised Land, are

organized as follows: (1) because God knows that it is the best way for us to go through

our life journeys; (2) because God knows that it is the planned way through Jesus’

covenant; and (3) because God knows that it is the way for us to exist in Jesus’ Parousia

together.18 In his sermon collection, Navigation o f My Spirit, the sermon, “Eternal

Desire,” exemplifies these characteristics well. He develops the main points as follows:

first, overcome obstacles against the desire to pray; second, prepare to realize one’s desire

to pray; and third, expect results from one’s desire to pray.19

These examples demonstrate the logical and rhythmical development of Rev.

Lee’s sermon points. In the former example, Lee first depicts in which we have to head,

then shows that the way is definite and true, and finally argues that the way is always

with Jesus. In the second example, Lee first draws a picture o f what the obstacles to

prayer, and concludes with a description o f the effects of prayer.

It should also be noted that Lee often uses alliteration and a gradation o f thoughts

to create a rhythmical and logical structure.

A Critique o f Dongwon Lee’s Sermons

A positive aspect of Rev. Lee’s sermons that he appeals to people by referencing

current events is closely related to a subject. However, many o f his sermons seem

primarily to take a theoretical approach rather than giving practical solutions to the

18 Dongwon Lee, “A Journey o f Life Finally Started,” in The Roadmap o f Life to the Promised Land, 49-54.
19 Dongwon Lee, “Eternal Desire,” in Naeyounghonui Navigation (Navigation of my spirit) (Seoul: Word of
Life Book, 2009), 94-100.

47
problems he mentions. Thus, he relates events less for application and more for evoking

interest and connecting with his audiences.. Dr. Youngsub Jeoung in his book “Between

Preaching and Instigation,” which criticizes the sermons o f several famous preachers,

maintains that Lee’s sermons have a sense of emptiness due to this approach.20

For example, in his sermon o f March. 23, 2008, Rev. Lee concludes as follows:

A Sunday School teacher gave the students a homework to write about the meaning
of Easter and then let them present their explanations before the students the
following Sunday. However, the next Sunday, after some students had presented,
one student opened and closed his notes continually without saying anything:
period, question mark, and an exclamation mark. The teacher asked the boy to
explain what it meant, He said, “All the people thought that everything was
finished by Jesus’ death. So I did a period. Then, the disciples started to ask: ‘Why
did You leave us like this? So I did a question mark. However, on the Easter
morning, the disciples got an exclamation mark with the resurrection o f Jesus.
Then, all was changed.”
What a beautiful explanation this is, isn’t it? How does your life stand: on a period,
on a question mark, or on an exclamation mark? 21

This sermon deals with the idea that since we are suffering from a situation o f spiritual

war, we need the power of the resurrection. However, in terms of applying this idea to

real life, Rev. Lee does not offer any concrete advice. When we have to make a decision,

this lack of direction would leave us confused.

In addition, Rev. Lee often uses poems that convey or symbolize the message o f

his sermons. In his January 23, 2011 sermon, he concluded with “A Prayer o f Peace,” a

poem, by Saint Francis of Assisi, to symbolize the subject o f uniting as one .22 In his

20 Youngsub Jeong, Seolgyuwa Seondong Saieseo (Between preaching and instigation) (Seoul: Daehan
Christian Publishing, 2007), 131-32.
21Dongwon Lee, Youngjeok Jeonjaeng (“Spiritual war”),
www.forleader.org/bbs/view.php?id=joumal_sermon&page=9&sn 1=&divpage= 1&sn=off&ss=on&sc=o
n&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=392 (accessed December 19, 2011).
22 Dongwon Lee, Hanadoemeul Jikira (“The Great Commandment: keep uniting one”),
www.forleader.org/bbs/view.php?id=joumal_sermon&page= 1&sn 1=&divpage= 1&category= 19&sn=off

48
sermon o f January 31, 2010, he also used a poem by Chunsu Kim, “A Flower,” to explain

discipleship. The flower presents the meaningfulness o f our existence to one another.23

Thus, Lee usually utilizes a metaphysical approach in the application o f his topics.

Furthermore, Rev. Lee’s sermons reflect his broad training and interests. He

includes many example stories in his sermons, that primarily describe figures from

foreign cultures, particularly stories about or from North America or Great Britain. He

often uses two to three such stories in a sermon, along with English words.

In his sermon, “The Holy Life,” given November 29, 2011, Rev. Lee introduced

several figures as examples for explaining the secrets o f how to live a life o f praise and

thanks giving:

In church history, there were many people who wrote lyrics and composed praise
songs when they were filled with the Holy Spirit. The saint, Francesco d' Assisi,
composed the song, “All Creatures o f Our God and King” with the subject of
stars, moon, and sun, when he was filled with the Holy Spirit. The reformer
Martin Luther wrote many poems and hymns, such as “A Mighty Fortress Is Our
God.” Charles Wesley, a brother to John Wesley, who experienced the revival o f
Methodism wrote, surprisingly, about six thousand songs, and the blind Fanny J.
Crosby created over eight thousand lyrics to God after she started to open her
eyes to the spiritual world although she had been blind from childhood. I also
composed a song while I taught my Sunday School children: “When you read the
Bible and eat food, read the Bible and go to sleep, and read the Bible and work,
God bless you. When you pray and eat food, pray and go to sleep, and pray and
work, God bless you. When you praise and eat food, praise and go to sleep, and
praise and work, God bless you.”
I would like to introduce a person of beautiful thanks. While I read a book, my
eyes were drawn to the name o f this person. His name was Mr. Stillwater, and he
had lived in Wisconsin. His nickname was Deacon Thanks. Whenever he
communicated with people, his common word was “thanks.” However, as time
passed, his wife got Alzheimer’s disease. By the way, in spite o f this situation, he
did not change his thankful smile and words. Although his children asked him to

&ss=on&sc=ofF&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=516 (accessed December 29, 2011).

23 “A Flower” by Chunsu Kim is as follows: Until I spoke his name, he had been no more than a mere
gesture. When I spoke his name, he came to me and became a flower o f mine. We will wish to become
something. You to me and I to you wish to be an unforgettable being (translation mine).

49
 put her in a nursing home, he refused, saying, “I want to take care o f her.”24
Here we see that, Rev. Lee primarily cites foreign people rather than Korean Christian

persons.

In addition, he often uses English words. For example, in his sermon o f March, 9,

2008, he introduces the words ministry, minister, and burn-out.

Church work is called ministry in English. The meaning of ministry is “the act o f
s e r v i n g namely, the work o f service . . . Persons who serve are called ministers.
From the perspective o f the New Testament, all Christians are ministers . . .The
biggest obstacle in the act of serving is becoming exhausted while serving. This
is called “burn-out” or “exhaustion”.25

Rev. Lee often uses English word although it is not necessary to do so. In this sermon, he

did not need to introduce the words ministry, minister, or burn-out. Even when he uses

English words correctly, it is not certain that the word gives deeper meaning or

understanding or that it makes the sermon come alive more. In fact, it can bring about the

reverse effect. For Lee, the frequent use o f English and many example stories from the

Western world might be a sign o f education and interests brought about as a result of

long-term study abroad.

Characteristics o f Sunhui Kwak’s sermons

Rev. Sunhui Kwak was an elder pastor of the Somang Church who started with

eleven people and had gathered over sixty thousand members by the time he retired 26

24 Dongwon Lee, Ebesoseo Kanghae: Georukha Insang (“The Expository o f Ephesians: Holy life”),
www.forleader.org/bbs/view.php?id=joumal_sermon&page=l &sn 1=&divpage= 1&category= 18&sn=off
&ss=on&sc=off&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=508 (accessed January 9, 2012).
25 Dongwon Lee, Gwangya Sayeokui Model (“The Roadmap o f life to the promised land: The desert church
was created”),
www. forleader.org/bbs/view.php?id=joumal_sermon&page= 1&sn 1=&divpage= 1&category= 1&sn=off
&ss=on&sc=off&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=390 (accessed January 10, 2012).

50
years later.26 Furthermore, 65 percent o f the members (about forty thousand) were new

Christians who first came to believe in Jesus and were baptized after attending his

church.27 Dr. Sungmo Moon analyzed the phenomenon of Kwak’s church and found that

it had a pretty even age distribution among the new members, which included many

politicians, businessmen, scholars, and entertainers. In particular, considering the regional

characteristics of Kangnam, Seoul, the location o f Kawk’s church, where the majority o f

residents are wealthy and highly educated, the revival is very remarkable. Moon insists

that only his sermons made this possible.28 This is because the church had no special

programs; its focus was Sunday worship services. In an interview with Moon, Rev. Kwak

shared his ideas about the meaning o f preaching:

Preaching is about creating a fictional story to fit the contemporary situation with
the text. Preaching is production. The Bible is the scenario and the members are
the audience. Preaching means to deliver the meaning well by directing the
scenes effectively. Therefore, so many preachers have created sermons based on
the Bible for two thousand years. Preachers as directors have to deliver the
Gospel by being directors o f actions, words, expressions, and the whole body in
order to open the hearts o f the listeners. Therefore, the time that preaching was
regarded as a rhetorical technique or delivery o f knowledge has already passed.29

In the next section, I will examine how Rev. Kwak has practiced his preaching

philosophy through a narrative style o f preaching.

Preaching Style

Rev. Kwak’s preaching style is primarily inductive and topical, although he used

many deductive elements in the beginning o f his preaching ministry. His sermons give

26 Although he has retired from the church, he still preaches in a branch o f Somang Church, Jesus Somang
Church located in Bundang, Kyungkido.
27 Sungmo Moon, Preaching: Learning from Rev, Sunhui Kwak (Seoul: Duranno, 2009), 355.
28 Ibid.
29 Ibid., 358.

51
congregants continual challenges through his use of many example stories and his logical

development of his subject. In other words, he emphasizes a subject in a sermon, creates

a seamless procession o f ideas about the subject, and makes it clearly evident what his

subject is. Example stories are utilized in order to explain the subject more easily and

clearly. In the field o f preaching, he is a great narrative storyteller.

For example, the sermon, “Don’t Be Depressed When You Do Someone a Good

Turn,” demonstrates this style well.30 Rev. Kwak begins by introducing the book,

Bowling Alone by Robert D. Putnam. Kwak shares how, in the book, Putnam describes

the loneliness of contemporary people through the image o f many people being in a big

bowling alley, but most o f the people are playing alone. He also includes his own

experience o f going to a bowling alley when he was studying abroad in America.

Continuing on, he analyzes why contemporary people feel lonely psychologically and

compares humans with cows in terms o f independence. He shares the statistical data

about suicide rates and the widespread custom of celibacy in Japan in order to illustrate

the phenomenon o f lonely contemporary people. Thus, he emphasizes that we all need to

be loved. Next, he portrays the three types of men in the parable of the Good Samaritan

and compares them with the three types of human beings Richard Niebuhr delineates in

his book, The Responsible Self.31 In particular, through this comparison, he encourages a

change in thinking from a focus on myself (I) to a focus on neighbors (you) by

insightfully describing human nature. Connecting with this idea, he insists on faithful

30 Sunhui Kawk, Judojeonk Sinangui Bonjil (The Essence for leading faith) (Seoul: Gyemong Munhawsa
Publishing, 2003), 31-40.
31 H. Richard Niebuhr, The Responsible Self: An Essay in Christian Moral Philosophy (New York: Harper
& Row, 1963), 47-68. Niebuhr argues that there are three types o f human beings: persons who live for
their own purposes, such as thieves; persons who live for their communities or groups, such as the priest
and the Levite; and persons who live to have responsibility, such as the Good Samaritan.

52
humanitarianism and introduces an example story about Mahatma Gandhi. He

emphasizes that people can achieve self-realization through good deeds. Then, he

describes the theory that as one sows, so shall one reap, using a story from China’s

traditional book, the Mencius, a story from a television program, and his own story. In the

conclusion, he emphasizes the importance o f practicing good deeds and ends with an

example story about when he went to the wedding o f his friend’s daughter and saw many

professors at Berkeley University who had lost opportunities to get married.

Base on this example, we can see that Rev. Kwak’s preaching style is remarkable

in terms o f its narrative and topical approach.

Preaching Techniques

Most of Rev. Kwak’s sermons have long introductions. Generally his sermons

consist o f around three pages of introduction out o f a total o f nine to ten pages.32 His

sermons are composed o f long introductions, a body for explaining the text and the

subject, and a short and concise conclusion. He has no special structure to his sermons.

He begins with an introduction, explaining the subject he has selected by using various

sources and materials in order to win the agreement o f the listeners. His introduction is

quite logical and interesting and includes background material on the subject.

For example, the sermon, “The Day Our Tent Falls On The Earth,” from his

sermon collection, The Experience I Have From God, demonstrates a typical introduction

for Kwak. In order to deal with the subject o f death and heaven, he begins by introducing

an interesting story from a television program about death, a story of Marie Curie about

the transience of honor, a story o f Winston L. S. Churchill about heaven and hell, and a

32 His sermon collections generally use A5 size paper, 12-point font, and 1.5 line spacing.

53
story about a person who dies but lives again after twelve hours.33 Thus, before he gets to

the body o f his sermon, he shares four stories that illustrate its theme.

Rev. Kwak’s sermons focus more on the issues of persons who achieve some

level o f success rather than the issues o f people who hope for success. This is because

wealth is boasted about in this district. To appeal to the rich and well educated, he often

uses a social and psychological approach and technical terms and content as means to

delivering the Gospel, instead o f using the language o f a biblical text. In addition, he

appeals to the reason and intelligence o f the congregants and tries to harmonize God and

human beings through the use o f natural scientific methods and reasoning about

contemporary situations as he analyzes a biblical text. Kwak demonstrates how to preach

effectively to educated and cultivated audiences.

Kwak displays great skill in capturing a point of contact between the text and the

life situation o f the listeners. For example, Kwak’s sermons include many references to

stories from the Seven Chinese Classics (the Four Books and the Three Classics),

bestsellers or well-known books, and magazines such as Newsweek or Time. He also

makes frequent use o f proverbs, English words, and ontological analysis o f human

patterns. In addition to this, to evoke the listeners’ approval and attention, he memorizes

his sermons almost in their entirety, uses attractive titles, and gestures extensively.

A Critique of Sunhui Kwak’s Sermons

Rev. Kwak is a great preaching expert who connects contemporary situations and

texts by citing many example stories and theories. However, he focuses only on these

33 Sunhui Kawk, “The Day Our Tent Falls on the Earth,” in Naeke Jus 'm Kyoungryun (The Experience I
have from God) (Seoul: Gyemong Munhawsa Publishing, 2011), 39-41.

54
elements, with the result being a devaluation o f the scriptural text and an over-emphasis

on the current context. Dr. Ingyo Jeong criticizes his sermons for amusing our ears but

not quenching our spiritual thirst.34 The problem is that Kwak’s messages come from

various popular materials rather than a deep analysis o f a biblical text. Therefore, the text

would seem to be regarded as simply a resource to emphasize the subject, rather than as

authoritative in itself. For example, on September 14, 2003, he preached on the theme of

“Strengthen Your Heart (Numbers 3:1-9).”

You know Andrew Carnegie, the American industrialist and philanthropist. He

was very famous in many fields. However, I think that the most famous thing is
the epitaph that he selected for himself. The epitaph is as follow: “A man who
knew how to enlist in his service better men than himself.” He gives us a
meaningful idea in his epitaph. This is the concept o f “humility.” Whenever
people called him a “genius,” “a great leader,” “a businessman,” or “a successful
man,” he always said “no.” He says, “My success made better men than myself
by getting them to cooperate with each other. Also, I exerted myself only to
maximize their positive and excellent talents. It is I, myself.”
You, all people have weakness and strengths. As they say, nobody has only
strengths. Also nobody has only weaknesses. God gives us both weaknesses and
strengths equally. However, the strengths can be changed into the weaknesses
sometimes in difficult situations, or the weakness can be turned into a great
strength sometimes . . . if so, who are the powerful men or the wise men? They
are the persons who know themselves well. They also have weaknesses and
strengths. However, they know how to maximize their strengths. They value their
strengths. They overcome their weaknesses by trying to develop their strengths.
This is the life o f the wise. If this is so, who can be a leader? . . . . A leader
captures the strength o f others and creates an atmosphere in which they can do
their work well There is a book called, Confidence by Barbara De Angelis,
which, according to the New York Times, is a very famous book chosen by many
people for several years. She says that there is a difference between confidence
and pride . . .
By the way, a leader is worrying in today’s text. Psychologically, the worries
which many people have are basically two: the first is fear about death, and the
second is a guilty conscience.. . . Unlike these worries, Joshua had a different
worry. This was a worry as a leader. He had great fear and concern. Moses, who
was the leader, had died. Joshua, who was the second-in-command, became the
leader. For a long time, he had been loyal and obedient to Moses and had

34 Ingyo Jeong, Seolkyojayeo, Seungpusureul Deonjura (Preachers, make your bid for victory) (Seoul:
Daehan Christian Publishing, 2010), 21.

55
depended on him. However, hereafter he had a heavy responsibility, which was
to lead the Israelites without Moses. He could not stand this situation. Moses had
died and from now on, he was the only person who was responsible for leading
the Israelites. These thoughts would cause him to worry. In other words, he
already well knew the ignorance and wickedness o f the Israelites, since he had
lived in the desert with them for forty years. In addition, he saw that Moses had
suffered from these problems. In this situation, how could he lead the Israelites as
their second leader? The way he had to go was into an unknown world. There
was no information about this new world. “Our group is more like a mob than an
organized army,” he thought. “There is also the high fortress.” How could they
occupy the land in this world? This was a mystery. As some spies had observed,
the Amalekite people who lived in the land were giants compared with their own
people; they looked like small locusts. As you can read in Numbers 13:39, “We
became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.” So, he
was worried about how they could take the land o f Canaan. In fact, humanly, the
circumstances indicated nothing. There was nothing to expect. However, God
said to Joshua, “Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for
the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” In particular, in the text, the
words, “I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses,” are written in the
perfect present tense. This means that God had already given them the land. This
meant, “Go and get it.” Frankly, Joshua might have been resistant to following
God’s command.. . . He needed to have a special belief.

There is a famous book, Loving Yourselffor God's Sake by Adolfo Quezada. He

says this to the one who loves God: the way in which to love God truly, is to start
with loving oneself. Then, he says three things. First, accept your own figure.
Whenever you see yourself, you may be unsatisfied . . . Second, reconcile with
your own problems o f the p a st. . . There is a person who is visually handicapped,
Youngho K ang.. . . He lost his sight when he was in middle school because
someone hit a soccer ball and it hit his eyes . . . Meanwhile, his parents suddenly
died. So he had to send one younger brother to an orphanage and another
younger brother to work in a hardware store. And he himself had to do hard
work . . . However, he thought that God did not want him to live such a life for
his entire lifetime, so he decided to study hard. So he entered Yonsei University
and went to study abroad. Finally, he received an educational doctorate. Then, he
became a presidential aide in America as a Korean and a proud leader in Korea.
Now he says, “The blessing I received results from being a blind person. If I was
not a blind person, the person I am today would not exist. Furthermore, this fact
made my son become a doctor. Therefore, the greatest blessing I received is the
experience o f a huge difficulty. Finally, that made me the person I am today.” . . .
If the greatest bad wife had to be selected, many people might choose Socrates’
wife. How bad was she? Let’s not tell everything. One day, Socrates went home
because he needed to get a book for a class he was teaching. At that time, his
wife suddenly threw the dirty dishwater in her husband’s face in the middle of
washing dishes. But Socrates responded, “It begins to thunder and just rains,”
laughing outright. Then, his disciples said, “Dismiss your wife and divorce her.”
What a thing to say! Then, Socrates said, “You don’t know me. Was I a
56
 philosopher without her?” These words are really right. You have to reconcile
yourself with your past. Then, you can move into the future. This is faith.
Third, you have to take responsibility. You received grace and you have to return
it. You have to know the reason why you exist in the world. We exist because
God gives us magnificent grace and a mission. The persons who know this are
God’s people. Joshua was the person who saw Moses’ life and experience for
forty years with God. Now God said to Joshua, “Do not tremble. Be strong and
courageous! Your God is with you wherever you go.” Don’t see the enemy of
Canaan. Dispel the wickedness o f the Israelites. See only you and yourself. . .
And God’s words should be always in our hearts . . . 35

This is the basic structure of Kwak’s sermon. He lists many stories to support the subject,

“Be strong and courageous, because God is always with you.” However, the biblical text

is just a small piece that supports the subject. The amount o f time given to dealing with

the text is similar to or a little less than the time spent on the example stories. Preaching

ought to give spiritual inspiration from God’s words. Kwak’s sermons look like a gift

food basket that provides various foods without the main dish we really want to eat. He

gives many stories in his sermons, but deep analysis o f the text cannot be found.

Therefore, his preaching needs to engage in a deeper analysis o f biblical texts to quench

our spiritual thirst.

35 Sunhui Kwak, Maeumeul Kanghageha (“Strengthen your heart”),

www.somang.net/file/smps_ib/text/day/20030914.html (accessed January 18, 2012).

57
 Chapter 5

A Model of Effective Preaching Based on a Comparison between

Paul’s Sermons and the Sermons o f Two Great Korean Preachers

Analysis of Paul’s sermons in Acts provides some beneficial insights for

developing contemporary Korean preaching. The various positive characteristics or skills

found in Paul’s sermons in Acts can be helpful in critiquing the sermons of two

representative preachers in Korea, Dongwon Lee and Sunhui Kawk. This chapter will

compare and contrast these two Korean preachers from the perspective o f Paul’s

preaching.

Major Themes in Paul’s Sermons

Paul’s sermons in Acts focus on the salvation event brought about by God in the

life, death, and resurrection o f Christ. This focus provided the core not only of Paul’s

theology o f preaching but also his gospel. John Beaudean, Jr. states that two key terms

that form the matrix for Paul’s conception o f the preaching task are God’s word and the

gospel.1 Both of them bring the hearer into a relationship with God’s salvation connected

with the death and resurrection o f Jesus Christ.2 James Thompson suggests that “Acts and

the Pauline letters agree that Paul’s missionary preaching focuses on the death and

resurrection o f Jesus.”3 Paul’s sermons primarily develop by making connections

between the Old Testament and the gospel about Jesus Christ, such as Paul’s preaching in

Antioch of Pisidia (13:16-41) and Paul’s preaching in Rome (28:17-28).

The sermons of many contemporary preachers in Korea often consist o f listing

1John William Beaudean, Jr., Paul's Theology o f Preaching (Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 1988),
192.
2 Ibid.
3 Thompson, 145.

58
fragments of information rather than conveying the deep biblical messages pertaining to a

subject. Paul’s sermons teach Korean preachers to better grasp the purpose of preaching.4

Many preachers in Korea may achieve greater depth in their sermons by trying to connect

the New and Old Testaments, thus showing consistency in the message between the two

Testaments. Dongwon Kim and Sunhui Kwak are no exception, since they also tend to

primarily deal with only one part o f the New or Old Testament.

Preaching critic Youngsub Jeong points out that “enumerative preaching” is the

most popular style o f preaching among preachers in Korea.5 He describes the negative

aspects o f Korean enumerative preaching as follows:

Sometimes the style might be needed because of the subject and text for the
sermon. However, many enumerative sermons only develop according to the
sermon’s expediency, without logical thought. These sermons can be a bit too
unfocused and can diminish tension.. . . In addition, when a text is dealt with,
only easy answers are listed as the text proceeds.. . . These sermons fail to deepen
a subject and only expand the sub-subjects according to a preacher’s own
preferences, just as goods are displayed in a market.6

As Youngsub Jeong observes, enumerative preachers often make the mistake o f failing to

develop their sermons in a logical and focused manner, thus reducing the tension a

listener might experience when listening to a well thought out sermon. In addition, the

scriptural text in this style o f preaching becomes a text that only deals with superficial

4 Although many scholars have described the purpose o f preaching, I think that the interpretation o f the
two scholars, George Sweazey and Ronald J. Allen, is greatest. George Sweazey insists that the purpose
o f preaching is: “ 1) to proclaim and expound the Scriptures; 2) to proclaim the mighty acts o f God for
man’s salvation; 3) to offer an encounter with the Living Lord; 4) to teach; 5) to confirm in the faith; 6)
to exhort to holiness; 7) to instruct in the Christian life; 8) to edify; 9) to comfort, sustain, and heal; 10)
to kindle the emotions; II) to admonish and declare God’s judgment on private sin and social wrong; 12)
to change people’s thinking; 13) to change people’s behavior.” George Edgar Sweazey, Preaching the
Good News (Englewood Cliffs, N .J .: Prentice-Hall, 1976), 16-24. On the other hand, Ronald J. Allen
asserts that “the vocation o f preaching is to help the congregation name and interpret the divine presence
and purpose.” Ronald J. Allen, Interpreting the Gospel: An Introduction to Preaching (St. Louis, M o .:
Chalice Press, 1998), 10.
5 “Enumerative preaching” is a preaching style that lists sub-themes.
6 Youngsub Jeong, Seolkyoran Mueoinga?(What is Preaching?) (Seoul: Hongseong Publishing, 2011), 59.

59
information and ideas, rather than deeply reflecting the main point o f the text.

For example, Rev. Lee’s sermon, “The Great Commandment: Love One Another,”

which I discussed in the previous chapter, develops three points about why we have to

love each other: (1) because this is a commandment o f Jesus, (2) because we are Jesus’

disciples, and (3) because this is a need in the world. With these three points, he describes

the reasons why we need to “love one another,” but all of these points have an importance

which is nearly equal to the subject o f the sermon. Although Lee’s sermons are superior

in their logical development, they lack the tension necessary to express a subject in a

dramatic way because they lack deep biblical analysis and simply list stories. For this

sermon, I would recommend first exploring the meaning of loving one another, then

discussing why we have to love each other, and finally, teaching us how to practice this

love in our lives.

Kwak’s sermon, “Strengthen Your Heart (Numbers 3:1-9),” is a fitting example

of enumerative preaching. Although many example stories are connected with the

subject, this sermon gives us the feeling that this is not a sermon but a lecture, or, in other

words, it pursues only phenomena without getting at the essence o f the message. The

essence is the text, which expresses the Gospel. For this reason, the text ought to be well

analyzed and be the central subject. When he preached at Athens (17:21-33), Paul wanted

to draw near to and touch the God who is close at hand. To bring people to God, it is

necessary to know and analyze one’s text thoroughly. Analyzing texts by making

connections between the Old Testament and God’s work of salvation through Jesus Christ

can help preachers understand their preaching texts more broadly and deeply.

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 Paul’s Pathos

When Paul’s preaching in Acts is examined, one can see that Paul’s pathos made

his preaching very persuasive and valued.7 Although the nature of a letter does not allow

us to observe such characteristics o f pathos as are expressed through tone o f voice, facial

expressions, and gestures, Luke often describes the pathos (nd0oq) of Paul when he gives

speeches by noting his gestures or the strong tone of his words. For example, as

mentioned in Chapter 3, when Paul preached in Antioch o f Pisidia (13:16-41), he

exhibited joyful, exciting emotions (v.32) as he delivered the good news and expressed

strong tone with the imperative terms yvcooxdv s o t © (v . 38) and pXereexs (v. 40). In Paul’s

sermon in Miletus (20:17-38), he uses the word, “tears” (w .19, 31), to express profound

emotion and effort, and before beginning his Lystran sermon (14:15-17), he exhibited

profound regret by tearing his clothes (v. 14). He then shouted with pathos. “Men, why

are you doing these things? We are also men o f the same nature as you” (NRSV 14:15).

Paul also often opened his speeches with appropriate hand gestures (Acts 13:16; 21:40;

26:1) to add passionate emphasis to his delivery.

Paul evokes particular emotions by identifying himself with his listeners through

calling them aj8eX<j>oi(“brothers and sisters,” 13:26, 38; 14:15; 22:1; 23:1, 5, 6; 28:17). In

some cases, he used the language o f his audience, such as Aramaic, to endear himself to

them. Thus, Paul used pathos for effective delivery and to transfer his passion and love as

7 Ethos is more remarkably expressed in Paul’s defense speeches, such as Paul’s speech in Jerusalem (22:1-
21) and Paul’s speeches before the Sanhedrin, Felix and Agrippa (23:1-6; 24;10b-21; 6:2-23, 25-27, 29),
in which Paul seeks to demonstrate his moral character. Ethos is an important element when considering
a preacher’s qualifications and leadership. However, I will focus on the concepts o f pathos and logos,
because ethos is primarily more connected with the life o f a preacher than the skill o f preaching.

61
elements o f pathos to his listeners.8

Lester Thonssen and Craig Baird maintain that pathos is “all those materials and

devices calculated to put the audience in a frame o f mind suitable for the reception of the

speaker’s ideas.”9 Cicero’s dictum includes as follows, “Mankind makes far more

determinations through hatred, or love, or desire, or anger, or grief, or joy, or hope, or

fear, or error, or some other affection o f mind, than from regard for truth, or any settled

maxim, or principle of right.” 10 In addition, C. S. Lewis asserts, “People don’t ask for

facts in making up their minds. They would rather have one good, soul-satisfying

emotion than a dozen facts.”11

Thus, pathos plays an important role in persuasion. Paul knew how to use this

rhetorical skill well. He expressed his passion with pathos in his preaching.

Dongwon Lee and Sunhui Kwak are also experts in the use o f pathos in their

preaching. They often employ pathos elements through touching words and stories. Lee’s

use o f pathos is evident in his sermon, “Making a Road: The Red Sea,” given February 3,

2008.

When I started my ministry as an assistant pastor, the Red Sea of financial debt
(due to my father’s failure in business) stopped me and my family in our paths.
No path to solve the problem could be found and it seemed to be absolutely
impossible for me to resolve the situation with the very small salary that the
church gave to a beginner in the ministry. However, before I began my ministry,
my chest was heavy with the burden that I had to resolve, even though the debt
was the responsibility of my parents. After I prayed for some time, I decided to

8 Carroll Arnold and John F. Wilson argue that people do not reason or feel, they reason because they feel,
they feel because they think they have reason. The dichotomy between pathos and logos may be useful in
examining preaching, but in general the two cannot be separated. Even if the dichotomy is allowed to
stand, many scholars maintain that pathos influences the will more than logos. Carroll Arnold and John
F. Wilson, Public Speaking as a Liberal Art, 3rd ed. (New York: MacMillan, 1963), 318-20.
9 Lester Thonssen and A. Craig Baird, Speech Criticism: The Development o f Standardsfo r Rhetorical
Appraisal (New York: Roland Press, 1948), 358.
10 Thonssen and Baird, 360, quoting Cicero.
11 C. S. Lewis, The Quotable Lewis, ed. Wayne Artindale and Jerry Root (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House,
1989), 482.

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 meet the creditors to pay off the debts for my parents. Unexpectedly, a miracle
occurred the creditors decided to let me pay off all debts without interest. . .
After several years, my family was totally free from debts. Hallelujah! Faith
made us free . . .
Every time I watch the musical, The Bus with my church members, it is difficult
to stop shedding thankful tears at this reminder of Jesus’ magnificent love.
How was the dilemma of the musical, The Bus, that I shared in the introduction
solved? The bus driver who drove the bus that had burned out its brakes on a
downhill road finally decided to rescue his seven passengers and to sacrifice a
boy who was waving his hand at the bus in front o f a big haystack. Eventually,
the bus ran over the boy and stopped in the haystack. The passengers whose lives
had been saved eventually discovered that the boy was the son of the driver.
Then, these people who had experienced unexpected salvation left for a new life
with a shock. The musical ended with this song. “Because someone was loved,
because someone was sacrificed, now we can start to live with a new life.” Yes.
The heartbreaking love o f the Father who gave us his only son, Jesus Christ,
can open the Red Sea and propel us to walk the new road in the middle o f sea. If
you have not known Jesus, I pray that you can absolutely find his love before the
Red Sea in your life today.12

Rev. Lee shows his feelings with statements o f pathos such as, “my chest was heavy,”

“unexpectedly, a miracle,” “hallelujah!,” “difficult to stop shedding thankful tears at this

reminder of Jesus’ magnificent love,” and “heartbreaking love.” He also shares a

touching story in the conclusion o f his sermon to evoke congregants’ emotions. Thus, he

leads the congregation to share in his emotions through the appropriate use o f emotional

words in his storytelling. In addition, he tends to end his sermons with stories that can

evoke emotions and move the listeners.

Similarly, Rev. Kawk often expresses his own feelings when he shares a story

and he uses touching stories. He likes to analyze the emotions of figures from the Bible

and convey these feelings to the congregation. The sermon, “Persons Who Knew about

the Great Salvation” exemplifies these characteristics well.

12 Dongwon Lee, Honghae Apeseo (The Roadmap of life to the promised land: before Red Sea),
www.forleader.org/bbs/view.php?id=j oumal_sermon&page= 1&sn 1=&divpage= 1&category= 1&sn=off&
ss=on&sc=off&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=386 (accessed Febuary 6, 2012).

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 A meeting among people, namely a meeting o f human beings, is a basic need o f
human life; in that sense, it is a basic need for happiness . . . When someone sees
a person or lover whom he or she has longed for, we call this a blessing, a great
joy, or happiness. When we get to be with a person whom we really want to be
with or have to see, this is happiness. But when we see a person whom we should
not run across or perhaps should not be with forever, this is the worst-fated
relationship possible, a curse, or a judgm ent. . . Do you live a happy life of
seeing the persons who you want to see and miss, or do you live an unhappy life
of seeing the persons who you should not be with or are not totally glad to see
although you do see them? I hope, that you just ask yourself these questions . . .
When you see people, even though you see persons who you really hate such as
your enemies, ask yourself if you can treat all persons like your lover. Just ask
yourself if you can shake the person’s hand with loving eyes in God’s grace and a
heart full o f love.
Today’s scene is very famous and dramatic. This is the scene in which Joseph
finds his brothers . . . Here his brothers sold Joseph to the Ishmaelite traders. I
think he would have rather had his brothers kill him than suffer the fate o f going
to hell and back as a slave for the rest o f his life. How on earth can such a
miserable thing happen? Perhaps the brothers thought they would never see him
again. There was no chance they would see him in the future. He would never
show up in front of them. But they, mutual enemies, meet each other in God’s
providence . . . As soon as the brothers realized that the ruler of Egypt was
Joseph, they turned pale with surprise. They were trembling with fear and
prepared to die. “Now we will die. We are stuck, and we will die. We have
nothing to say to prevent our death.” When he first saw them, Joseph also might
have been angry and bitter. However, the Bible says he wept loudly and bitterly.
He cried his heart out. Then, he consoled his brothers . . .
How can such a thing be? How can this be possible? However, if we reflect on
such a thing deeply, this is right. He should have been that way. This is because
he knew the experience and understood it. Because now he realized the salvation
of God. Maybe he still had some blame and complaints before he realized this
grace.13

Rev. Kwak uses many touching words and phrases in the stories in this sermon

such as, “longed for,” “a great joy, or happiness,” “hate,” “loving eyes,” “heart full of

love,” “dramatic,” and “angry and bitter.” When he develops a story, he often expresses

his feelings through phrases such as, “How can such a thing be?” “How can this be

possible?” and, “This is right. He should have been that way.” These words, phrases,

13 Sunhui Kwak, Keun Kuwoneul Aneun Saramdeul (“Persons who knew about the great salvation”), in the
sermon collection o f The Essence o f Leading Faith, 95-98.

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questions, and affirmations touch listeners’ hearts and make stories interesting.

For all of these preachers, pathos plays an important role in their preaching. All

of them are great storytellers who use pathos well. If pathos is applied in preaching

properly, it can play a great role in persuading people to a way of faith and to the

development of their spiritual lives. If this is so, how can preachers create spiritual

sermons full o f pathos? In order to bring pathos to their sermons, preachers can utilize an

autobiographical essay style of preaching. This style o f preaching creates a more effective

delivery because preachers preach what they have experienced and felt in their lives

directly. Nowadays, many Korean preachers have lost their good image as God’s servants

due to public awareness of their unethical and hypocritical behaviors. Therefore, many

parishioners want to listen to what preachers feel and experience spiritually in their own

lives. I shall deal with this subject in detail in the next paragraph.

Autobiographical Essay Style

Almost all Paul’s sermons in Acts have an autobiographical dimension. In other

words, Paul’s sermons primarily come from out o f his own experience. For example, in

Athens (Acts 17:22-31), he begins, “I observe t h a t . . . While I was passing through and

examining . . . I also found . . . ” In Paul’s sermon in Miletus (20:17-38), he speaks

autobiographically as follows: “From the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with

you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials

which came upon me through the plots o f the Jews” (vv. 18-19); “I testify to you this

day” (v. 26); “For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose o f God” (v.

27); “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes and these hands ministered to my

own needs and to the men who were with me” (w . 33-34); and so on. Paul’s preaching in

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Jerusalem (22:1-21) is closer to an autobiographical style because he describes his birth,

his educational background, his job, and his experiences when he met Jesus. In Paul’s

preaching in Rome (28:17-28), Paul declares, “I was delivered as a prisoner from

Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans” (v. 17); “I requested to see you and to speak

with you, for I am wearing this chain for the sake of the hope o f Israel” (v. 20). Thus,

Paul develops almost his sermons by reflecting on what he sees, feels, and experiences.

Dr. Youngsub Jeong argues that the best preaching is done in the style o f an

autobiographical essay, because this style is a method that can express the preacher’s

emotions best; it is a new, creative, and natural style in which the preachers speak from

what they understand fully, namely, their own experience.14 Along the same lines, Eugene

Lowry emphasizes that preachers create empathy by bringing in “data from their own

experience.” 15 This autobiographical style can make preaching deeper, more varied, and

more persuasive. If preachers develop their sermons in the same way that they would

write an autobiographical essay, including analyzing texts with spiritual depth, their

sermons will bring about spiritual abundance.

Although the sermons of Rev. Lee and Rev. Kwak often include their own

experiences, they are usually developed around a number o f anecdotes. These two

preachers have tried to widen their experience vicariously through appropriate and

powerful example stories drawn from various books, newspapers, magazines, or columns.

However, the use o f vicarious experience is a one way of expanding one’s repertoire o f

stories that can inspire change in listeners’ behaviors alone with sharing direct

experiences. The similarity among Paul, Rev. Lee, and Rev. Kwak is in using self­

14 Youngsub Jeong, What is Preaching?, 67.

15 Eugene L. Lowry, The Homiletical Plot: The Sermon as Narrative Art Form (Louisville: Westminster
John Knox Press, 2001), 109.

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revelations, as part of their proclamation. To create more persuasive sermons, preachers

need to utilize an autobiographical style that connects their spiritual experiences with a

full analysis and reflection on a biblical text. Through such work, preachers can not only

develop their ethos but also pathos that allows listeners to connect with and discern the

authenticity of the preachers’ spiritual lives. In addition, the autobiographical style is a

method that can help the listeners understand the contents more easily. However, in

engaging in this type o f preaching, preachers should be careful not to fall into simply

sharing autobiographical narratives or boasting o f their experiences.

The Contextualization o f the Listeners

Paul’s sermons seek to the audience in mind. He tries to persuade listeners

through his preaching by thinking about their characteristics. In consideration o f his

audiences, the two methods Paul usually uses are designation and telling a story. For

example, Paul uses designation in his sermon in Antioch by addressing the people as

“Men o f Israel” (NASV), i.e., as a special Jewish group whom God had selected, and as

“God fearers,” i.e., as a Gentile group who worshiped God. Paul uses not only the

familiar reference, “the law o f Moses” (Acts 13:39), but he also uses ajSe\<}>oC (13:26,

38; 14:15; 22:1; 23:1, 5, 6; 28:17) to connect with his listeners and endear himself to

them. This designation is an expression that reveals understanding o f his audience’s

characteristics. Second, Paul uses a story approach that the listeners can easily relate to

and which considers their context. In Antioch, to connect the listeners with the story of

the Savior, Jesus, Paul opens his speech by reviewing the history of Israel, which the

listeners know well. In Lystra, Paul offers his first sermon to pagans when they think

Barnabas and Paul are manifestations o f Zeus and Hermes, two Greek gods. This situation

67
causes Paul to focus on the living God and “the natural revelation of God the Creator,” rather

than preaching Christ, because Paul knew this was a better way to approach this group.16 In

Athens, Paul finds common ground with the religious pagans and uses the story approach

to help them understand his message. In Miletus, he focuses on his pastoral experience

because the listeners are church leaders and he explains how to take care o f the members

using his ministerial experience. Another example of a way Paul connects with his

listeners is when he uses Aramaic to speak to Jews in Jerusalem. These examples

demonstrate that Paul considers who his audience is before he begins speaking.

Both Rev. Lee and Rev. Kwak are very sensitive to their listeners’ contexts. Rev.

Lee reads extensively, from bestselling novels to books about politics, business, science,

and culture to magazines and newspapers in order to understand and sympathize with the

lives of his congregants.17 Through this study o f his congregants’ lives, Lee tries to fill

the gap between God and the congregation. In addition, he uses precise oral speech and

his syntax is excellent. Furthermore, the Global Mission Church (Jiguchon Church) has

seven services, each meant to reach a different audience.

Rev. Kwak is also a well-read person and often fills his introductions with stories

from and references to what he has read and learned. When compared with Rev. Lee,

however, he is more interested in the existential aspect of human life. This existential

focus is found throughout the sermons in his sermon collections. A few examples follow.

Listen, all of you, what do you believe and live? Who do you believe? How much
do you think about what you believe? What is the measure o f your faith? Do your
sons or daughters believe your words when you say something? How much do
your close friends or loved ones believe you? . . . The greatest characteristic in

16 F. F. Bruce, Commentary on the Book o f the Acts: The English Text, with Introduction, Exposition, and
Notes (Grand Rapids, MI: W. B. Eerdmans, 1955), 293.
17 Sunjin Han, 20

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 contemporary society is "transparency." When you are transparent, you can get
faith. When you are true, you can have faith.18

To be selfish is getting tiring. We have to know early on that it can often kill you.
Humans can achieve self-realization through good deeds. Good deeds can make
our lives worthwhile. Our existential value is found in this way. Everyone, don’t
think from outside you to inside you. We have to live to see the inside of you on
the outside. We have to see ourselves rather than others. We must search for
ourselves from watching how others live and how much others need us.19

The theologian Paul Tillich describes the character o f human beings with two
terms: essence and existence. “Essence” means the criteria o f judgment and the
example o f virtue, while “existence” means the present or the reality. The greatest
characteristic of the existence o f humans is anxiety. Anxiety and fear result from
unbelief, pride, or desire. When you recognize yourself as the center o f the world,
when you become a king, when you try to do everything your way, there will be
anxiety and fear. Everyone, we are creations o f God. We are persons who come
and go. We have a very limited existence but our desire is unlimited. Although we
cannot have everything, cannot eat everything, and cannot see everything in the
world, we become unfaithful beings, slaves of desire who try to have everything
in the world, but cannot take away the chains o f anxiety step by step. Therefore,
faith is to turn God’s priority into my priority. 20

Rev. Kwak’s sermon style is designed to appeal to intelligent persons through its logical

development and focus on the existential depth o f human beings. In fact, not only is his

church located in the richest area in Korea, but the members are also highly intelligent. In

addition, Kwak recommends that preachers create various opportunities to gain

understanding o f different domains of life and find ways to speak to their listeners by

visiting marketplaces, a baseball field, a court o f law, special institutes, a small church in

a rural area, emergency rooms, ancient places, and so on.21 References to familiar aspects

o f their lives in his sermons draws him closer to his listeners and gives him a captivating

18 Kwak, Mideum Eopsneun Sedae (“The Generation without faith”), in The Essence fo r A Leading Faith,
21.
19 Ibid., Seonhaengeisseo Naksimhaji Malra (“Do not be disappointed about doing a good deed”), in The
Essence fo r A Leading Faith, 35.
20 Ibid., Pyungkangeuro Jikisirira (“Protect us with peace”), 69.
21 Sungmo Moon, 297.

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voice.

The Structure o f Chiasmus

One o f the strategies that Paul used when he preached is the literary structure

known as “chiasmus.”22 Chiasmus is a way o f speaking and thinking, common in the

ancient world, in which ideas are arranged in a symmetrical pattern that has a seemingly

convoluted structure.23 The two predominant characteristics that make up chiasmus are

inverted parallelism, or a reversing of order o f the elements, and a balanced symmetry

constructed around a central idea or pivotal theme.24 Therefore, chiasmus is basically

used to refer to an ABXB'A' pattern of the elements. In modem times, chiasmi have been

described using the names “epanodos,” “introverted parallelism,” “extended

introversion,” “concentrism,” “the chi(X)-form,” “palistrophe,” “envelope construction,”

“the delta-form,” and “recursion,” as well as simple, compound, and complex chiasmus.25

In Paul’s sermon to the Athenians (17:22-31), epanodos and introverted parallelism

are found in a chiasmus with an ABA'B' pattern (w . 24a, 24b, 25a, 25b, respectively):

A. o 0eo<; o Tioirjcra^ xov Koajaov ical n a v x a xa ev auxcp,

B. ouxog oupavou taxi yfjg vnaQxoJV k u q l o c ; o u k e v x e u ? o tio it)x o l< ; vaou; xaxoiKEi
A '. O u6e U7TO XEIQWV aV0QO)Tl{vCOV 0Ega7I£UEXai TtQ 0C T & £0|iE v6< ; xivoq,
B'. auxog bibovt; n a o i Cwfjv Kai t t v o ^ v ical x a n d v x a:...

The chiasm in w . 24-25 balances initial and final clauses presenting God as Creator with

two internal statements presenting the failure o f human religion to properly acknowledge

22 Nancy Lammers Gross, 31.

23 Thomas G. Long, Preaching and the Literary Forms o f the Bible (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1989),
120 .
24 John Breck, ‘‘Biblical Chiasmus: Exploring Structure for Meaning,” Biblical Theology Bulletin
17 (April 1987), 71
25 John W. Welch, “Introduction” to Chiasmus in Antiquity: Structures, Analyses, Exegesis (Hildesheim:
Gerstenberg, 1981), 10.
26 Pervo, 432.

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this God. As noted in chapter 3, Paul’s sermon at Miletus clearly follows the ABXB'A'

chiastic pattern, as does his sermon in Jerusalem (22:1-21). The latter can be analyzed as

having the ABXB'A' chiastic pattern as follows:

A. From Diaspora to Jerusalem (v.3)

B. Persecution o f movement (v. 4-5a)
C. Paul’s travel from Jerusalem to Damascus (v. 5b)
D. Vision near Damascus (v. 6-11)
E. Anaias heals Paul (v. 12-13)
F. Paul learns o f his mission (v. 14-15)
E'. Baptism (v. 16)
D'. Vision in the temple (v. 17-18a)
C'. Command to depart from Jerusalem (v. 18b)
B'. Persecution (v. 19-20)
27
A'. From Jerusalem to Diaspora (v. 21)

Beverly Roberts Gaventa determines that Paul’s speech before Agrippa (Acts 26:2-23)

also has the ABXB'A' chiastic pattern.

A. Paul’s faith in resurrection followed tradition (v. 6-8).

B. Paul persecuted followers o f Jesus (v. 9-11).
C. Paul received a prophetic call (v. 12-18).
C'. Paul was obedient to his vocation (v. 19-20).
B'. Paul has been persecuted as a follower o f Jesus (v. 21).
28
A'. Paul upholds the prophetic belief in the resurrection (v. 22-23).

Thus, some scholars, such as Pervo and Gaventa, have found chiastic patterns in

Paul"s speeches and sermons in Acts. Why did Paul use the chiastic pattern as a structure

o f preaching? How did this chiastic pattern help PauP's preaching? Ian Thomson answers

these questions in his book, Chiasmus in the Pauline Letters, in which he presents three

functions o f chiasmus in the Pauline writings:

First, chiasmus functioned as an art form lending beauty as well as a pleasing

sound to a passage and giving variety, particularly in language types where there
exists the possibility o f exploiting flexibility o f word order and where it was a
widely accepted way to write for aesthetic effects. Second, it acted as a

27 Charles H. Talbert, Galatians (London: St. Paul’s Publications, 1969), 97. Some details are debatable, but
the arrangement is essentially chiastic, with the commission at its center (interpretation is mine).
28 Beverly Roberts Gaventa, From Darkness to Light: Aspects o f Conversion in the New Testament
(Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1986), 80.

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 mnemonic device. Paul was consciously aware that his writing was subsequently
going to be committed to memory. Third, chiasmus functions in the text as a
structuring device that helps to divide one section of material from another.29

Therefore, Paul seeks to develop the quality and understandability o f his

preaching by making use o f the rhetorical technique o f chiasmus.

Thomas Long suggests that chiasmus is very helpful for contemporary preaching

as well, because this pattern may pair thoughts in a way that aids memory. He suggests

the following chiastic pattern for contemporary preaching:

A. First idea
B. Second idea
B'. An idea similar to the second idea
A’. An ideal similar to the first idea.30

Can chiasmus be used in contemporary Korean preaching to more effectively

persuade listeners and aid memory? To consider this idea, I will next examine the Rev.

Lee’s and Rev. Kwak’s sermon structures to ascertain whether they use chiasmi in their

preaching.

Rev. Lee demonstrates occasional use o f inverted parallelism, a basic chiasmus,

in his sermons.31 I will first examine the presence o f inverted parallelisms in Lee’s

sermons and then the particular structure that he primarily uses. First, his sermon, “The

Roadmap of Life to the Promised Land: Rephidim,” dated March 2, 2008, illustrates a

chiasmus o f inverted parallelism. The following is an outline o f the sermon:

A. The water coming out of the rock symbolizes the grace and love o f God.

29 Ian H. Thomson, Chiasmus in the Pauline Letter (Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press, 1995),
34-5.
30 Thomas G. Long, Preaching and the Literary Forms o f the Bible (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1989),
120 - 2 1 .
31 John W. Welch describes a basic chiasmus as inverted parallelism. See Chiasmus in Antiquity, 9.

72
 B. What does the grace o f God and love of God mean? Is it love with mercy
toward persons who do not deserve mercy?
C. The Israelites who forgot God’s grace and kept complaining deserved to
be punished and whipped.
D. However, God struck the rock rather than strike the complaining people
and let them drink the water for free. This is the meaning o f grace and love,
isn’t it? Isn’t this the meaning of salvation?32

The sermon’s structure can be analyzed as follows:

A. The grace and love o f God and the meaning of grace

B. The Israelites forgot God’s grace and kept complaining.

A'. The grace and love o f God toward the Israelites

A more extended inverted chiasmus is found in Lee’s sermon, “The Roadmap o f

Life to the Promised Land: Taberah, Massah, and Kibroth-hattaavah,” from April 20,

2008. The following is an outline o f that sermon:

A. It was by grace that they were freed from slavery, wasn’t it? It was by grace
that they could get across the Red Sea by foot, eluding Pharaoh’s chariots and
his army, wasn’t it? It was by grace that Moses struck a rock and they drank
water, wasn’t it? It was by grace that God led them there as if they were
covered with eagle’s wings, wasn’t it?
B. However, now the Israelites are complaining and moaning. See Verse 1, “Now
the people became like those who complain o f adversity in the hearing of the
Lord; and when the Lord heard it, His anger was kindled.”
C. We have to remember one thing when we pour out words o f complaint. It is
that God listens to our words. And he regards complaining as serious
wickedness. His anger was kindled and fire burned among them, consuming
some o f the outskirts o f the camp.
D. By the way, why did God choose, o f all places, the outskirts o f the camp? This
would be because the complaints that day started with persons from around
the outskirts of the camp.
E. According to psychological analysis, the persons who were placed around the
outskirts o f the camp were probably bystanders, rather than workers or
dedicated members o f the group. Workers are not complaining. But
bystanders are complaining. If this is so, what should we do from now on? We
throw away the attitude o f bystanders, come toward Jesus, experience Jesus’

32 Dongwon Lee, "‘The Roadmap of Life to the Promised Land: Rephidim,”

vvww.forleader.org/bbs/view.php?id=joumal_sermon&page= 1&sn 1=&divpage= 1&category= 1&sn=off
&ss=on&sc=off&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=389 (accessed February 28, 2012).

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 33
grace, and live in remembrance o f that grace.

When the structure o f this part o f the sermon is examined, the following organization

emerges:

A. The various forms o f grace that the Israelites had experienced

B. The complaints o f the Israelites
C. God’s listening and anger
B'. The complaints o f the Israelites starting from the outskirts o f the camp
A'. The grace we have to experience as dedicated Christians or workers,
not bystanders.

Thus, Rev. Lee uses the chiastic pattern in several sentences or paragraphs o f his

sermons, although the use of this pattern is infrequent.

However, Lee shows a remarkable effort to use anaphoric parallelism and

rhetorical gradation as a method of modem chiasmus.34 The style is primarily used when

he divides a main topic into three sub-topics. For example, when he preached on “The

Miracle o f Servanthood” on March 13, 2011, he gave three reasons why serving is a

miracle:

First, because serving makes us great leaders. Second, because serving makes our
neighbors become saved. Third, because serving makes us become true disciples
of Jesus.35

He uses anaphora by repeating the first phrase, “because serving makes,” and the

33 Dongwon Lee, “The Roadmap o f Life to the Promised Land: Taberah, Massah, and Kibroth-hattaavah,”
www. for!eader.org/bbs/view.php?id=j oumal_sermon&page= 1&sn 1=&di vpage= 1&category = 1&sn=off&
ss=on&sc=off&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=394 (accessed March 2, 2012).
34Anaphora, a transliteration o f the Greek word ajva<f>opd, is “the repetition of the same word at the
beginning o f a series o f successive statements.” From David E. Aune, The Westminster Dictionary o f
New Testament and Early Christian Literature and Rhetoric, s.v anaphora (London: Westminster John
Knox Press, 2003), 34.
35 Dongwon Lee, Seongkimui Kijuk (“The Miracle of servant”),
www.forleader.org/bbs/view.php?id=joumal_sermon&page= 1&sn 1=&divpage= 1&category=20&sn=off
&ss=on&sc=off&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=523&PHPSESSID=lfe6a76al27a0346f77el
32d5b40fd93 (accessed March 4, 2012).

74
method o f gradation by proceeding from a focus on “us” to “neighbors” to “disciples o f

Jesus.”

This phenomenon was also evident in Lee’s June 6, 2010 sermon about the road

to Emmaus in his sermon series, “The Pilgrimage o f the Great Life.” He listed three sub-

topics about what lessons a Christian can learn from the road to Emmaus:

First, this is the lesson that exists on the dark road o f night in our life journeys.
Second, this is the lesson that goes with Jesus on the spiritually dark road. Third,
this is the lesson that the dark road leads us to a road o f hope.36

The structure o f this sermon includes an anaphoric repetition of the words, “this is the

lesson,” and gradually develops from “our dark road” through going “with Jesus on the

spiritually dark road” to “the road of hope.” Therefore, the main rhetorical structures that

Rev. Lee uses are anaphora and gradation. If he would use more often a developed

inverted chiasmus, his sermons would utilize another rhetorical tool that can provide

greater rhythm and a structure for ease o f remembering.

As was noted in Chapter 4, Rev. Kwak primarily uses a topical listing structure in

the form ABCDE. He occasionally uses a chiastic pattern in some phrases, rather than in

the whole structure of a sermon, but this pattern is not easily found. For example, the

sermon, “Strive to Enter Rest,” in his sermon collection, The Essence o f a Leading Faith,

exhibits chiasmus as follows:

A. What’s God like? Is God good or bad, thankful or miserly? The Lord is truly
good. His words are very precious because they have a way, life, and wisdom.
B. Yet, many people often mistake the God o f grace as a God of wrath and the
good God as a tyrant or a God to fear.(Then he explains relationships with
parents and the characteristics o f a devoted child versus an undutiful child as
examples.)

36 Dongwon Lee, Widaehan Salmui Sunrye (“The Pilgrimage o f the great life: Emmaus”),
www.forleader.org/bbs/view.php?id=joumal_sermon&page= 1&sn 1=&di vpage= 1&category= 17&sn=off
&ss=on&sc=off&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=486 (accessed March 5, 2012).

75
 A'. The Lord is a good God, a father God, a kind God. And His words are very
valuable for me, my happiness, and my freedom. Do you feel like this? If you
feel like this, you will be a Christian, God’s children.37

Kwak first asks the congregants about the characteristics of God, whom they can feel,

and asserts that God is good (A). Then he describes misconceptions about God (B), and

concludes with the affirmation that we are God’s children if we feel God is good (A').

This structure is a dialectic structure. To explain his theories, Kwak often uses this

dialectic chiastic structure—with a thesis-antithesis-synthesis progression— and

gradation, rather than extended inverted parallelisms.

Kwak’s sermon, “Seek First His Kingdom and His Righteousness,” in his sermon

collection, The Experience I Have From God, exhibits a dialectic structure as follows:

A. Persons who have mature personalities always first see the whole. (Thesis)
B. Foolish persons primarily see the parts. (Antithesis)
(Then he shares two examples o f these types of persons: mountaineers and his
officiant’s message that we need to look to the future.)
B'. Foolish persons just think about the present moment and usually end up
failing, A'. More mature persons think about God's will and work. (Synthesis).38

Another example of a sermon with a chiastic dialectic structure is “You Did

Laugh,” from the same collection. Its structure is more complex:

A. People are very interested in happiness. Happiness has often been a subject of
human life.
B. However, in fact there may not be many people who feel happiness and think
they are living happily.
C. Fortune and happiness are different. If someone wins a lottery, he/she can be
thought of as a blessed person. (Then he narrates an example o f a survey
result.)
B’. However, no one can guarantee that he/she will live a happy life in advance,

37 Sunhui Kwak, Jeo Ansike Deuleogagil Himsseura (“Strive to enter the rest”), in the sermon collection of
The Essence o f Leading Faith, 42-43.
38 Sunhui Kwak, Meonju Geuuinarawa Uireu Guhara (“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness”), in
the sermon collection o f The Experience I Have From God, 178.

76
 even though someone wins a lottery or marries a rich person.
A'. Therefore, we can think that happiness is separate from the situations or
conditions o f our lives. To get happiness, the most important thing is how
we see the value of our lives.39

Rev. Kwak describes happiness as a subject o f human life (A), discusses persons who

truly feel happy (B), talks about the difference between fortune and happiness (C),

discusses persons who may not feel happy even though they have received a fortune (B'),

and asserts that happiness is related to our perspective o f the value o f our lives (A').

Kwak often forms this dialectic structure once or twice in his sermons. This ring structure

makes the message o f the sermon more emphatic and the sermon more effective because

o f the repetition o f ideas.

Rev. Lee and Rev. Kwak pay attention to the organizational structure o f their

sermons because they know that structure influences the quality o f delivery and

understanding for their audiences. Dr. Moon argues that effectively utilizing a structure is

important for persuading audiences and delivering content well to them.40 In this sense,

Rev. Lee and Rev. Kwak are experts who exert themselves to form a great structure.

39 Sunhui Kwak, Nega Useossneunira (“You did laugh”), in the sermon collection o f The Experience Who I
have From God, 130-31.
40 Sungmo Moon, 221-23.

77
 Chapter 6

Summary and Conclusion

Paul’s preaching in Acts offers new insights for creating successful Korean

preaching events. Although Paul notes in 2 Corinthians 10:10 that others had called him a

poor speaker, in Acts he is portrayed as such a great preacher that such comments cannot

cast a shadow on his preaching. Through his sermons, he shows a special evangelistic

passion in spreading the message of the Cross, resurrection, and God’s work o f salvation.

He calls attention to this core message by using hand gestures, the language of his

listeners, and a chiastic structure that results in an effective delivery and a remembered

message. In addition, from a rhetorical perspective, Paul usually uses Xoyoq-proofs when

he develops a sermon, often expresses a JtdBoq-proof style through a strong persuasive

tone and by showing emotional expression, and employs rjBoq-proofs for his own

defense. One might find in his sermon examples of a narrative and inductive style, even

though he sometimes includes expository or topical elements.

The two famous Korean preachers studied in this project, Rev. Dongwon Lee and

Rev. Sunhei Kawk, also have their special characteristics for creating a great sermon.

Rev. Lee’s sermons have these elements: (1) expository style; (2) a combination of

inductive and deductive approaches; (3) the use o f questions; and (4) a logical

development and rhythm. Rev. Kwak’s preaching has these characteristics: (1) long

introductions; (2) inductive, topical, and narrative elements; and (3) a demonstrated

understanding of the listeners.

Interestingly, what both o f these Korean preachers have in common is that they

78
create great introductions that call attention to a sermon’s subject; they make an effort to

connect to the contemporary context and life situations of their listeners; and they

organize the structure o f a sermon logically. In particular, they strive to connect with their

listeners’ contexts through reading extensively and drawing upon that reading in their

sermons. Paul also had a deep interest in paying attention to his listeners, but he had a

different way o f approaching them. Lee and Kwak include many foreign citations and

often do not provide in depth analysis of biblical texts. Paul’s sermons give new insights

for solving these problems. First is his skill in connecting the Old Testament to the

Gospel proclamation about Christ. Second is his use o f the autobiographical style that

draws on his vivid experiences. Third, in relation to this autobiographical style is his use

of pathos elements to persuade his listeners. Pathos could be a very useful tool for

improving Korean preaching. Employing these elements in preaching could be like

giving listeners cool water that quenches their spiritual thirst.

In terms o f structure, these two preachers prefer to utilize an inductive and

narrative style. In this sense, both o f them are excellent storytellers. Rev. Lee is like an

architectural designer in the creation of his sermons. He begins with a story related to the

subject, poses a question before proceeding to the body of his sermon, and ends with a

story or a poem for a challenge of faith. In particular, he utilizes a combination structure

that harmonizes inductive and deductive styles. This structure is followed by many

Korean preachers. Rev. Kwak’s sermons have an enumerating structure, and he begins

with a long narrative introduction and ends with a story.

When these two preachers explain a theory, they often use the rhetorical methods

of gradation, repetition, anaphora, and dialectic for logical development and rhythm.

79
Paul’s sermons suggest that the use of chiasmus can add another dimension to their

sermons. Chiasmus not only provides a repetitive structure for emphasizing a theme, but

this structure is helpful for remembering a message. If a chiastic structure is applied

appropriately to a sermon, it may provide a new challenge that changes the structure of

Korean preaching.

This study o f Paul’s preaching suggests that Korean preachers can improve their

sermons by making connections between the Old and New Testaments, applying certain

rhetorical skills and methods such as the chiastic structure, utilizing the chiastic structure,

exhibiting understanding of the audience, and expressing passion or pathos. Improved

preaching and more carefully prepared and delivered sermons will serve as a catalyst to

bring about a reversal of the trend of decreasing church membership in Korea. In

addition, in a time when the spirituality and morality o f Korean pastors is very much

needed, Paul’s autobiographical style can be helpful not only as a way to powerfully and

energetically engage listeners through the sharing o f the preachers’ own experience, but

as a method for preachers to utilize as they check and grow their own faith. Finally, I

hope that, through increased use o f the elements found in Paul’s preaching, Korean

preaching makes a new leap forward.

80
 Appendix

2007 Survey o f Korean Preaching

81
 APPENDIX

2007 Survey o f Korean Preaching

By Mokhoe wa Sinhak (Ministry and Theology)

1. Research Purpose : Mokhoe wa Sinhak report the results o f their survey o f

Korean pastors about the cognition o f preaching, how they prepare and draft

sermons, and their methods o f delivery.

2. Research Subjects: The Pastors o f Protestant Churches in Korea

3. The Number o f Participants : 578 pastors

4. Data on Participants

Age
10.7 % : 60-69 10.4 % : 30-39

years old

82
 Work Experience (Ministry)

■ less than 10 years

■ 11 to 20 years

* more than 21 years

Church Size

1.4

■ less than 50 people

41.9 % 43.1 % ■ 50-300

» more than 300

Preaching Experience
12.3 % : > 30 17 % : <
years lOyears

■ less 10 years
■ 10-20 years
31.6 % : 2
20-30 years

39.1 % : 1 0 - 2 # m ore 30 years

years

83
5. The pastors’ definitions of preaching:

Q) How do you understand preaching, in a word?

1) Proclaiming G od’s Word

2) Strengthening the life o f the congregation
3) Converting someone to belief in Jesus
4) W itnessing to the Gospel
5) Discussing the subjects o f everyday life
6) Salvation
7) Love
8) The place to meet God
9) Guide for faith
10) Developing the congregation’s spirits

84
 lo .i % Definitions o f Preaching
2) Strengtening
the life of the
congregation

Proclaiming
God’s Word

■1 » 2 « 3 « 4 * 5 » 6 * 7 * 8 9*10

6. The importance o f preaching when compared to the past

Q) How important do you think preaching is now compared to preaching

in the past?

1) It is more important than in the past.

2) It is similar to in the past.

3) It is less important than in the past.

85
 Opinions about Preaching's Importance
19.2 % - less
important

5.4 %
similar ■1
m2

» 3

.5 % - more
important

7. Satisfaction with their own preaching and preaching skills

Q) How satisfied are you with your own preaching?

1) Well-satisfied 2) Satisfied 3) Unsatisfied 4) Totally unsatisfied

The Level of Preaching Satisfaction

%
c r o 80 65% — --------------- ------ - -----------------
a i e f
t n p 60
a o p 40 28.1 %
g e r a
o a t s 20 4:5 2.2 % 0.2 %
o c i t 0

86
 Level Well-Satisfied & Unsatisfied & Totally
Satisfied unsatisfied
The 30-39 65.0 % 34.9 %
(60 pastors)
Age The 4 0’s 70.6 % 28.9 %
Of (270 pastors)
The 50’s 67.9 % 32.1 %
Pastors (186 pastors)
The 60’s 73.0 % 26.9 %
(62 pastors)
Less 50 62.5 % 37.5 %
Church (249 pastors)
Size 50-300 75.2 % 24.4 %
(242 pastors)
(M embers)
M ore 300 73.1 % 26.9 %
(87 pastors)

Q) How do you rate your preaching skills?

1) Excellent 2) Good 3) Normal 4) Effortful

87
 The Estim ation o f Preaching Skills
60 • - - - - ---------
48.4 %

E xcellen t G ood N orm al Effortful

Level
Excellent Good Normal Effortful

The 30-39 3.3 % 26.9 % 46.8 % 22.9 %

(60 pastors)
Age The 40’s 3.2 % 31.2 % 47.9 % 17.7 %
(270 pastors)
Of
The 50’s 2.2 % 28.7 % 47.5 % 2 1 .6 %
Pastors (186 pastors)
The 60’s 0% 19.8 % 54.9 % 25.2 %
(62 pastors)
Less 50 2.0 % 23.8 % 45.0 % 29.2 %
Church (249 pastors)
Size 50-300 3.3 % 32.1 % 48.7 % 15.9 %
(242 pastors)
(Members)
M ore 300 2.3 % 33.3 % 57.5 % 6.8 %
(87 pastors)

8. Recognitions o f preaching subjects

Q) What do you think what subjects you should preach primarily?

88
 1) Only G od’s word

2) Ethical life

3) Current events and issues

4) Educational and doctrinal issues

Preaching Subjects
51 %

Only God's word Current events and Ethical life Educational and
issues doctrinal issues

Current Educational
Level Only G od’
events and Ethical life and doctrinal
word
issues issues
The 30-39 47.1 % 33.3 % 8.0 % 11.6%
(60 pastors)
Age The 4 0 ’s 47.9 % 35.9 % 8.5 % 7.7 %
(270 pastors)
Of
The 50’s 51.9 % 30.3 % 10.1 % 7.7 %
Pastors (186 pastors)
The 60’s 65.3 % 14.1 % 11.0% 9.5 %
(62 pastors)
Less 50 54.2% A 3 1 .0 % 7.9 % 6.9 %
Church (249 pastors)
Size 50-300 4 9 .3 % I 32.2 % 9.2 % 9.3 %
(242 pastors)
(Members)
M ore 300 46.5 % 1 3 1 .2 % 12.9 % 9.5 %
(87 pastors)

9. Methods o f selecting the text o f a sermon

Q) How do you select primarily the text o f a sermon? Select all answers that
apply to you.

89
 1) It does not matter, because I use the next chapter o f the book o f the Bible.
2) I select the text according to the ecclesiastical calendar.
3) I select the text according to m y ministerial plan.
4) I select the text by choosing between my ministerial plan and ecclesiastical
calendar.
5) I select the text according to spiritual inspiration.
6) I select the text according to my biblical reading plan.
7) I select the text according to the situation o f the congregation and current
events.

M ethods of Selecting the text

60 50.4 % 47.4 % - ~ ..................
50 39.6 % --------------
40 27.2 % 27.1 % .....
7T.T%-
30
20
10
0
The situation Choosing The next
I I I
Spiritual
10%

Ministerial plan Ecclesiastical Biblical reading

o f the between my chapter o f the inspiration calendar schedule
congregation ministerial plan book o f the
and current and Bible,
events ecclesiastical

The situation o f Choosing

The next
the between my
Level congregation ministerial plan
chapter o f the Spiritual
Ministerial plan
Ecclesiastical Biblical reading
book o f the inspiration calendar schedule
and current and
Bible.
events ecclesiastical

The 30-39 36.7 % 48.3 % 50.0 % 21.9% 30.2 % 27.0 % 13.4%

(60 pastors)

The 40’s 50.6 % 47.2 % 40.1 % 25.4% 25.6 % 20.5 % 9.4 %

Age
(270 pastors)
Of
Pastors The 50's 57.1 % 48.6 % 40.1 % 29.7 % 29.3 % 24.0 % 9.6 %
(186 pastors)

The 6 0 s 42.4 % 43.5 % 25.7 % 32.4 % 24.5 % 28.6 % 9.9 %

(62 pastors)

Less 50 52.1 % 43.8 % 38.9 % 32.6 % 25.2 % 21.7% 10.3 %

Church (249 pastors)
Size 29.0 % 25.7 % 10.5 %
50-300 50.2 % 46.4 % 41.7% 25.0 %
(Memb­ (242 pastors)
ers)
More 300 46.2 % 60.3 % 35.6 % 17.8 % 27.7 % 20.1 % 7.3 %
(87 pastors)

10. Applicability to the lives o f the listeners

Q) Whenever you choose the text, do you usually select a text that seems
applicable to the lives o f the listeners?

90
 1) Most always 2) Usually 3) Often 4) Rarely 5) Never

Applicablity to the lives of the listeners

60
50.5 %

m ost always usually often rarely never

Level M ost always Rarely +

Often
+ usually never
The 30-39 79.7 % 18.5% 1.8%
(60 pastors)
Age The 4 0 ’s 88.3 % 9.9 % 1.8 %
(270 pastors)
Of
The 50’s 86.2 % 12.2% 1.6%
Pastors (186 pastors)
The 60’s 81 .5 % 16.8% 1.7%
(62 pastors)
Less 50 2.0 % 13.5 % 2.4 %
Church (249 pastors)
Size 50-300 3.3 % 11.5% 1.6%
(242 pastors)
(M embers)
M ore 300 2.3 % 10.8% 0.0 %
(87 pastors)

11. The research o f Preaching Style

Q) What preaching styles do you use?

91
 1) Evangelist 2) Herald 3) Teacher
4) Counselor 5) Storyteller 6) Others

The Style of Preaching

4.9 % 16.3 %-
1 o j o/
- Storyteller^^Evangelist
Counselor Evangelist
Herald
21.1 %
Teacher
- Herald
43.7 %7
Counselor
Teacher
Style Teacher Herald Evangelist Counselor Storyteller

The 30-39 53.1 18.8 8.1 15.3 3.4

(60 pastors)
Age The 4 0 's 45.0 19.5 15.7 13.7 3.1
(270 pastors)
Of
The 50’s 39.4 26.2 17.4 9.2 6.9
Pastors (186 pastors)
The 60’s 41.4 15.0 24.1 11.3 8.2
(62 pastors)
45.0 19.9 16.1 14.2 2.0
Less 50
Church
Size 43.8 19.3 17.9 10.5 7.6
50-300
(Members)
39.9 29.6 12.9 10.8 5.6
M ore 300

30's (60 persons)

Age 40's (270 persons)

50's (186 persons)

60’s (62 persons)

2) W hat preaching method do you use?

a. Deductive preaching b. Inductive preaching

92
 c. Deductive and inductive preaching

Preaching Styles
11.2 % -

Deductive
39.3 %
- Deductive &

Inductive A

49.5 % -
Inductive

3) W hat’s your favorite style o f preaching? Select your two favorite styles in order,

a. Expository preaching b. Topical preaching c. Textual preaching

93
 d. Narrative preaching e. Liturgical preaching f. Character preaching

g. others

Favorite
2.1 %_
9.6 %
0.7 %
Textual
■ Expository
23.6 %
■ Topical
Topical
■ Textual
■ Narrative
■ Liturgical
■ Character
60.9 %
■ Others
Expository

Favorite + Second favorite

9.2 % 6.9 %
.0.7 % O ther
Liturgical Character 77.9 %

16 % -Narratvie Expository
■ Expository
■ Topical
■ Textual
■ Narrative
29.5 %
■ Liturgical
- Textua
■ Character
r Other

53.6 % - Topical

12. The current best preacher in Korea

Q) Who do you think the current best preacher is among Korean preachers?

94
 A. The best ( ) B. The second best ( ) C. The third best ( )

P 25

e
r 20

c
e
15 -
n
t ■ D ongw on le e
10
a ■ Sunhei Kawk

9 • Y ounggi Cho

■ H am hum Oak

■ S am hw an Kim

The 3 0 -3 9 years The 4 0 -4 9 years The 50-59 years The 6 0-69 years ■ Y oungjo Ha

■ D ongw on Lee
■ Sunhei Kawk
• Y ounggi Cho
■ H am hum Oak
■ Sam hw an Kim

■ Y oungjo Ha

40

35
P
e
30
r
c
e 25

n
t 20
a i % W ho ra te d the
9 15 p re a c h e r th e
e
b e st
I % w ho ra te d th e
10
% p re a c h e r in the
to p 3

D ongw on Sunhei Y ounggi H anhum Sam hw an Younjo

Lee Kawk Cho O ak Kim Ha

■ % W ho ra te d th e p re a ch e r th e b e st 18.3 13.2 10.6 7.8 4.8 4.3

■ % w ho rated th e preacher in th e to p 3 36.1 21.6 ’ 20.3 16.5 13.7 18

13. Rhetorical Skill

Q) How often do you use rhetorical skills, such as gradation, repetition, pauses,

95
 and climaxes?

1) Frequently 2) One or two times per sermon 3) Rarely

Rethorical Skill
21.2 % - One or
13.7 % - Rarely
Two
■1
■2
65.2 % *3
Frequently-

Frequency o f the Skill Frequently One or Two Rarely

times
The 30’s 16.7% 71.4 % 11.9%
(60)
The 40's 21.9% 67.5 % 10.5%
Age (270)
The 50’s 24.2 % 60.6 % 15.2%
(186)
The 60’s 13.1 % 62.6 % 24.3 %
(62)
Less 50 15.4% 68.0 % 16.5%
Church (249)
50-300 23.0 % 64.7 % 12.3 %
Size (242)
More 300 32.5 % 58.2 % 9.2 %
(87)

14. The frequency o f gesture

Q) What gestures or expressions do you use frequently?

96
 1) Use o f body movement, facial expression, and vocal expression.

2) Change o f facial and vocal expressions

3) Hand gestures

4) Rarely use expressions

Gesture
1.2 % -

Rarely use
47.1 %
Hand Gesture 35.4 % - Use of
parlous gestures

■1
■2
• 3
■4

15.8 % - facial
and vocal
expression

97
 B IB LIO G R A PH Y

Commentaries and Books

Arnold, Carroll and John F. Wilson. Public Speaking as a Liberal Art, 3rd ed. New York:
MacMillan, 1963.

Allen, Ronald J. Interpreting the Gospel: An Introduction to Preaching. St. Louis:

Chalice Press, 1998.

Aristotle, The Poetics, Trans. W. H. Fyfe. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1927.

Bandy, Thomas G. Christian Chaos: Revolutionizing the Congregation. Nashville:

Abingdon Press, 1999.

Beaudean, John William, Jr. Paul s Theology o f Preaching. Macon, GA: Mercer
University Press, 1988.

Braxton, Brad R. Preaching Paul. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2004.

Bruce, F. F. Commentary on the Book o f the Acts: The English Text, with Introduction,
Exposition, and Notes. Grand Rapid; MI: W. B. Eerdmans, 1955.

Cha, Jeongshik, ed. Hankukgyuhoe Sibyukinui Seolgyoleul Malhanda [Criticism o f

sixteen preachers in the Korean Church: The method connected with gospel and
refinement]. Seoul: Daehan Christian Publishing, 2005.

Conzelmann, Hans. Acts o f the Apostles. Trans. James Limburg et al. Philadelphia:
Fortress Press, 1987.

DiCicco, Mario M. Paul's Use o f Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in 2 Corinthians 10-13.
Lewiston: M ellen Biblical Press, 1995.

Duduit, Michael, ed. Handbook o f Contemporary Preaching. Nashville: Broadman Press,

1992.

98
Elliott, Mark Barger. Creative Styles o f Preaching. Louisville, KY.: Westminster John
Knox Press, 2000.

Fitzmyer, Joseph A. The Acts o f the Apostles: A New Translation with Introduction and
Commentary. New York: Doubleday, 1998.

Freedman, David Noel. Preface to Chiasmus in Antiquity: Structures, Analyses, Exegesis,

edited by John W. Welch, 7. Hildesheim: Gerstenberg, 1981.

Gaventa, Beverly Roberts. From Darkness to Light: Aspects o f Conversion in the New
Testament. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1986.

Greidanus, Sidney. The M odem Preacher and the Ancient Text: Interpreting and
Preaching Biblical Literature. Grand Rapids: W. B. Eerdmans, 1988.

Greidanus, Sidney. Sungkyung H asuk kwa Sungkyungjuk Seolky [The Interpretation o f

the Bible and biblical preaching], ed. Youngcheol, Kim. Seoul: YuRun
Publisher, 1995.

Grimaldi, William M. Aristotle: A Commentary. Vol. 2: Rhetoric II. New York: Fordham
University Press, 1988.

Gross, Nancy Lammers. I f You Cannot Preach Like Paul. Grand Rapids, MI: W. B.
Eerdmans, 2002.

Han, Sunjin. Why Are the Audiences Fascinated by Their Sermons? Seoul: Bedeuro
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