Search For Serendipity
Sermon
Sermons On The Second Readings
Series I, Cycle C
Foreword
Every thoughtful pastor travels a narrow road in the preaching event. On one side of the road is a ditch called "closeness." If the preacher drives too close to that side of the road, he may invade the personal territory of people and make persons both uncomfortable and defensive.
Veer too far to the other side of the road in preaching, and the preaching minister finds herself in the rut of distance and saying things that are true but have little connection to life.
When I read Gary Carver's sermons, I said to myself, "Here is someone who knows how to negotiate the path of preaching." On the one hand, his sermons have appropriate intimacy. For seventeen years, he has been pastor of the First Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee. That means that his sermons are born out of weekly interface with the people of his church.
Gary is not preaching from the ivory tower of academia, and he's not speaking, "To whom it may concern." Listen to the words of the sermons; listen to the stories; listen between the sentences and phrases to the obvious compassion and respect Gary has for his listeners. In the best sense, Gary Carver is a preacher/pastor.
At the same time, Gary maintains the appropriate distance that every preacher needs. These sermons are not the work of a "Dear Abby," who writes advice columns to people who have trouble with their in-laws or who want their spouses to be more attentive.
The guiding light for these messages is the biblical word. Gary allows that word to wing its way into people's lives. Sometimes that word comforts, but often it confronts. Sometimes, speaking that word can draw people close to the preaching minister, but other moments the word can make us wish that the preacher had never said it.
One of the things that impresses me about Gary Carver's sermons is that not only does he preach but also he listens to his own words. Look at the number of times that Gary feels the impact of his message. He sins; he gets tired; he's afraid, and all of this gives us greater permission to confess our own limits.
These sermons instruct us, delight us, and make us think about ways that we can change. They focus our attention on God. In a word, these sermons do what effective sermons should do.
Dr. Charles Bugg
Kenneth Chafin Professor of Preaching
Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond
Director, Chevis Home Center for Preaching and Worship
Assistant to the Seminary President for Special Projects
Preface
I know! I know! Being the informed reader that you are, you are far ahead of me. You certainly are saying that one does not search for serendipity. Serendipity is the ability to find valuable things, unexpectedly -- even while searching for something else! To which I respond, "You are right, dictionary breath!"
Serendipity is a concept coined by Sir Horace Wahpole in 1754, based on a Persian fairy tale, Three Princesses of Serendip. J. Wallace Hamilton states that Serendip was the ancient or Arabic name for Ceylon. The legend was that every time the Princesses of Serendip went on a journey, something unexpected happened: quite by coincidence they found valuable things not sought for.1
The great preacher goes on to note serendipitous happenings of recent times. Columbus was looking for a direct route to Asia and stubbed his toe on America. Edison was looking for a light bulb and found a phonograph. A. Wilmington, chemist, trying to duplicate silk fabric, found the nylon stocking. Bell was trying to improve the telegraph and invented the telephone. The list is endless.
Serendipity, the gift of finding valuable things while looking for or doing something else, is a dynamic of the spiritual life as well. In fact, it is the simple premise upon which this collection of sermons is based. While we can never experience serendipity by searching for it, serendipitous joy is the delightful by-product of attending to the time-honored disciplines of the Christian walk. As we "do the do's" that which we must, ought, and should, the basic disciplines of Christian discipleship, we serendipitously stumble onto purpose, meaning, laughter, and joy. Richard Foster states:
Neither should we think of the Spiritual disciplines as some dull drudgery aimed at exterminating laughter from the face of the earth. Joy is the keynote of all the Disciplines. The purpose of the Disciplines is liberation from the stifling slavery to self-interest and fear. When one's inner spirit is set free from all that holds it down, that can hardly be described as dull drudgery. Singing, dancing, even shouting characterize the Disciplines of the spiritual life.2
It is my sincere prayer that as you walk through these eleven simple sermons, you, too, will delightfully discover the serendipitous surprises of God.
I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Sanctuary Worship Planning team at First Baptist: Mary Jayne Allen, John Echols, Jonathan Crutchfield, Connie Campbell, Melissa Singleton, Debbie Hilbert, John Lowe, Terri Lowe, Jeff McDaniel, Gail Sisson, and Katsie Brunner. This recently-formed worship team, patterned after our contemporary worship team, under the guiding brilliance of Jonathan Crutchfied has given creativity and excitement to our traditional worship service. Their hard work and faithfulness to task are gifts to this worshiping congregation.
It is serendipitous joy for me to have a longtime dear friend, Dr. Charles Bugg, write the foreword. I first met Chuck in 1968 when he had the unfortunate task of grading my church history papers in seminary. While I have remained the slow student I was then, Dr. Bugg has carved a distinguished career as an author, pastor, and very respected teacher of preachers. One could not find a better friend or a nicer person.
My wife Sharlon and I enjoyed every day of rearing our three sons, Chris, Brad, and Scott. In the process of that joy, we discovered an equal pleasure when they wonderfully, teamed with Kayla, Amy, and Amy, started bestowing serendipitous gifts of joy called grandchildren. It is to these four wonderful expressions of God's grace that we dedicate these pages.
____________
1. J. Wallace Hamilton, Serendipity (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1965), p. 18.
2. Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1978), p. 2.
Every thoughtful pastor travels a narrow road in the preaching event. On one side of the road is a ditch called "closeness." If the preacher drives too close to that side of the road, he may invade the personal territory of people and make persons both uncomfortable and defensive.
Veer too far to the other side of the road in preaching, and the preaching minister finds herself in the rut of distance and saying things that are true but have little connection to life.
When I read Gary Carver's sermons, I said to myself, "Here is someone who knows how to negotiate the path of preaching." On the one hand, his sermons have appropriate intimacy. For seventeen years, he has been pastor of the First Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee. That means that his sermons are born out of weekly interface with the people of his church.
Gary is not preaching from the ivory tower of academia, and he's not speaking, "To whom it may concern." Listen to the words of the sermons; listen to the stories; listen between the sentences and phrases to the obvious compassion and respect Gary has for his listeners. In the best sense, Gary Carver is a preacher/pastor.
At the same time, Gary maintains the appropriate distance that every preacher needs. These sermons are not the work of a "Dear Abby," who writes advice columns to people who have trouble with their in-laws or who want their spouses to be more attentive.
The guiding light for these messages is the biblical word. Gary allows that word to wing its way into people's lives. Sometimes that word comforts, but often it confronts. Sometimes, speaking that word can draw people close to the preaching minister, but other moments the word can make us wish that the preacher had never said it.
One of the things that impresses me about Gary Carver's sermons is that not only does he preach but also he listens to his own words. Look at the number of times that Gary feels the impact of his message. He sins; he gets tired; he's afraid, and all of this gives us greater permission to confess our own limits.
These sermons instruct us, delight us, and make us think about ways that we can change. They focus our attention on God. In a word, these sermons do what effective sermons should do.
Dr. Charles Bugg
Kenneth Chafin Professor of Preaching
Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond
Director, Chevis Home Center for Preaching and Worship
Assistant to the Seminary President for Special Projects
Preface
I know! I know! Being the informed reader that you are, you are far ahead of me. You certainly are saying that one does not search for serendipity. Serendipity is the ability to find valuable things, unexpectedly -- even while searching for something else! To which I respond, "You are right, dictionary breath!"
Serendipity is a concept coined by Sir Horace Wahpole in 1754, based on a Persian fairy tale, Three Princesses of Serendip. J. Wallace Hamilton states that Serendip was the ancient or Arabic name for Ceylon. The legend was that every time the Princesses of Serendip went on a journey, something unexpected happened: quite by coincidence they found valuable things not sought for.1
The great preacher goes on to note serendipitous happenings of recent times. Columbus was looking for a direct route to Asia and stubbed his toe on America. Edison was looking for a light bulb and found a phonograph. A. Wilmington, chemist, trying to duplicate silk fabric, found the nylon stocking. Bell was trying to improve the telegraph and invented the telephone. The list is endless.
Serendipity, the gift of finding valuable things while looking for or doing something else, is a dynamic of the spiritual life as well. In fact, it is the simple premise upon which this collection of sermons is based. While we can never experience serendipity by searching for it, serendipitous joy is the delightful by-product of attending to the time-honored disciplines of the Christian walk. As we "do the do's" that which we must, ought, and should, the basic disciplines of Christian discipleship, we serendipitously stumble onto purpose, meaning, laughter, and joy. Richard Foster states:
Neither should we think of the Spiritual disciplines as some dull drudgery aimed at exterminating laughter from the face of the earth. Joy is the keynote of all the Disciplines. The purpose of the Disciplines is liberation from the stifling slavery to self-interest and fear. When one's inner spirit is set free from all that holds it down, that can hardly be described as dull drudgery. Singing, dancing, even shouting characterize the Disciplines of the spiritual life.2
It is my sincere prayer that as you walk through these eleven simple sermons, you, too, will delightfully discover the serendipitous surprises of God.
I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Sanctuary Worship Planning team at First Baptist: Mary Jayne Allen, John Echols, Jonathan Crutchfield, Connie Campbell, Melissa Singleton, Debbie Hilbert, John Lowe, Terri Lowe, Jeff McDaniel, Gail Sisson, and Katsie Brunner. This recently-formed worship team, patterned after our contemporary worship team, under the guiding brilliance of Jonathan Crutchfied has given creativity and excitement to our traditional worship service. Their hard work and faithfulness to task are gifts to this worshiping congregation.
It is serendipitous joy for me to have a longtime dear friend, Dr. Charles Bugg, write the foreword. I first met Chuck in 1968 when he had the unfortunate task of grading my church history papers in seminary. While I have remained the slow student I was then, Dr. Bugg has carved a distinguished career as an author, pastor, and very respected teacher of preachers. One could not find a better friend or a nicer person.
My wife Sharlon and I enjoyed every day of rearing our three sons, Chris, Brad, and Scott. In the process of that joy, we discovered an equal pleasure when they wonderfully, teamed with Kayla, Amy, and Amy, started bestowing serendipitous gifts of joy called grandchildren. It is to these four wonderful expressions of God's grace that we dedicate these pages.
____________
1. J. Wallace Hamilton, Serendipity (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1965), p. 18.
2. Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1978), p. 2.
