Biblical Preaching

What I've liked best about church is the preaching. I really like hearing the heart of God and a well-developed sermon brings it into view like nothing else. The challenge I see is the vocal presentations that come from behind lecterns, that are labeled "sermons" or "preaching" yet there is a vital component missing. Generally, the missing component in these vocal presentations is biblical principles, and what is more frightening is the absence or misrepresentation of the man who paid for the Kingdom with his life; Jesus, the Christ.

Maybe it is sensitivity to the current state of events, but political preaching has become the flavor of our times and too many itching ears are making its orators very popular. Early in my spiritual development I prayed for the supernatural gift of discerning of spirits to be active in my life. Now, I sense the need to pray earnestly for believers to have this supernatural gift in operation in their lives so that they are better able to distinguish between emotional hype, mental domination, spiritual and financial exploitation and authentic biblical preaching.

To guard my own preaching, I've turned to my home library that has been amassed since my training years at Princeton, and I've picked up Haddon W. Robinson's book; Biblical Preaching: The Development of Delivery of Expository Messages to read again. The first point of chapter one is bearing witness to my soul as he makes the case for the devaluation of preaching. As a tech savvy "Spiritual Engineer" who spends a respectable amount of time using social streams of communication, I whole-heartedly agree with his point that "...Preaching takes place in an over-communicated society" (p18).

Call a phone and the answering machine message is a 30 second "spiritual nugget". Read a social media post and what you get is a mini "sermon" largely by people who play with biblical truths. Over communication in society means that the time it takes to do a good expository sermon is barely tolerated when others offer Sonic type services, in which you really don't need to leave your car for the short 55 minutes that you will be in the building.

It takes personal discipline to hold fast to a method that seems less popular when the quickie, sensational alternatives have the ability to draw large crowds. I remember once when I was curious about a mega church. I wondered what type of messages built mega crowds, so I found the opportunity to attend a worship service in which the co-pastor of the mega church was the featured speaker. For about 20 minutes I watched as a lot of vocal messages were expressed, but not one solid biblical nail to hang a theological hat. Yet, the socially depressed, financially strapped crowd were brought to their feet with excitement. I marveled as I observed what was happening before my eyes and I thought to myself; "Now that is the kind of preaching that builds mega crowds, or at least their mega crowd".

There was something else I said to myself: "I'm not going to do that to the gospel of Jesus Christ, crowd or no crowd." So, here I am encouraging myself in the discipline that I believe holds me true to the message of the cross; expository preaching. 

I must admit, I don't do it fast. Recently I was invited to minister to a gathering of preachers and laity. I stood and worked the work that God had sent me to do and afterwards I was told my someone I highly respect; "You preach too long". I had no reply because I was on my feet a long time. I ministered in Word and Spirit, and yes it took a long time. With an increasingly biblically illiterate crowd who are suffering from over-communication of spiritual misdirection, is there any way to do expository preaching and spiritual demonstration all within 27 minutes? Maybe, but I haven't been able to master that time frame as of yet.

Right now, I'm retuning my tool of expository preaching. It may not be the method of popularity in this culture, but it certainly serves the Kingdom of God to bring about spiritual maturity and less itching ears. I still believe there is power in preaching and that the name of Jesus must be called in his church. Expository preaching is the best tool I've been able to use that makes the gospel plain and clear.