Tonight on Nightline--A Christian preaching competition! (Sounds cool!)

ABC News Nightline mailing list | 6/19/2003 | Leroy Sievers

[ArcLight]

TONIGHT'S FOCUS: The first of a two-part series following three young men as they make their way towards the finals of the National Evangelistic Preaching competition.

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I'll be the first to admit that we don't do enough coverage of religion in this country. We pay a lot of attention to religion overseas, especially Islam. We cover the "religious right" in this country, but mostly, actually almost entirely, as a political force. But we haven't spent a lot of time looking at the evangelical community just as people. A new poll says that a little over thirty percent of adults in this country consider themselves "born again."

A year ago a freelance producer, who is a friend of one of our Nightline producers, brought in a tape. He had shot some of the national evangelistic preaching competition. This is for high school boys. None of us knew that something like that existed. And it was a compelling story in and of itself. So this year the two of them went out and spent months following three boys through their local competitions and on to the nationals. Now competition shows seem to be really popular these days from the National Spelling Bee, and some Nightline staffers couldn't tear themselves away from that one, to all of the reality shows. But this is a different kind of competition. It's not just how they say it, this isn't like a debate competition, but what they say. And they are saying what they believe. The message is as important as the way it is delivered.

Along the way, you'll get to know these three young men, some of their friends, and their families. They are deeply religious, and that makes them, as they themselves acknowledge, different from many of their peers. We'll tell their story tonight and tomorrow night, news willing. It is a really fascinating look at a community that too many of us know very little about. I hope that you'll join us.

We hope you'll join us.

Leroy Sievers and the Nightline Staff ABCNEWS Washington bureau

[LiteKeeper]

SPOTREP

[mhking]

the finals of the National Evangelistic Preaching competition.

Coverage on ESPN?

[Zack Nguyen]

I might have to tune in. I've never heard of a Preaching Competition.

We cover the "religious right" in this country, but mostly, actually almost entirely, as a political force.

As politically involved as I am, that is annoying to me. The reason the press reports on Christian conservatives this way is because they are leftists, and all things are political to a leftist. They cannot see beyond the material world. To them it is all that exists.

I am glad to see a reporter acknowledge it. Perhaps the report will be a good one.

[egarvue]

It is a really fascinating look at a community that too many of us know very little about.

Too true; the coastal journalistic class knows very little about what goes on outside of their elitist, ivory tower crowd. Glad to see that Nightline has the guts to put this on.

[chicagolady]

I vote for Franklin Graham

[sheltonmac]

Preaching competition? Does anyone know what criteria are used in judging something like this?

[My2Cents]

All the "Christian right" does is exercise their constitutional rights of free association and speech in the public arena. To liberals, the fact that any conservative, Christian or otherwise, speaks in the public arena is an "offense."

[AppyPappy]

Franklin is OK but he's not the best I have heard. Steve Brown is really good. I heard him at Key Biscayne Presbyterian.

[My2Cents]

Does anyone know what criteria are used in judging something like this?

Bad hair?

[I still care]

Years ago my husband and I saw a film called "The Burning Hell" by a preacher called Estis Pirkle.

We don't remember the film, but we sure as heck never forgot the name.

[Russell Scott]

If any of them heal the sick, cast out devils, and raise the dead, they got my vote. That will be the norm when the Sons of God preach THE gospel of the Kingdom, which forces the END of this fallen world to come.

[aimhigh]

None of us knew that something like that existed.

This should read,

None of us LIBERAL AGNOSTICS knew that something like that existed.

[Zack Nguyen]

This is true.

[Bat_Chemist]

If any of them heal the sick, cast out devils, and raise the dead, they got my vote.

Well, I hope they don't do that, since it's a preaching competition!

And are you suggesting that the Gospel of the Kingdom is not being preached?

[Tacis]

My bet on this is that ABC (Always Bash Christians) will make the young preachers look like hick gomers who discount women, blacks and fairies. They will come off as not being any where as cool, knowledgable or sensitive as the Unitarians or feminists. ABC will not be sympathetic to these young nor the beliefs that they hold.

Note especially, the sly fagaphobic comments. There will also be several snide comments about how much money good preachers can make.

[SoDak]

This is for high school boys.

Wouldn't seem to me like HS boys had all that much to preach about.

[wideawake]

I would hope that they are judged on (1) the quality of their preparation, (2) their knowledge of their chosen text, (3) their articulateness and projection, (4) the coherence and logic of their sermon's development.

I wish congregations would judge on that basis as well.

[Aliska]

And are you suggesting that the Gospel of the Kingdom is not being preached?

Maybe he's suggesting that Christianity isn't about competition.

[BibChr]

I don't aim at being a pickle-faced killjoy... but the idea of an evangelistic. preaching. competition really sticks in my throat.

Dan