RICK BLACKWOOD AND MULTISENSORY PREACHING
A Paper
Submitted to the Baptist Center for Expository Preaching
of
The Baptist College of Florida
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Mission Objective
to Supply Preaching Resources
to the Students and Friends of the College
Edwin E. Scott
B.A., Baptist Bible College, 1980
M.Div., New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 1984
Th.D., New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 1989
June, 2010
CONTENTS
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................1
Biographical Sketch of Rick Blackwood .........................................................................................5
Defining Multisensory Preaching ....................................................................................................7
Implementing Blackwood’s Ideas in the Local Church .................................................................12
Conclusion .....................................................................................................................................17
Appendix: A Sample Multisensory Sermon ..................................................................................18
WORKS CITED ............................................................................................................................21
iii
Introduction
After viewing a sermon recording by Dr. Rick Blackwood, a student remarked, “that is
the most refreshing thing I have seen in a long time.” The student was not referring immediately
to the content of the message, but to the delivery of the sermon. Dr. Rick Blackwood is known
as a creative innovator in sermon delivery. He has introduced, or perhaps re-introduced, the
concept of “multisensory preaching” to this generation’s preachers.
Multisensory preaching is, of course, not new. It has not been unusual for preaching
professors to speak of the “visual” in preaching (although the single category of the “visual”
does not exhaust the concept of “multi-sensory”):
Along with the spiritual, oral, emotional, and rhetorical elements in sermon
delivery, visual factors play a major role in how well we communicate God’s
Word to our hearers. Whether we are seasoned veterans of pulpit prowess or raw
recruits to this awesome task, there are certain visual aspects of preaching we
would all do well to bear in mind. How do we enable our listeners to “see” what
we say?1
DeBrand went on in the chapter to specify multimedia enhancement, the use of objects, and
pulpit design as examples of what he calls the “visual” in preaching. It might even be possible to
suggest that multisensory preaching is as old as some of the oldest surviving preaching
textbooks. Particular reference is given here to Benjamin Keach, a Baptist pastor of the
seventeenth century, who wrote a classic work on using types and metaphors in sermons. In this
extensive work, Keach provided a thorough survey of biblical metaphors, including references to
the generic parts of growing plants (seeds, roots, branches, leaves, flowers), references to
Roy DeBrand, “The Visual in Preaching,” in Handbook of Contemporary Preaching, ed. Michael Duduit
(Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 398.
1
1
2
specific plants (olive trees, grapevines, grain), references to animals (wild and domestic),
references to weapons of war, and even references to items for personal grooming (mirrors and
razors).2 It is not inconceivable that Keach or his contemporaries might have held up such an
object during one of their sermons and thus engaged in a form of multisensory preaching.
Perhaps the best known form of multisensory preaching is the abbreviated format of the
children’s sermon, which has been in practice for years. Blackwood himself has said that
multisensory preaching is as old as the Bible, suggesting that many of the sermons of the Bible
were delivered in a multisensory fashion.3
Even though multisensory preaching is not a new concept, it has not been widely or
enthusiastically practiced. Perhaps this is so because the practice of multi-sensory preaching
seemed to bridge the logical separation between the children’s sermon and the adult sermon.
Blackwood not only affirmed that idea about the appropriate distinction between children’s and
adult sermons, but went further to state that some even think multisensory preaching is improper:
“For years, multisensory teaching methodologies were jettisoned from the church and considered
simple, unsophisticated, and even ungodly.”4 Blackwood mentions a handful of well known
critics of non-traditional methodologies in preaching in relation to this charge, but the best
known of the group is John MacArthur. Blackwood cites one of MacArthur’s classic complaints
in his book:
Some will maintain that if biblical principles are presented, the medium doesn’t
matter. That is nonsense. If an entertaining medium is the key to winning people,
why not go all out? Why not have a real carnival? A tattooed acrobat on a high
wire could juggle chain saws and shout Bible verses while a trick dog balanced on
2
Benjamin Keach, Preaching from the Types and Metaphors of the Bible (1855; repr., Grand Rapids:
Kregel Publications, 1972), 131-184.
3
Rick Blackwood, The Power of Multisensory Preaching and Teaching: Increase Attention,
Comprehension, and Retention (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008), 75-78.
4
Blackwood, Power, 18.
3
his head. That would draw a crowd. And the content of the message would still
be biblical. It’s a bizarre scenario, but one that illustrates how the medium can
cheapen and corrupt the message.5
Blackwood’s answer for MacArthur’s complaint about non-traditional methodology suggests
that Blackwood believes (along with others) that MacArthur may be guilty of exaggerating his
concern about the issue:
This author makes a major leap from multisensory preaching to a “real carnival
with a tattooed acrobat on a high wire juggling a chain saw and shouting Bible
verses.” Should we accuse Jeremiah, Hosea, and Jesus of conducting “a real
carnival”? Is using a visual like an ox yoke being “circus like”? Is using a harlot
for an illustration over the top? Is pulling a coin out of the mouth of a fish being
too dramatic?6
Blackwood’s critics, of course, are not reserved to the published elite. A recent blog response by
an English pastor indicates just how adamant even fellow ministers can be in defending their
understanding of the preaching task. The reply given below was made in response to a blog
article written by Blackwood, in which he described a recent multisensory sermon at Christ
Fellowship and then encouraged fellow ministers to try the multisensory approach for
themselves:
April 20, 2010
2. Pastor Peter Millist says…
Good grief. I despair. More zappi gimmicks. Whatever happened to Romans
12:2 & 1 Cor 1:21? Have these been air-brushed? And attributing all that stuff to
Christ to justify a novel/trendy approach is fabrication in the extreme. God send
reformation to the church! Pastor Peter Millist Artillery Street Evangelical
Church Colchester, England.7
5
John F. MacArthur, Jr., Ashamed of the Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World (Wheaton:
Crossway Books, 1993), 69. This classic quote from MacArthur is given in Blackwood’s book on page 75.
6
Blackwood, Power, 75.
Peter Millist, comment on “Energizing Your Sermons with Multisensory Preaching,” The
SermonCentral.com Blog, entry posted 20 April 2010, http://www.sermoncentral.com/article.asp?article=RickBlackwood-Energizing-Sermons-Multisensory-Preaching&ac=true; Internet; (accessed 13 May 2010).
7
4
Blackwood, however, has been firm in his commitment to the method because he believes it
results in changed lives:
Some people imagine that multisensory preaching is exclusively for topical
preaching or even for preaching that lacks biblical content. Nothing could be
further from the truth. We have found at Christ Fellowship a perfect marriage
between verse-by-verse exposition and multisensory communication. The Bible
carries the power of God; but when we connect it to communication that is
captivating, clear and unforgettable the effect is life-changing and church
changing.8
Blackwood, of course, is not alone in this concern for communicating the message of Christ,
even if it means trying new methods. Even traditional preachers are voicing their interest in the
method. Dr. John Sullivan, the Executive Director of the Florida Baptist Convention, a
committed conservative Christian and an excellent traditional preacher, said this about
Blackwood’s book and methodology:
Many books I start to read, I can hardly wait to put down. Not Rick Blackwood’s
“The Power of Multi-Sensory Preaching and Teaching.” I didn’t want to put it
down once I started. This will be a helpful book to anyone who desires to
communicate the gospel. Blackwood makes an exceptionally good case for
invading all senses in the communication process. This is must-reading for every
communicator, preacher or teacher. The material will be challenging; however,
Dr. Blackwood’s easy writing style and consistent knowledge of the subject make
you say, “I can do that!” I am in my 53rd year of preaching and I closed this book
wishing it had been written much earlier. No matter your preaching style or
technique, this book will assist you in communicating our most wonderful story:
Jesus is alive! Buy this book!9
Regardless of where one may stand in this ongoing debate about preaching methodology, the
primary issue is that Blackwood has expressed and revitalized the concept of multisensory
preaching for the current generation of preachers.
Rick Blackwood, “The Power of Multisensory Preaching,” Preaching: The Professional Journal for
Preachers 24, no. 6 (May/June 2009): 19.
8
9
John Sullivan, customer review for The Power of Multisensory Preaching and Teaching, web page;
available from http://www.amazon.com/review/R3JZUKSSGBDEAO; Internet; accessed 14 May 2010.
5
Biographical Sketch of Rick Blackwood
Rick Blackwood has been the Senior Pastor of Christ Fellowship in Miami, Florida since
1996. It cannot be overstated that Blackwood’s pastorate is a significant one. The church is a
“multicultural megachurch.” In 2008, Christ Fellowship had members from seventy-six different
nationalities. The church is also a multi-site church with five campuses in the Greater Miami
area, and an average worship attendance of 6000. It also cannot be overstated that Blackwood
has pursued significant educational achievement. He holds three post-graduate degrees: a Ph.D.
from California Graduate School of Theology, a D.Min. from Grace Theological Seminary, and
an Ed.D. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.10
Blackwood has also had significant pastoral experience. Prior to serving Christ
Fellowship, he served two churches in North Carolina and served as a field evangelist for The
Christian Jew Foundation. Blackwood’s ministerial record is evidence of his pastoral and
preaching abilities. His first church in North Carolina had an average worship attendance of 250
and his second church in North Carolina had an average worship attendance of 650.11 Without
eliminating the work of the Holy Spirit from the process, it would be fair to say that a typical
pastoral transition involving a more than double increase in attendance is reserved for gifted
ministers.
It should also be observed that Blackwood is a person who has a sense of journey. Two
kinds of journey are evidenced in his personal resume. The first is a denominational journey.
Blackwood’s undergraduate education is from the Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri,
the flagship training institution of the Baptist Bible Fellowship International. At the time of
10
Blackwood, Power, 28-29; Rick Blackwood, Personal Resume, May 2010.
11
Blackwood, Personal Resume.
6
Blackwood’s undergraduate education, the view of the Southern Baptist Convention by members
of the Baptist Bible Fellowship International was not generally positive. The fact that Dr.
Blackwood’s last two pastorates have been with churches in cooperation with the Southern
Baptist Convention certainly represents a long-time denominational and ecclesiastical journey
that could be characterized as generally uncommon in typical ministerial experience. The kind
of openness and sense of journey required to make this kind of transition is helpful in explaining
Blackwood’s sense of openness that allowed him to make a major transition in his preaching
methodology.
Another part of Blackwood’s sense of journey can be seen in his willingness to tackle a
church style transition. Christ Fellowship is the church which grew out of the former First
Baptist Church of Perrine, Florida, an eighty-nine year old traditional church with a traditional
building, traditional trappings, and a traditional worship style.12 Blackwood explained just how
traditional the original context was:
When I became the pastor of Christ Fellowship (then First Baptist Church of
Perrine), we were faced with making a host of changes. Not only was the music
and structure of the church traditional, even the platform was traditional. It
reflected a “lecture only” style of delivery. The platform stage boasted a large
pulpit, pastors’ chairs, modesty rails, organ, organ pipes, curtains over the
baptistery, robed choir, stained-glass windows, pews . . . you get the picture.13
Nearly every minister is familiar with the difficulty involved and the obstacles that must be
surmounted when change in the church is involved. Nearly every minister is also familiar with
the single reason any minister would face those difficulties to achieve major change: a conviction
that the change is necessary for the greater good of the progress of the Gospel message. To his
credit, Blackwood approached this transition patiently: “The key to our successful change was
12
Eric Geiger, “The Current Christ Fellowship Story,” Developing Churches 6, no. 1 (May, 2008): 8-9.
13
Blackwood, Power, 99.
7
transition. By making gradual changes, we were able to create a room that was less concerned
with a traditional experience and more focused on an educational experience.”14 In fact,
Blackwood specified that many church transitions are comparable to the Challenger space
shuttle disaster. It is now widely accepted that the shuttle exploded because of a rush to launch
and a failure to recognize climate conditions. If those two mistakes can be avoided, Blackwood
said, a successful church transition can take place.15 Again, this evidences a sense of openness in
Blackwood that is requisite for making whatever changes are necessary for the good of the
church. It is an attitude that others would do well to emulate.
Defining Multisensory Preaching
As stated previously, the use of the visual element in preaching (as with an object lesson
or video) does not exhaust the idea of multisensory preaching. For Blackwood, the idea of
multisensory includes the auditory and the visual, but proceeds also to a third level: the
interactive. For that reason, his methodology does not rely simply on including video in the
worship service and sermon, but also includes tactile experiences, aromas, and even tastes when
possible and appropriate.
Blackwood used a personal experience from his wife’s travel and three types of
electronic devices to explain the distinction. On a recent airline flight, Rhonda Blackwood sat
next to a teenage boy who had a GameBoy hand-held game device. She related to Rick that the
boy’s attention was held throughout the flight by the device. He did not speak; he barely looked
up. After considering the experience, Blackwood was able to use the story to explain his goal in
using the multisensory method. A radio is mono-sensory. The only sense engaged by a radio is
14
Blackwood, Power, 99.
15
Blackwood, Power, 98.
8
hearing. A television engages two senses: hearing and seeing. But a computerized game is
multisensory. It engages hearing and seeing, but also provides for (and even demands)
interaction. Blackwood describes the three possible levels of sermon communication and
effectiveness as follows:
Verbal
Verbal + visual
Verbal + visual + interactive16
Using all three levels of communication in preaching is logical according to Blackwood. It
amounts to little more than doing in church what school teachers do regularly in the classroom.
Teachers recognize that some students learn best through auditory means, while other students
learn best by visual means, while even other students learn best by tactile means.17 It simply
makes no sense to do less for learners in church than in school, and it happens in essentially the
same straightforward way:
I noticed that Jesus was a multisensory preacher. He combined verbal, visual and
interactive communication to produce this powerful effect. So, I decided to
experiment with his model in the exposition of a biblical text. Here’s how I
prepared for the experiment.
Before the service, I set the stage area with very simple visual props. I
also asked the ushers to give everyone coming into the auditorium a small
instrument by which they would interact with the message. As people began
entering the worship center, attention levels immediately heightened because the
stage that had looked the same for years suddenly looked different. Now there
were props and visual aids atop the platform. People entered the room whispering
and asking questions to one another regarding what it meant. They weren’t sure
what to expect.
Now, it was time to see if my risk would pay off. As I began to teach
using the simple visuals I had placed on the stage, I saw something that took me
by surprise. People were actually leaning forward, as if on the edge of their seats
with interest. They were not just listening to me; they were watching me, as if I
was doing something that they just had to see.18
16
Blackwood, Power, 29-36
17
Blackwood, Power, 64-65.
18
Blackwood, “The Power of Multisensory Preaching,” 15-16.
9
Blackwood noted that giving attention to learning-styles should not be optional for
pastors. According to Ephesians 4:11, pastors are preachers, leaders and teachers. If preachers
are to serve as teachers, then they have a spiritual obligation to teach skillfully and to the best of
their ability.19 This includes using multisensory methods.
According to Blackwood, this pattern of using the visual and more in preaching is
thoroughly biblical. Blackwood suggested that Hosea’s marriage to an adulterous woman and
Jeremiah’s carrying of an ox yoke on his neck was drama and video “ahead of its time.”20 Such
a comment might lead some to think that Blackwood espouses an “anything goes” mentality
about preaching methodology, but such is not the case. In fact, Blackwood is surprisingly
traditional in at least two ways. First, he has not abandoned verse-by verse expository preaching.
In speaking of modern preachers who have abandoned expository preaching, Blackwood firmly
defended traditional expository preaching:
If I preach the Bible verse-by verse, will it somehow weaken my sermons? If I
follow the logical flow of God’s writing, will my message be illogical? Is God’s
Word, as written, out of touch with mainstream society? If I teach it in its
historical and grammatical context, will it not relate to the needs and hurts of
people I am speaking to?21
Blackwood’s commitment to expository preaching has been evident in his recent journey through
the Book of Matthew. Blackwood’s exposition of this book began in 2007 and is projected to
conclude in 2010. The extended exposition of Matthew consists of smaller series of sermons
dealing with progressive passages in the book. For example, Blackwood’s first sermon series of
19
Blackwood, Power, 62.
20
Blackwood, Power, 76-77.
21
Blackwood, Power, 84.
10
2010 was planned to deal with the prophetic passages in Matthew 24 and 25. The series was
planned with the title, “What’s the World Coming To?”22
A second evidence of traditional methodology in Blackwood is seen in the character of
his multisensory experiences. Far from being requisitely extravagant, Blackwood has
demonstrated that multisensory preaching is not necessarily technological. Blackwood regularly
uses simple, non-technological object lessons in his sermons. He certainly can and does use
technological tools at his disposal, but uses non-technological tools as well. He defines
multisensory as being represented in both:
The identifying characteristics of multisensory preaching are the use of props,
object lessons, interactive tools, video clips, drama, art, music, thematic
backdrops, food, water, smells, and other creative elements that stimulate sensory
perception.23
In fact, the non-technological components of Blackwood’s sermons seem to be the most
memorable. As part of his exposition of Matthew 8 and 9, in a series called “Master-Peace,”
Blackwood invited community artists to come to the church campus for an art show, creating
their own “masterpieces” in paint and sculpture in preparation for Blackwood’s sermon series on
the “peace that only comes from the Master.”24 In another sermon from Matthew dealing with
the believer living out his or her daily calling, Blackwood relied on a simple can of crayons. To
be accurate, Blackwood also had his sermon points projected on the screen as he normally does,
but the multisensory impact of the sermon was carried primarily by a can of crayons that could
typically be found in any elementary age Sunday School classroom.25 The children’s ministry of
Rick Blackwood, “Add Power and Punch to Your Messages by Engaging the Senses,” (Lecture,
Pensacola Bay Baptist Association, Pensacola, FL, September 22, 2009).
22
23
Blackwood, Power, 14.
24
Blackwood, “Add Power and Punch to Your Messages by Engaging the Senses.”
25
Rick Blackwood, “Your Daily Calling, Part III,” DVD, (Miami, FL: Christ Fellowship Church, 2007).
11
the church had previously asked children to color a picture of Jesus with the crayons given to
them. Each child was given a can of randomly assorted crayons—different colors, different
sizes, some new, some used, some broken. Blackwood then asked the children to come to the
stage and show their pictures. He used those pictures and some of the representative cans of
crayons to make the point that each member of the church “colors Jesus” (shows their faith)
differently, that is, with the individual abilities and gifts of each of their own lives. Far from
being distracting, the can of crayons Blackwood carried throughout the sermon served as a
reinforcement of the central proposition of the sermon.
This does not mean, of course, that Blackwood does not also use a wide variety of
multisensory tools at times. In yet another sermon series from Matthew, one dealing with the
temptation of Christ and the temptations faced by believers, Blackwood and his team produced a
military scene in the church. The object of the scene was to undergird the sermon series theme
of temptation being comparable to war. Ushers and greeters were consequently dressed in
military fatigues. Military tents and weapons were set up on the stage. One tent (for a future
sermon in the series dealing with restoring those who fall into sin) was even decorated as a
hospital tent. Blackwood himself was dressed in military fatigues for the sermon.26 One can
imagine the ensuing curiosity when a church member first sees such a fully prepared auditorium
and stage.
Blackwood’s goal, however, is not simply to create temporary affective impact. The
stated goal of his method is to produce three specific outcomes: attention, comprehension, and
retention. Blackwood states that these three goals are “cognitive” goals, but it might be better to
describe comprehension and retention as cognitive and reserve the affective descriptor for the
26
Blackwood, Power, 93.
12
goal of attention.27 In any case, Blackwood is correct in setting the gaining of audience attention
as a first goal, because no cognitive progress will be made unless the audience is willing to listen
to the message. Blackwood sees the gaining of audience attention as an absolute necessity
because the church is competing for a hearing in a “sensory-dependent” world. This intentional
competition for a hearing does not threaten to “water-down” the Gospel; rather, Blackwood says,
it provides for a more open hearing for the Gospel:
Multisensory communication does for preaching what special effects have done
for movies; it makes the presentation more graphic. Some people imagine that
multisensory communication “waters down” the message of the gospel. The truth
is, it fires it up! In my own preaching, the use of multisensory communication
has made theological truths more vivid and more explicit. It’s interesting that I
have never been accused of making my preaching too weak. I have, however,
been accused of making it too explicit. That’s the power of multisensory
communication. . . . That’s the effect of multisensory teaching. In no way does it
tone down the message. Rather, it turns up the heat. It provides picturesque
detail and gives explosive impact. Multisensory communication lets the audience
hear, see, interact, and experience the Word of God.28
Implementing Blackwood’s Ideas in the Local Church
It is not unusual for contemporary and creative leaders (such as Rick Warren or Bill
Hybels) to emphasize that their exact methods cannot simply be duplicated in another local
congregation. Such speakers will normally suggest that interested learners seek to implement the
principles rather than exact methods. Blackwood is no different in this respect. While
Blackwood’s instructions are detailed and wide-ranging, the following nine steps can serve as a
summary of his methodological philosophy for those who might want to implement multisensory
preaching in their own ministries.
27
Blackwood, Power, 19.
28
Blackwood, Power, 37.
13
The first step for implementing multisensory preaching would be to gain the proper
perspective. That perspective would be to have a healthy appreciation for multisensory delivery.
Acceptance for the method is obviously not universal, so the interested preacher may find
himself in the minority once he decides to attempt the method. The preacher will need to be able
to satisfy his own mind on these questions, and be ready to answer the inevitable questions that
may come from church members and friends. Blackwood said that an appreciation for
multisensory preaching can be gained and solidified in the answer to three questions:
1. Does the Bible forbid the use of multisensory preaching?
2. Does multisensory preaching “water down” the gospel message?
3. Is multisensory teaching simply entertainment?29
Obviously, Blackwood has considered and answered these questions on multiple occasions, and
has arrived at well defined answers. In reference to the first question, Blackwood has stated that
natural and special revelation can be described as multisensory, citing even the teaching style of
Jesus as multisensory. In reference to the second question, he firmly believes and states (as
shown above) that multisensory preaching does not water down the biblical message, but rather
opens the door for clear proclamation. Finally, in reference to the third question, he accepts the
word “entertainment” as a viable option to a lecture only format in communication:
I am struggling to understand the complaint. I am having a hard time finding a
theological problem with that kind of teaching. Do we not wish to engage
people’s minds? Do we not wish for people to hold and keep what we are
teaching in mind? In fact, when I check the antonym of “entertain” on my
computer, I get the word “bore.” Are we trying to bore our people, or are we
trying to captivate their minds so we can impart truth?30
29
Blackwood, Power, 73.
30
Blackwood, Power, 80.
14
A healthy appreciation for multisensory preaching, however, is not without reservations.
Blackwood cautioned readers that he is not presenting this method as a biblical mandate; it is not
a divine ordinance. It is simply good practice; it is logical; it is desirable.31
A second step, or reminder, for implementing multisensory preaching is to avoid overkill.
Blackwood noted that at times his sermons have been overly visual or overly interactive,
resulting in less attention, less comprehension, and less retention.32 Perhaps his caution here
explains why some of his most memorable messages seem to be ones with simple and balanced
multisensory content.
A third step for implementing multisensory preaching would be to study and follow basic
knowledge related to learning styles. A wealth of information exists about learning styles; it is
standard operating procedure for most professional teachers. Blackwood affirmed that the
preacher in the pulpit must work with, not against how people learn:
The multisensory communicator is sensitive to individual learning preferences
and strategically plans his teaching to connect with all learners in his audience,
not just some of them. Recognizing that a congregation will be filled with
auditory learners, visual learners and interactive learners, the multisensory teacher
varies his teaching style and mixes verbal, visual and interactive elements in his
communication.33
The seriousness of Blackwood’s commitment to all persons in the audience becomes evident
with his summarizing comment on the issue of learning styles, “As pastors with educational
objectives, we must not turn a deaf ear to the matter of learning styles and teaching style.”34
31
Blackwood, Power, 38.
32
Blackwood, Power, 65.
33
Blackwood, “The Power of Multisensory Preaching,” 14.
34
Blackwood, Power, 70.
15
It would not, then, seem possible to implement Blackwood’s principles without retaining this
commitment to impact every kind of learner in the congregation.
A fourth step for implementing multisensory preaching would be to start small. Again,
the interested preacher is cautioned that everyone may not accept a transition to multisensory
preaching without any objection or question. To start small would be a wise strategy. It also
makes sense in terms of what an interested preacher is capable of doing. One cannot become a
master of any practice, multisensory preaching included, in one or two attempts. Blackwood
started his practice of multisensory preaching with simple objects in hand (a practice he still
uses). He noted, “These were simple beginnings for me, but they allowed me to get used to the
new method.”35
A fifth step for implementing multisensory preaching is to maintain one’s practice of the
expository method. While some equate multisensory or any other kind of progressive
methodology with an abandonment of traditional expository preaching, Blackwood believes that
the loss of verse-by verse preaching would render any delivery method useless. If solid biblical
content is lost, delivery alone accomplishes nothing.36
A sixth step for implementing multisensory preaching is to enjoy the process. According
to Blackwood, multisensory preaching should be “fascinating for your audience and fun for
you.”37 It is, admittedly, difficult to conceive of a preaching methodology that should be
considered, “fun,” when most of the advice given to preachers is to study more, organize
sermons more effectively, improve one’s voice, and learn the art of sermon delivery. But while
35
Blackwood, Power, 95.
36
Blackwood, Power, 84-85, 99-100.
37
Blackwood, Power, 93.
16
it is difficult to grasp at first, there is a certain feeling of rewarding correctness about the “fun”
element in the multisensory method.
A seventh step for implementing multisensory preaching is to get a planning team to help
in the process. This will be, of course, much more difficult for the single-staff pastor, but not
impossible. When a church staff is in place, or when creative volunteers are available,
Blackwood encourages the interested preacher to secure not only a teaching team for developing
the sermons themselves, but also design and implementation teams to project and produce the
visual and interactive elements of the sermon.38
An eighth step for implementing multisensory preaching will be more familiar to most
preachers: look for the big idea. Just as noted preachers and professors of preaching emphasize a
single main idea to guide the individual sermon, so Blackwood suggests finding a big idea to
unify any series of expository sermons in the book being addressed. For example, in yet another
series of sermons from Matthew, this time dealing with the Sermon on the Mount, Blackwood
took his lead from the “you have heard vs. but I say to you” formula used by Jesus. Blackwood
noted and focused on how Jesus seemed to be eradicating religious myths in this part of the
Sermon on the Mount. The resulting series contained four sermons on hate, bitterness, lust, and
divorce. It was entitled, “Myth Busters.”39 Interactive content for the sermon was then drawn
from the popular television series.
Finally, a ninth step for implementing multisensory preaching is to link and promote.
The planned series of sermon should not exist alone. The big idea of the sermon and sermon
series should be linked to the auditorium atmosphere and decorations. These big ideas should
38
Blackwood, Power, 99-104.
39
Blackwood, Power, 110-111.
17
also be linked to worship music. And ultimately, these big ideas should be linked to the
curriculum for small group ministry in the church. Finally, these ideas should be linked to the
outside world through promotion. If the big idea of the sermon series is a quality idea, one that
resonates with the spiritual needs of people, then it should be promoted enthusiastically, and
promoted with a degree of expectation.40
Conclusion
It is never easy to change. It would seem especially difficult for preachers to change their
style of delivery once it becomes the ingrained habit of their regular pulpit work. So what
Blackwood is asking for will be difficult. Blackwood, however, promises that it will be an
enjoyable and ultimately effective change. A preacher could hardly ask for more than that.
The challenge for many preachers will not be the inclusion of visual elements; many
preachers have already begun to do that. The harder part will be the inclusion of interactive
elements in the sermon. At the very least, including the interactive will require much more and
much earlier sermon preparation each week. This will also require disciplined effort for the
preacher who does not have the advantage of staff members and creative volunteers to assist him.
It may also require that the preacher increase his exegetical work. Blackwood clearly states that
the foundation for quality multisensory sermons will be quality expository preparation. The
primary purpose of the multisensory method is to support the expository method.
One change that supports multisensory preaching will not be difficult to make: gaining a
concern for every member of the congregation, and a concern for every member’s learning style.
For nearly every preacher, this will be a welcome task of love already begun.
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Blackwood, Power, 111-114.
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Appendix: A Sample Multisensory Sermon
I recently attempted my first multisensory sermon. The manuscript of the sermon
follows. The multisensory element came in the first main point of the sermon. In preparation for
talking about how my occasional practice of golf hindered the quality of my game, I had hidden
a 6-iron behind the pulpit. When I got to the first point, I took the club out and walked down off
the stage onto the main floor as I spoke about playing golf.
As I talked about knowing how to grip the club, I demonstrated my grip. As I talked
about knowing the rules, I gave the club a swing. I am sure some in the congregation were
worried that I might be having a Jack Nicholson 9-iron moment, but most everyone enjoyed
seeing the club. Like Blackwood, I could tell people were paying more attention.
For the next few minutes, I carried the club around like I was Bob Hope. Eventually,
when I got near the pulpit again, I put the club back. The experience, as Blackwood said, was
indeed “fun.”
The Enemies of Prayer
Luke 11:1-13
The disciples were not satisfied with their praying! In verse 1, they show how unhappy they are
by pushing one spokesman to the front of the group to say, "Lord, teach us to pray." They had
been watching Jesus pray. They saw how prayer was a strength to Him, how it refreshed Him,
how it sustained Him. And they wanted that for themselves. So they asked Him for help.
And they desperate enough that they are not above a little spiritual blackmail. John taught his
disciples to pray...you do the same!
So Jesus equips the disciples with a model prayer, a model prayer that we have come to call the
"Lord's Prayer." Luke's version of the Lord's Prayer is a little different from Matthew’s, but
all of the basic concepts are here:
*When you pray, spend time praising God, "hallowing" His name. Remember again how
great God is, and how gracious He has been to you! It’s 1st on the list because praise is the most
revolutionary life-changing, life-rearranging habit we can form in prayer.
*When you pray, think about the Kingdom. "Thy kingdom come." It is not just our own
lives that need to be brought before the throne of God, but all of God's people, and all of His
congregations. You cannot pray for the growth of God's kingdom without also asking how you
can contribute to that growth!
*When you pray, think about how much you need God. "Give us day by day our daily
bread." Most of us think we have things well in hand and don't practice depending on God!
*When you pray, deal with sin. Ask what needs to be confessed and pray for strength to
win over temptation.
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But then Jesus doesn't stop. He keeps talking. He goes beyond the model prayer . . .
*In verses 5-8, He tells a story about a man borrowing bread.
*In verses 9-10, He assures us that God hears our prayers.
*In verses 11-13, He compares prayer to the words of a child.
What He is doing is going beyond the basic pattern and giving the disciples an advanced class in
prayer. He has told them "how" to pattern their prayers:
*hallowed be your name,
*your kingdom come,
*give us each day our daily bread,
*forgive us our sins,
*lead us not into temptation.
but now Jesus is telling the disciples how to make that pattern work!
He does this because the biggest problem His disciples will face in prayer, and the biggest
problem we will face in prayer is not how to make the words come out, not how to construct the
pattern...but how to keep the pattern going! If you don't have the habit, then the pattern doesn't
really matter, does it?
1. In the brief parable, in verses 5-8, Jesus attacks the problem of inconsistency. Many
believers fail to take advantage of the joys of prayer because they just don't pray very often. I
play golf, but I only play every blue moon or so. When I play, I always hit one or two good
shots, but most of them are stinkers. Why? It’s not because I don’t know how to hold the club!
It’s not because I don’t know the rules. It is because I only play once in a while! Knowing
and doing are two different things.
Jesus makes the same point when He tells the story in verse 5. He said there was a man who
needed bread to feed late-arriving guests, so he went to his neighbor. But the neighbor was
already in bed and tucked in. But because his friend kept knocking, he finally got up and gave
him the bread.
I think this story has been widely misunderstood; many people have taken this story to mean that
God is like the man in bed; He has to be roused by much praying and by great effort. That is not
the point of the story at all. The story does not focus on the man in bed but on the man
knocking. Jesus is saying that a good pray-er never stops knocking. The good pray-er is
consistent. The good pray-er never says, "I'm too busy!" Our problem is often that we just don't
use the time we have to pray at all.
2. Then in verses 9-10, there is another commendation of the faithful person of prayer....and
which applies in particular to the problem of our wastefulness. The words are beautiful, but
they must be understood! Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the
door will be opened to you.
What is in verses 9-10 is not a blanket promise for every prayer to be answered. We have been
told in plenty of other places in the Bible that prayers should be said in accordance with the
will and majesty and character of God. The identification of a person as one who "asks,"
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"seeks," and "knocks" at heaven's door PRESUPPOSES that this person is one who is asking in
accordance with God's will!
Verses 9-10, then, don't promise that any of us will have Ed McMahon call at our house if God
really loves us. These verses tell us instead that the person who loves God will ask Him about
life consistently, will seek His presence and guidance in a daily way, and will always knock at
His door. Any other AGENDA in prayer will widen the gap between us and God.
Verse 10 drives home the promised reward...everyone that asks (about life) receives (a real
understanding about life), everyone that seeks (the presence of God) finds (the joy of being with
God), and everyone that knocks (at the door of heaven's guidance) has the door opened for them.
But our problem is often that we waste what little time we have in prayer on asking about the
wrong things. James 4 says we have not because we ask not, and we ask and don't receive
because we ask amiss, to consume it upon our lusts….the things we want, not the needs of the
kingdom.
3. Then in verses 11-13, Jesus attacks our spiritual dullness and ingratitude for the simple joy
of being able to spend time with Him. I am afraid that God values His time with us much, much
more than we value our time with Him.
Jesus says in these final verses that we don't really know what we have in prayer, or we would be
beating the doors of heaven down. Prayer has become in our days a weighty worry instead of a
happy habit, an obligation instead of a joy. What we have forgotten is that prayer is time with
our Heavenly Father who has nothing but the best desires for us!
Put yourself in a parent's place for a moment, Jesus says. If your son asks you for a fish, will
you give him a snake? If he asks for a snack, will you give him a dangerous reptile? So if you
would not do that to your own child, and you are fallen, then how much more do you think your
holy and righteous and perfect CREATOR is going to have a bounty of good things for you?
My family and I are relative new-comers to North Florida. But we're adjusting. We came here
from North Louisiana, where the main cash crop is timber. But here we have seafood! And
Ross is probably the happiest about our dietary changes. He can now get all the shrimp he
wants, and at prices Dad can afford! And I love to watch him eat shrimp, even more than I like
to eat them myself. That's the way God is for all of us. He delights in blessing us with the
best.
And just in case there is any doubt that God wants to give us the best, look at what Jesus says at
the end of verse 13. What God wants to give us first...is Himself, His Spirit. "...how much more
will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
*So we have the pattern, but do we consistently make the time?
*We have the pattern, but do we ask for the right things?
*We have the pattern, but do we have the big picture of what prayer really is?
Make the time. Don't waste the time. Enjoy the time.
WORKS CITED
Blackwood, Rick. “Add Power and Punch to Your Messages by Engaging the Senses.”
Lecture, Pensacola Bay Baptist Association, Pensacola, FL, September 22, 2009.
_______. “Energizing Your Sermons with Multisensory Preaching.” Sermon Central Blog.
Web page. Available from http://www.sermoncentral.com/article.asp?article=RickBlackwood-Energizing-Sermons-Multisensory-Preaching&ac=true. Accessed 13 May
2010.
_______. Personal Resume. Provided by the author, May 2010.
_______. The Power of Multisensory Preaching and Teaching: Increase Attention,
Comprehension, and Retention. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008.
_______. “The Power of Multisensory Preaching.” Preaching: The Professional Journal
for Preachers 24, no. 6 (May/June 2009): 12-19.
_______. “Your Daily Calling, Part III.” DVD. Miami, FL: Christ Fellowship Church, 2007.
DeBrand, Roy. “The Visual in Preaching.” In Handbook of Contemporary Preaching, edited by
Michael Duduit, 398-407. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992.
Geiger, Eric. “The Current Christ Fellowship Story.” Developing Churches 6, no. 1
(May 2008): 8-9.
Keach, Benjamin. Preaching from the Types and Metaphors of the Bible. 1855. Reprint,
Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1972.
MacArthur, Jr., John F. Ashamed of the Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World.
Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1993.
Rainer, Thom S. and Eric Geiger. Simple Church: Returning to God’s Process for Making
Disciples. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2006.
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