What Is Preaching?

[Pastorj]

Having been in the ministry for 20 yrs, I am interested to know what people think preaching is?

 

I ask this question because my mom went with me to a church on Sunday night and she thought the "Preaching" was wonderful and I believed that no "Preaching" had even happened, just a nice lecture.

[Bro K]

Preaching is for the LOST

Teaching is for the SAVED

[Pastor Scott Markle]

Just my initial thoughts --

 

1.  Biblical preaching is the proclamation ("heralding forth") of God's truth with the authority of God.  (It is not, as many suppose, so much about volume as about authority.)

 

2.  Biblical teaching is the explanation of God's truth with the wisdom of God. 

 

_____________________________________________________________________

 

Now, if I may, I wish to ask an additional question in relation to the subject matter of the original post --

 

Having been in pastoral ministry for 20+ years also, I am also interested to know what people think concerning Pastor J's question and concerning the following question:  "Which is more important for the ministry of the pastor unto the flock of the church, Biblical preaching or Biblical teaching."  (Please understand that I am not seeking to exclude one or the other, for I recognize that both are necessary.)

[Bro K]

Acts 15:35  Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
 

[TheSword]

Just my initial thoughts --

 

1.  Biblical preaching is the proclamation ("heralding forth") of God's truth with the authority of God.  (It is not, as many suppose, so much about volume as about authority.)

 

2.  Biblical teaching is the explanation of God's truth with the wisdom of God. 

 

_____________________________________________________________________

 

Now, if I may, I wish to ask an additional question in relation to the subject matter of the original post --

 

Having been in pastoral ministry for 20+ years also, I am also interested to know what people think concerning Pastor J's question and concerning the following question:  "Which is more important for the ministry of the pastor unto the flock of the church, Biblical preaching or Biblical teaching."  (Please understand that I am not seeking to exclude one or the other, for I recognize that both are necessary.)

 

I agree with your definitions of the top portion, and would add that preaching is meant to evoke a change in belief or behavior while teaching is intended to convey or build understanding.

 

With regard to your additional question, I suppose I would have to lean toward preaching because the essence of a pastor's job in shepherding the flock is to direct them in the paths of righteousness. This necessarily involves a lifelong series in changes of behavior and often changes in belief. However, I do not think it can ever be done apart from teaching. The two are interdependent. It is near impossible to evoke a personal response (whether it is behavioral, emotional, mental, or spiritual) without an explanation of the truth. I would venture to say we cannot preach without simultaneously teaching to some degree, but we can teach without preaching (even though it's quite difficult to do that sometimes). In many ways, I think preaching is an extension of teaching in that it calls for an application or response to what is taught.

 

I say this with the assumption we're talking about biblical preaching as opposed to the getting-on-a-soap box type preaching that is based more on emotion that biblical principle/truth.

[Ukulelemike]

Personally, I see them as, in some ways, synonomous. Preaching is the exhortation of the truths of God, while teaching is the explanation and, I suppose, the application of those truths. I find both to be extremely important, each relying upon the other to do as Paul said, when he told Timothy, "Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."  Preach the word, exhortation, then application being reproving and rebuking with longsuffering, (patience) and doctrine, (biblical truths).  Its all part and parcel. Even preaching the gospel to the lost must be accompanied by teaching what the gospel means.

 

On Pentecost, Peter not only preached, but he taught, in applying the gospel in a way they could understand and apply it to their need. He taught them of their responsibility to God, and their accountability in the cricifixion of Christ, and taught them how Jesus was Christ, their long-awaited Messiah.  We can exhort all day, but it may do little good without the instruction in righteousness along with it.

 

So, again, I say the two are inseparable.

[Pastorj]

So maybe I should further explain what I am saying:

 

What has to be present in order for it to be determined to be Preaching versus just a nice lecture.

 

For Instance:

On Sunday, the Preacher read 1 verse of scripture. He then lectured the audience for 40 minutes about his topic. Not one time did he utilize the Bible to prove any of the 3 points he had in his message. Though his 3 points were biblical, I look at this as a lecture.

 

2 Tim. 4:2 says to "Preach the Word".

 

To me, preaching must include the Bible throughout the message as the Word of God changes lives, not my opinion of the Word of God.

 

Whether you preach Topically, Textually, or Expository, You must preach "The Word" for it to be considered "preaching".

 

I am hearing far too much "Story time" or "Personal Opinions" and very little of the Bible. This was true in Winston Salem and now in Statesville NC. We found a great church in King, NC where the preaching was tremendous. Having now visited over 50 churches in the last 3 years in this part of NC, I am shocked at how little "preaching" is done.

 

So my question goes back to - What Is preaching?

[TheSword]

The essence of preaching as defined in English as well as the underlying Greek word is to proclaim something with authority; so as I understand it, what you describe is still preaching. Rather, I think the question at hand is in what authority the preaching is based: biblical or personal. In your example the preacher is primarily relying on his own authority rather than the authority of the Bible and thus would not be considered biblical preaching.

[DaveW]

Neh 8:8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

Reading the Word of God, and explaining what it means so that those listening understand.

The passage continue by the way and challenges the listeners to respond.

So I would suggest: explaining clearly the meaning of a section of God's Word with the purpose of evoking a response to action.

[AVBibleBeliever]

When I teach I teach the saved and preach the gospel to the lost.  The two need to go together.  If a man teaches and does not give the message of the cross it is not a preaching but teaching/lecture.

[Pastorj]

So what I am hearing is that if the Word of God is not used in a message, as that is the authority, it is not preaching and I would agree with this.

 

My wife and I were counting the number of churches we have visited in Winston Salem and now in Statesville and we were shocked that we have visited almost 50 churches where the Word of God was used for an opening verse or not used at all.

 

 

So why are Independent Baptist Preachers moving away from Preaching.

[AVBibleBeliever]

So what I am hearing is that if the Word of God is not used in a message, as that is the authority, it is not preaching and I would agree with this.

 

My wife and I were counting the number of churches we have visited in Winston Salem and now in Statesville and we were shocked that we have visited almost 50 churches where the Word of God was used for an opening verse or not used at all.

 

 

So why are Independent Baptist Preachers moving away from Preaching.

It isn't just IFB as we all have seen this has been happening in all denominations and amongs evangelicals as well over the years.  It is finally just catching up to the IFB crowd.

 

Hence, a falling away from the word of God that was predicted just before that wicked one makes himself known.  Much of this as was noted in the link I gave for a study in Biblical Church leadership (some of which just read it and not studied along to see if it were true.)  It took me a while to get over what I was taught to finally understand what those scriptures were talking about as far as leadership.  But it starts in the leadership format and from their a falling away.  Every church in all of our history has gone the same direction and ends in a falling away (apostasy).  This is what you are seeing.

 

WE are close to our gathering unto him in the clouds my friends.

[candlelight]

Yep!  I thought I would quote the scripture on that, brother.

2 Thessalonians 2:
1: Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 
2: That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 
3: Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

[AVBibleBeliever]

So what I am hearing is that if the Word of God is not used in a message, as that is the authority, it is not preaching and I would agree with this.

 

My wife and I were counting the number of churches we have visited in Winston Salem and now in Statesville and we were shocked that we have visited almost 50 churches where the Word of God was used for an opening verse or not used at all.

 

 

So why are Independent Baptist Preachers moving away from Preaching.

 

One verse and a topic.  They use the word of God to teach and maybe what they are teaching is there in a deeper meaning but most of the time it is a pinpointed message that almost always leads to three things.  Time, Talents and Tithes the last being very important.  Many a pastor may have started out doing just for the Lord but later they make themselves a Hireling and are doing it for the Money so they can leave behind a legacy and a work for their own sons.

 

Many Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian churches have been doing this for the last Century as of late it has filtered into every denomination and group.

[AVBibleBeliever]

As a reminder though I would like to mention that doing a topic with one verse is not a violation of teaching but it should not be the normal way.  I do them to get away from the systematic book by book chapter by Chapter and verse by verse study and teaching.  Sometimes it is one verse even in that way that a whole topic is developed because the topic is there in God's word.  And at other times it is sections of scriptures and others whole chapters.

 

So don't get me wrong if they want to do single verse topical preaching that is ok but they will work a lot harder to develop them than going verse by verse through God's word.  ALL the topic they could ever come up with are in the text of the Bible, all plots to every book or movie you  have seen can be found in scriptures.  There is nothing new under the Sun.

 

I see that a lot of this is done because pastors are no longer really studying God's word but are getting outlines of the Internet and a lot of those are single verse teachings.