New call, new response? The change in Black preaching styles

Preaching, a highly respected and impactful form of oratory within Britain’s Black communities, has changed over the decades. Revd Nathaniel Turner explores how

Black preaching as art
Black preaching is an art form. It’s unique and diverse, complex yet simple. It has the power to transform mindsets, birth change and mobilise activists. Just like other art forms, it is appreciated and critiqued by consumers and producers alike. I often think about the changes in preaching styles over the years and wonder how it will look, sound and feel in the future.

The call
The sermon is not simply a message produced by the preacher and consumed by the congregation. Historically, within Black Pentecostalism, preaching has been a co-created event. The preacher calls, and the congregation responds with a loud “Amen!”, spurring the preacher to go deeper into the text. A harmonious dialogue then ensues. The Windrush era ‘call’ was heavily Caribbean and Spirit-filled. Observers might comment: “The preacher was on fire today!”

As second-generation migrants further engaged in formal theology, and professional experience was added to the mix, there was a challenge to preaching that had an emphasis on eliciting an emotional connection without transforming the mind. Preaching styles evolved to include definitions of the Hebrew and Greek text to engage the brain that congregants had previously left at the door. Now we have preachers who use slide decks, minimalist stages, and refer to their sources of research.

The response
Images of the 1960s Black Church show congregants shouting with the preacher, sermons escalating to speaking in tongues and dancing in the Spirit. By the 1980s, African American Pentecostal influence had brought music into the sermon’s climax, accompanying the foot-stomping, toe-tapping “shout”. The congregation of today is more sophisticated. In a world proliferated by podcasts, we are less accustomed to participating in the preaching event; some simply think: “It doesn’t take all that.”

The change
The congregation isn’t merely listening to the sermon. The “Amen” and “Yes, Preacher” provide positive feedback.

In my youth, a church mother told me the congregation should never “sit down on a preacher”; they should always “back them”. In Preach It!, Carol Tomlin codifies this through the African Communication System (ACS), where the congregation echoes or adds to the speaker within an oral tradition. She describes a symbiotic relationship – involving co-signing, which signals agreement and encouragement – that affirms the preacher.

Black preaching isn’t just an art form. It’s also a science. In the pursuit of developing the craft, we must be careful not to diminish the charisma. Producing polished sermons is great, but the challenge for the future is balancing Pentecostal style and Pentecostal substance.

The substance is the faith that is stirred. The Church is a beacon of hope that inspires prophetic imagination for a better day. The substance is a supernatural encounter, where miracles, signs and wonders are demonstrated, evidenced by healing and deliverance. The substance is the embodiment of God’s transforming power, as congregants bring liberation to their communities.

Going digital
During the pandemic, the balance seemed out of kilter when Mike Todd (Transformation Church) preached from Mark 8 and wiped his spit on a male congregant’s eye to illustrate that “receiving vision from God might get nasty”. The intended shock overwhelmed the substance, generating widespread social media criticism in view of COVID restrictions that were in place at the time.

The incident raised questions about preachers being “theologically light”. It also highlighted that congregants may choose not to jump and shout in church, but they will certainly do so online.

With full sermons and clips being available on social media, accompanied by the beloved comments, we have entered a new form of call-and-response where, particularly in the case of sermon clips, there needs to be an awareness of the context of statements. The preacher and congregant should use the opportunity to continue the dialogue, to ask searching questions for clarification, and to avoid the quagmire of endless debating.

Recovering the conversation
Black preaching has traditionally been less monologue and more dialogue. As the Church progresses, preacher and congregant must understand the history, methods and modes of that conversation. Pentecostal fire should not be lost in the pursuit of theological rigour. We need Spirit-filled, thinking preachers to co-produce messages of radical transformation with congregations that are equally engaged. Both must play their part intentionally and maximise the preaching moment. In this way, Black preaching will continue to evolve without losing its distinctive voice. The call may change and the response may sound different, but the conversation must continue.

Let’s use our learning to inform our practice and praxis, so the preaching event brings the power of the spirit of change to our communities.

REVD NATHANIEL TURNER
Senior Pastor, New Testament Church of God, Muntz Street, Birmingham

Visit www.ntcgmuntzst.org.uk

NB: Image contains AI generated model