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Grammer and the Gospel
Many years ago, I was invited to speak for a congregation in the Northwest. Just a few minutes after I began, an older gentleman entered the auditorium and sat in a chair against the back wall. Because I had an unobstructed view, I could see that he would occasionally jot something down in a notepad he had brought with him. I figured he was probably writing down some of my more brilliant and insightful comments (of which there were many!).After the service, this man (who turned out to be a preacher from the area) approached me in the vestibule and began by saying, "You only made three grammatical errors in your sermon!" He explained that as a young man he had attended Freed-Hardeman College and had taken Brother Claude Hall's class in spoken English. I've known others who took that class and have been told that Hall would often assign a student a topic, then ask him to stand in front of the class and speak on the topic. The student was allowed to continue until he made a grammatical error, at which point he had to sit down. I've been told that some students had to sit down after saying just two or three words. The brother who kept track of my miscues meant it as a compliment that I'd only made three mistakes the entire sermon. I remember thinking that if he only came to grade a visiting preacher's English, he should have stayed home. Other than that, I don't remember what I said to him. Whatever it was, I sure hope I didn't dangle a participle.
I have nothing against good grammar being used in preaching. It was said about Benjamin Franklin (the pioneer preacher, not the founding father) that "His education had been very limited, and consequently, his grammar was poor. His form of delivery showed his backwoods culture. John Longley, one of Indiana's early pioneer preachers, often went to hear Franklin, and was one of his severest critics. Franklin had unconsciously formed the habit of saying, 'My dear friends and brethereing' and he always had the 'ing' on it. Longley took a piece of paper and a pin at one meeting and made a hole for every time Franklin repeated this phrase. At the conclusion of the sermon, he counted one hundred and fifty holes" (Earl West, The Search for the Ancient Order, Vol. 1, pp. 101–102). A story involving Henry Ward Beecher is about a lady who said to him, "You made three mistakes in grammar this morning in your sermon," Beecher replied, "Madam, I feel sorry for the grammar that gets in the way when I'm preaching." Ain't it the truth!
"Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly" (Phil. 1.14). "Speak" in this verse, doesn't mean "preach," but "to talk," "to tell"; it is a word that was used for everyday conversation. Communicating the gospel isn't the exclusive domain of orators but the privilege of every believer.
There are Christians who don't know a verb from an herb, but they can effectively tell others the story of Jesus. Mastering the King's English is not necessary to sharing the gospel. The power of our message is in our God, not in our grammar (Romans 1.16, 1 Cor. 2.1–5).
A man once said to D. L. Moody, "Your grammar is poor." Moody said, "I know it. But I am making the best of what I have." Are we?
