Preachers preach. That's what they do and I'm quite familiar with it. I've heard preaching since I was six weeks old and haven't missed many Sundays since. Additionally, I've spent the better part of my life preaching. Now, though my ministry doesn't expect me to preach every Sunday morning, I still have opportunity to preach -- my teenaged daughters might still argue for my weekly frequency as raising kids often calls for proclamations and altar calls (of a sort) -- and I am humbled and blessed any time I am given opportunity to speak of the good news of Jesus Christ.
Being exposed to preaching as much as I have been gives me a curious point to ponder: Have we missed the point of preaching? While we are there in theory, I wonder if we have missed something in the practice of preaching itself. I'm not confident the New Testament places preaching as the central dynamic activity of the faith community in Christ and yet in American churches we have tended to locate it as the central event.
Each Sunday morning in most churches across this country, preaching is the centerpiece. It is given the majority of time and attention in the assembly of the church. Tune in any number of televised church assemblies this weekend and I can confidently assert they won't show a half hour of praise and worship or communion. It will be preaching basically from start to finish of the broadcast.
Preaching, in the "live" church context, is often the base standard by which the merits of a worship assembly are evaluated. If the sermon is deemed "a good one" then the general opinion of the service is favorable as well. (We don't have space nor time to discuss what merits a "good" sermon -- but the theological and consumerological audience opinions will differ considerably, I assure you). Consequently, preachers are "had for lunch" in rivaled quantities, and as voraciously consummed as much as the best pasta dishes or fried chicken fingers church attenders rush out to get as soon as the closing hymn is sung. Preaching is a tough gig and most people naturally miss it for what it really is -- until they themselves try to do it for a while. I will always have a heart for weekly preachers whether I am one or not. Subsequently, I praise God for the preacher I am blessed to hear week in and week out. He is a good man and works diligently at the craft of preaching.
Having preached weekly for many years, I wonder if even we preachers miss the point? Is it possible preachers have construed Christianity more as a platform of philosophical rational principles rather than as an active encounter with the Divine? I believe so.
When Jesus sent out the twelve (Matt. 10 and Luke 9) he did mention preaching, but it seems almost as a secondary thought to His plans, not as a central or primary point of contact. Jesus called the disciples to Him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness (Matt. 10:1). Jesus provided power (authority) to do amazing things that would result in extraordinary impact in people's lives. Jesus actually said, "As you go, preach this message: The kingdom of heaven is near" (10:7). Here is where I wonder if we have missed the point... Have we missed what we're supposed to be doing "as we go" preaching?
The phrase "as you go" is a present participle indicating an incomplete action. It is followed by the present imperative "preach" and Jesus is quite clear what to preach regarding the nearness of the kingdom. The question is, "Did Jesus send these guys on a preaching expedition and along the way they were to do powerful acts of service or did He send them to transform people's lives and to do some kingdom preaching along the way?" I believe it was the latter. It is my conviction we should be oriented the same way today.
Our preaching today is often reduced to "what rational people ought to believe" rather than proclamations of the power by which amazing and transformational things are happening in the lives of people being touched by the power of God. Somewhere along the way if we are not very aware, God can be left out of our equations of faith, even when God may be the central theme of the sermon! Without accompanying actions of God's evidence and power, the "nearness of the kingdom of God" is lost and our preaching is lame of the true power it is intended to possess.
The kingdom of God is power on the move... it always has been. "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it" (Matt. 11:12). Like a mighty wind, the kingdom of heaven advances while changing the landscape in its path. Preaching should always be a proclamation (a wind -- hot or otherwise) of the advancement of God's kingdom in Christ Jesus, not merely interesting perspectives on it. It should always strike one's heart as profoundly as it strikes the intellect.
Hearing good preaching should be as though you just encountered a presence whose sum total is far greater than the preacher and the hearers and all else combined. Preaching is to be a direct and powerful encounter with the person of God. Preaching should be an act that brings us into a living, dynamic and lifelong encounter with Jesus Christ. Preaching is transformational in nature and this should be the standard by which it is measured. Preaching is an event in which we are changed, both the speaker and the hearer together. God bless those who preach the kingdom of heaven is near and may those who hear, have ears to hear, and be equally blessed.
2 comments:
Hey Chris,
It's Trevor. Sorry, I've been out of touch with you so long. After you moved to Texas, I've been lazy about actually firing you an e-mail. I'm glad I am now b/c you've really been a loving mentor to me.
Right now, I'm still at the UCI Library, but the time here proves well when I seek God first. I met a christian guy here who suffers from mental illness too, and he's really been a good encouragement to me. His friend Casey is a Jewish-Christian who works for the Discovery Center, a nonprofit Intelligent Design think tank. He's a lawyer who wants to help defend biologists who want to teach Intelligent Design theory in the classroom, or at least teach about the flaws of evolution. My role is the the interlibrary loan stuff. I've been helping Russ and Casey get books so that Casey can amass his large intelligent design quote database. Sometimes I don't feel so useful here at the library, but Russ reminded me that on the public service desk I can really show Christ to a lot of people.
Working at the university is good too b/c I've passed out a couple of different tracts at lunch time. Now, i'm nowhere near to being as consistent as I should be, but I think God appreciates the bit i've done. Also, on many occasions I've prayed that He will lead me to people to witness to on my lunch break, and God is always been faithful. It's just me sometimes that lets fear get the best of me, but last week I met a Russian christian whose a postdoc in physics and he's into C.S. Lewis and is working on his own christian science fiction novel. He knows a lot about artifical intelligence, so this is part of his book.
As for my future plans, being on the university has made me think that campus ministry, would really be a wonderful career for me if God is calling me here. I know, I really need to learn more discipline, spiritual disciple, that is to seek God every day. I've been having some trouble with spiritual warfare, but we've had a few good classes at church and i've heard some encouraging sermons on KWAVE, Calvary's radio station, which have really encouraged me to learn to really spend the time dusting off my sword.
I contacted a guy on the Campus Crosswalk website, and he had a campus ministry intern position, but I told him I wasn't interested because they had woman serving on the table, and teaching in classes, and i'm still kind of uncertain or conservative on that. But, the organizer in charge encouraged me to pursue campus ministry none-the-less. I've heard ACU and Harding Grad have Mdiv programs for it, and Austingrad has an MA program. I guess i'm kind of the academic guy, and don't want to get academia confused with practice of christianity. I think God has been teaching me that I can't figure out so much, and it's making me turn to prayer more for guidance. I'm learning about the "lean not on your own understanding" bit.
Anyway, this is a long message, but I just wanted to say hi and thank you for being a wonderful christian brother, friend, and counselor.
Peace,
Trevor
Very good points. I doubt if there is much similarity between 1st century worship and what we do. How this evolution occurred must be a fascinating study.
It does seem hard to find a vibrant, growing congregation today that isn't headed up by a dynamic pulpit minister.
Speaking for me alone, I'm willing to bet that if I had a deeper prayer life and a more disciplined study routine, I wouldn't be so dependent on the preacher to provide direction for my life.
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