# Character or Religious Leaders Illustrations in Preaching



## Afterthought (Jun 6, 2015)

What do you think about using characters from movies or fictional books as an illustration in a sermon? Especially if the characters, quotations from them, or their behaviors are used as an illustration of something good? Is there a concern that using such as illustrations is not becoming the dignity of the preached word?

What do you think about quoting false religious leaders favorably in a sermon (e.g., Ghandi)?


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## Leslie (Jun 6, 2015)

I see no harm in it as long as it is simply illustrative of Biblical truth. A story that is unfamiliar to the hearers, particularly if it is one where they can identify with a character, can bring truths home in a unique way. The concept of the process of sanctification rather than mere obedience being the essence of the Christian life was brought home to me through a Shellabarger novel. Only after reading that was I able to see the same truth implicit in the life of Jacob and others in the OT.


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## arapahoepark (Jun 6, 2015)

Parables perhaps? How about true religious leaders? I think the more a pastor knows of a situation, which he should always strive for, he wouldn't use people like Ghandi or Mandela....


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## Pergamum (Jun 7, 2015)

When we we quote somebody favorably from the pulpit, we portray them favorably and lend credence to their beliefs.


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## JoannaV (Jun 7, 2015)

There are examples in Scripture of things along the lines of, "even the pagans say/do X, should not you do X+Y?"


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## reaganmarsh (Jun 8, 2015)

This wasn't a fictional event, but when I was preaching through Judges, I came to the account of Shamgar (3.31) and used the NYC rabbis' divorce gang as an illustration...a gang of toughs with electric cattle prods kidnapped reluctant abusive husbands, to "encourage" them to finalize divorcing their wives. I didn't commend their ethics in the illustration, but it certainly got people's attention and gave a modern similarity to Shamgar's oxgoad. 

I have on occasion referenced a movie or literary event/quote/tale, but I try on the whole to let Scripture illustrate Scripture. The lamp of the Lord searches the whole man and shines the glory of Christ onto us. That being said, I do not think it is wrong to refer to things outside the canon (ie, per Joanna's post, #5). 

I would not quote a false religious leader, except to refute him, or to demonstrate where we have points of agreement, in order to show where we diverge (ie, only with specific, clear, didactic/apologetical intent). In other words, I would not "approve" of him (Rom 14.22). 

Hope this helps.


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## MarieP (Jun 8, 2015)

We'd all agree this sermon illustration strikes the perfect balance! Obviously, no mere preacher could match it, but it shows that using a bad person to make a point about something good is not always wrong.



> There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. So he called him and said to him, "What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward."
> 
> Then the steward said within himself, "What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses."
> 
> ...


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## Afterthought (Jun 8, 2015)

Perhaps the concern with using movie characters, or even some fictional book characters, is the element of entertainment that is inherent in the media, which then tends to take away from the seriousness of what is being preached?


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## reaganmarsh (Jun 9, 2015)

Afterthought said:


> Perhaps the concern with using movie characters, or even some fictional book characters, is the element of entertainment that is inherent in the media, which then tends to take away from the seriousness of what is being preached?



I share that concern. Thus, my practice is to use such illustrations sparingly, and to plan them carefully so that the point is made. That often means not including the punch line if it will detract; the point is to illumine the Text, and point men to Christ, not to entertain them. That being said, Spurgeon commended a half-moment's holy humor which kept the hearer awake, rather than a half-hour's profound slumber through the sermon...food for thought.


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