Preaching to the Heart: Keller's Christ-Centered Approach to Transforming Lives

After five days of rest, I now have time to publish my reflection on a YouTube video about preaching. This is part of my requirements in my Homiletics 2 class.

The channel is owned by Timothy Keller and the title of the video is Preaching to the Heart.

In this video, Keller emphasizes that effective preaching transforms hearts by making Christ central, engaging culturally, emotionally, imaginatively, practically, and wondrously, with the Holy Spirit ultimately moving believers to experience the reality of Jesus.

Keller did not begin by explaining how to preach to the heart; instead, he explained why it is so important. He wanted to capture the essence of the "heart"—for its definition is rather nuanced compared to our contemporary knowledge. Only then it is possible to determine how preachers deliver their messages. If they aim to deal with how to change people’s hearts, they must first be clear about the concept of “heart” in the Bible.

Keller argues that the biblical understanding of the heart presents itself as the “seat”, in which our mind, will, and body directs their efforts toward what occupies it. In ancient philosophy, like the Greeks, and modern thought, suggest the heart merely as an emotion—as part of the body. Both pitted it against one another. For the Greeks, the mind is supreme; and the emotion must be suppressed.

On the other hand, the modern ideology shifted this duality with a full revolution—to live is to “let it go!” However, the biblical purview of the mind and emotion is not in enmity. These are all but under and influenced by the heart, and they should be sifted and directed to God.

What, then, occupies the heart? Our heart lies within where we put our time, trust, and effort. The center of our attention is the treasure of our hearts. Now, we ought to realize what Keller is implying: that the heart is captured by something else aside from Jesus. This is a problem of modern Christians—the disconnection of abstract truth from reality. A Christian believes in knowing God, but his heart can be preoccupied with another. Likewise, the pirate treats his ship like his life and more than anything else—but still earnestly looks for hidden chests of gold—even to fight and die for it. For Keller, in order for us to bridge this gap, the reality of Jesus Christ must be experienced. “The truth must become real to people’s hearts.” How so? here comes the role of the Holy Spirit and preaching that moves the heart. We ought to be concerned with the latter.

Keller gave some important points on how to preach to the heart. We must preach culturally, affectionately, imaginatively, practically, wondrously, and Christocentrically. I will briefly explain my thoughts on each.

Culturally means we should present Christ in a way that he is seen as our freedom against cultural slavery. This also means to preach accordingly to the audiences’ specific cultural backgrounds and needs.

Affectionately means to preach from the heart. It is the "ethos,” or credibility, of your statements. Have Christ so transformed your life that it makes those who hear your testimony believe in Him? This also pertains to non-deliberate, emotional transparency, which is achieved through material mastery.

Imaginatively is about making an illustration or imagery that connects the abstract truths you present into a sensory experience, making it relatable and understandable.

Practically means to engage the preaching with the specific problem of a group of people in the church (or the whole, depending on the figure).

Wondrously refers to the awe and amazement the preacher presents from the truths and experience of God’s grace and love. We can illustrate here the beauty of creation and the new creation.

Lastly, and most importantly, Christocentrically. It is in this part where we truly preach to the heart. As Christians, we believe that he is moving the hearts of those who believe in Him whenever we speak of Christ. Truly, I have learned the importance of preaching to the heart as well as preliminary knowledge on how to do so. Yet I know very well without Christ as the center of the preaching it becomes no gospel at all.

I will be ending here with Keller’s observation of sermons: whenever the preacher delivers a biblical truth, we take notes and pique the mind; whenever Jesus is proclaimed, we drop our pens and worship Him—it is He who moves our hearts.

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