If preaching is not preaching then what is preaching?
So, I’ve written a few posts saying that “preaching” as the term is used in Scripture is not the same as “preaching” as the term is traditionally used by churches today.
In other words, when we read about someone “preaching” in Scripture, I believe it means that the person was proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ and his kingdom to people who were not Jesus’ followers.
My question to you is this: Assuming my understanding of “preaching” in Scripture is correct (and I’m really not asking for discussion on this point for now), how would “preaching” take place in our culture and context today?
On the job (this is going on)
On the corners (this is going on)
In school (this is going on)
At homeless shelters (this is going on)
In foreign lands who have not yet heard of Jesus (this is going on)
At the basketball court (this is going on)
There are many other places, but for some reason these people are not considered preachers like the other “preachers”. They are just “sharing their faith” while the other guys do the “real” preaching 8)
Lionel,
Isn’t it interesting what happens when we actually look into the scriptural meanings of words that we use all the time.
How will they hear without a preacher? They won’t… so God sent YOU to preach (proclaim the good news), not some religious professional!
-Alan
Great post and exchange guys! That’s the kind of preaching I like to do…although some may call it preaching, I consider what I do every Sunday morning teaching from scripture.
Yeah, it is taking place. And just think of all the money that could go to people who really need it if we weren’t paying all these other “preachers” quite so much.
Alan,
Lionel! Fellows such as yourself and Alan give me much hope for the future of ministry and church practice.
I can only conjecture what God may have been achieved through my ministry if I had spent my years exercising the Biblical concept of preaching, which I began to understand in my later years, instead of on my backside in “sermon preparation” and standing at the so called, “sacred desk”.
So much for “ministerial” training, which is more about preserving the status quo .