Facilitating Sermons

A New Role for Preachers

In Living Stories, the preacher’s role shifts from delivering a traditional sermon to facilitating a communal exploration of Scripture. Instead of offering a single interpretation, you guide the congregation in wondering together, creating space for everyone to engage with the sacred story in a personal and meaningful way.

This approach may feel counterintuitive at first, but it unlocks a deeper, Spirit-filled connection between the Gospel and the lives of those gathered. Here’s what it means to be a facilitator in Living Stories.

Facilitating vs. Interpreting

In a traditional sermon, the preacher does the interpretive work, presenting insights and applications to the congregation. In Living Stories, interpretation is shared. As the facilitator, your role is to:

  • Tell the Story: Present the Gospel narrative clearly and engagingly using tactile materials.

  • Provide Exegetical Context: Support your congregation with the knowledge they need to interpret well.

  • Invite Wondering: Ask open-ended questions that encourage reflection and connection.

  • Foster Participation: Create a space where every voice is welcome and valued.

  • Trust the Spirit: Allow the Holy Spirit to guide the conversation without feeling the need to control the outcome.

Key Practices for Facilitators

  • Maintain a Heart Space
    Facilitation requires a posture of openness and humility. Your role is to encourage authentic engagement with the story, helping participants move beyond familiar interpretations. If someone hides behind the safety of a well-known explanation, gently encourage deeper authenticity by asking, “I wonder what that means for you.”

    • Example:
      Facilitator: I wonder what Jesus means when he says that “Those who eat this bread will live forever.”
      Participant: It means that if you believe in Jesus you’ll go to Heaven.
      Facilitator: I wonder what that means to you.

  • Ask Open-Ended Questions
    Wondering questions are the cornerstone of Living Stories. These questions invite participants to reflect without pressure, opening up multiple layers of meaning in the text.

    • Examples:

      • “I wonder what it was like when people first heard the news about Jesus spreading through the countryside.”

      • “I wonder why Jesus’ first sign took place at a wedding.”

      • “I wonder what the voice from heaven at Jesus’ baptism sounded like.”

    • Tip: Avoid asking leading questions or questions that suggest a single “right” answer.

  • Mirror Back Contributions
     When someone shares, repeat or reframe their response to show that it was heard and valued. This technique also ensures that everyone in the congregation can hear and follow the conversation.

  • Resist the Urge to Interpret
    One of the most challenging aspects of facilitation is resisting the temptation to offer your own interpretation. Trust that the congregation will uncover the meaning together, with your guidance. When someone asks you a question, reflect first whether the question is asking for exegesis (knowledge) or interpretation (opinion). Offer whatever exegetical knowledge your congregation needs to do the work of interpretation, but don’t do the work of interpretation for them. If they’re asking a question of interpretation, gently turn it back to them by asking a question like, “I wonder how you imagine that to have happened.”

    • Examples:

      • Participant: “Who were the Pharisees?”
        Facilitator:         “The Pharisees were a group of Jews at Jesus’ time who advocated for strict adherence to Torah and believed in the Resurrection. They are the ancestors of modern-day Rabbinical Judaism. In many ways, Jesus’ teachings were very similar to those of the Pharisees, and it is likely because of their similarity that Jesus and the Pharisees clashed so often.”

      • Participant: “Why didn’t Jesus answer the Pharisees’ question directly?”
        Facilitator: “I wonder what you imagine, why he didn’t do that.”

  • Guide, Don’t Direct
    The best facilitators respond to the needs of the group in the moment. Be flexible, follow the flow of the conversation, and be willing to explore unexpected insights. If a participant raises a new perspective, explore it with curiosity rather than steering the discussion back to your original plan.

What Makes Facilitation Powerful

  • Empowers the Congregation: Participants become active interpreters of Scripture, building confidence in their ability to engage with the Word.

  • Invites Multiple Perspectives: This approach honors the diversity of experiences and insights within the congregation.

  • Deepens Connection: By co-creating the sermon, participants experience a profound sense of belonging and engagement.

  • Builds Trust: Living Stories Sermons both require and actively build trust in all participants: in each other, in Scripture, and in the Holy Spirit. This trust reminds us that God is at work in every voice, guiding the congregation toward deeper understanding.

Facilitation Is a Spiritual Practice

Facilitating a Living Stories sermon is more than a technique—it’s a spiritual practice. It requires openness, humility, and trust in the movement of the Holy Spirit. By stepping back and inviting others to share, you create space for the congregation to experience Scripture in a transformative way.

Are you ready to embrace this new way of preaching?