Category Archives: Preaching

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The What & How of Preaching

91KBY42uuyLJason Meyer, Piper’s successor at Bethlehem Baptist Church, just published an excellent book entitled Preaching: A Biblical Theology.

His thesis is that the ministry of the word, according to Scripture, is “stewarding and heralding God’s word in such a way that people encounter God through His word” (21). Three words in this thesis summarize the “what” of preaching: stewarding, heralding, encountering.

THE “WHAT” OF PREACHING

The first phase is the stewarding phase. This phase phase focuses on faithfully receiving God’s word. A steward is not a master, but a servant who is entrusted with something. God is the master and the word is His property, so a preacher receives something not his own.

The second phase is the heralding phase. This is when the preacher gives a human voice to the divine word, so the emphasis in this phase is on the tone of delivery. Preaching is not intended to be a conversational discussion that mimics a fireside chat. Rather, the preacher as a herald, makes his proclamation with a rousing “attention-getting noise” that cannot be ignored. Meyer is also wise to point out that a herald has no authority to tamper with the message he was given. He also has no right to assert his own opinions as if they represent the revealed will of the sender. A faithful herald proclaims the word as an ambassador representing his King.

The third phase is the encountering phase. In this phase the responsibility moves from the preacher to the people. Lord willing, the preacher has just heralded the word with faithfulness, now the congregation must respond to the word with faithfulness. Encountering God through His word is never only a positive encounter. Depending on the hearer, the encounter is either positive or negative. The word will always produce only two responses, a humbling or hardening of the heart. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, encountering the word is either the smelling of life or death.

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THE “HOW” OF PREACHING

Meyer shines brightly when talking about the way in which the word is to be preached. He says, “Stewarding and heralding must be carried out faithfully and fearlessly because the preacher has first encountered God through His word” (31). Meyer thus provides an adverb to each phase to explain “how” a preacher is to preach the word.

Steward the word “faithfully.” “It is required of stewards that they be found faithful,” says Paul in 1 Corinthians 4:1-2. Therefore, the very reality of preaching as stewardship demands faithfulness in preaching.

Herald the word “fearlessly.” The preacher carries the full weight of God’s authority into the pulpit. The sense of authority ought not create pride or self-exaltation, instead the preacher ought to tremble in his soul. Trembling before God means standing confidently before men, thus true fearlessness causes the preacher to speak up instead of holding back or being silent.

Encounter the word “reverently.” Preachers are should be fearless toward man, but reverent toward God. We should fear God alone because He alone has the power to destroy both the body and the soul (Matt. 10:28). “Therefore, all stewarding and heralding should take place in the context of the fear of the Lord” (34).

Meyer sums it all up by speaking of the dual vantage points of preaching,

These three categories are sequential from the vantage point of the hearer: the minister of the word must steward and then herald the word, and then the people should respond with reverent obedience. From the vantage point of the preacher, the order is different. The preacher knows that reverence must mark every stage of the ministry of the word. The minister must start with a reverent fear of God. This reverent fear engenders an aptitude to tremble at his word. (35)

Meyer has done all preachers a great service by so clearly giving three hooks on which to hang the “what” and “how” of preaching: 1) faithfully steward, 2) fearlessly herald, and 3) reverently encounter. Go grab the book, read, and then preach.

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A Most Difficult Passage

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On Saturday I preached on Mark 4:1-20 and the parables of the soils. Here is how I tried to explain what is arguably the hardest truth found in Mark’s gospel:

Mark 4:10 says, “those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.” Jesus had already mentioned the parable of the soils, but the plural use of parables here indicates there were others he mentioned. These followers are apparently confused why Jesus speaks in figurative language, they seem to say, “Why not speak plainly Jesus? You’re confusing everyone.” Jesus replies in 4:11-12, “And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that

“they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.”

One commentator says of 4:11-12, “These verses are among the most difficult in the entire gospel.” 1 Careful attention needs to be given to this passage as it is paradigmatic for all Jesus’ teaching in the gospel. 4:11 says the disciples have received “the secret of the kingdom of God.” But, Jesus says, “for those outside everything is in parables.” Some people understand His preaching and others don’t. We all understand that reality, but the difficulty is found in 4:12’s purpose clause where Jesus says, “I speak in parables so that those outside will not understand lest they should turn and be forgiven.” Jesus apparently speaks in spiritual code to make sure the hardened sinner will not repent of his sin. A difficult truth no doubt. Note that Jesus is quoting a passage, specifically Isaiah 6:9; so we need to understand Isaiah 6 if we are to truly understand Mark 4.

Isaiah 6 is Isaiah’s commissioning service as a prophet, as he sees the holy God lifted up on His throne and surrounded by the seraphim. Isaiah is told by God to take to the people a message that will cause rejection from the hardened nation of Israel. “Preach the gospel so that their hearts will reject me and I will bring upon them the judgment they deserve.” Jesus sees the exact same thing going on in Mark 4: like ancient Israel, the people see God’s work in Jesus but fail to perceive it. They hear the words of Jesus but fail to understand them.  Now Matthew 13 sees the parables as a response to hardened hearts and Mark 5 sees the parables as the cause of hardened hearts. Although the two seem in tension with one another, they are both right: parables are the response to and cause of hardened hearts.

The best way I can illustrate it is through what Exodus tells us about Pharaoh, the leader of Egypt. We are told that he hardened his heart, but also that God hardened his heart in judgment in order that the entire world would know He alone is God. We have to acknowledge that the biblical writers do not appear to have the tension we do with these realities. He hardened his heart and God hardened his heart. They hardened their heart and God hardened their heart. It is one of those occasions where we have to place our hand over any sinful objections that would come from our our mouth and say, “Lord I am not sure how this works out, but I trust it’s true because it’s in your word.”

So then the purpose of parables is to reveal the truth to humble hearts and conceal the truth from hard hearts. The word of Jesus will either harden or humble your heart. The purpose’s difficulty need not cause us to miss two glorious truths about the kingdom revealed through parables.

First, receiving the kingdom rests on God’s generous grace. Did you notice in 4:11 how Jesus said the disciples were given the secret of the kingdom? The secret of the kingdom is what the rest of the New Testament calls the mystery of the gospel, the good news that Jesus came to save sinners. God graciously gives His kingdom to those He calls. We don’t earn or achieve the kingdom, but instead receive it by grace through faith.

Second, advancing the kingdom rests on God’s mysterious providence. The kingdom of Christ is advancing, in mysterious ways. Jesus is calling radically ordinary people; those traditionally assumed to be on the inside are finding themselves on the outside; the kingdom isn’t advancing with bright political banners or military might, it is advancing in the hearts of those who believe. It is an “undercover kingdom” advancing through God’s mysterious providence. It’s a mysterious providence revealed in the power of parables to harden or humble a heart.

  1.  Wessel & Strauss, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Mark, 754. ↩
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Preaching’s Difficult Distinction

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One of the most difficult distinctions in preaching is arguably its most vital.

It is the distinction of preaching at the sheep versus preaching among the sheep. I have never seen anyone put the distinction into words because it seems so hard to do, but every Christian intuitively knows the difference.

When a preacher is preaching at the sheep, there is a sense of distance between shepherd and sheep. This may result from tone, content, or movement, but the overall sense from the congregation and their leader is one of separation. Preaching at the sheep can still be true and clear (and be mightily multiplied by the Spirit), it just appears to fall short of the heart-searching ideal. Size makes no difference here; you can preach at 500 sheep and preach at 5 sheep.

When a preacher is preaching among the sheep, there is a sense of nearness between shepherd and sheep. The congregation senses the pastor is preaching to them because he is with them. Such a sense also can result from tone, content, or movement, but I believe there is a deeper reality behind this kind of preaching.It’s the reality of pastoral love. This Pastoral love is why size makes no difference on this side of the equation either; mega-pastors and house church pastors regularly preach among the sheep.

Pastoral love fuels preaching among the sheep because the shepherd has a biblical and emotional interest in their growth. It may just be my experience, but the times where my preaching was (and at times still is) more “at than among” were times when I was eager to be known as a great preacher. Therefore, I stood on stage and spoke at people, anxious to grow my reputation more so than the hearts of my hearers. A loving pastor will have a particular concern in his preaching for the sheep entrusted to his care, a love that will display itself in how he preaches. His love for them means he wants the text to grow their hearts just as it has grown his heart during preparation. Thus, when it comes time to preach, he is only sharing his heart, as explained and applied through the text, with all the authority, clarity, and boldness he must.

This weekend countless pastors will ascend to the sacred desk and preach. May it be preaching among the sheep.

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Reasons and Rules for Preaching Christ

photo(15)Thomas Brooks is probably my favorite Puritan author. There is a warmth, clarity, and verve about his prose few Christian authors have ever been able to match. Spurgeon said he was excessively “sweet and sparkling” in his use of language.

His best known work probably is Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices, but The Privy Key to Heaven or Heaven on Earth have also been reprinted for centuries. Tucked away in volume three of his collected works is a masterful meditation on Christian humility from Ephesians 3:8 entitled, “The Unsearchable Riches of Christ.” The majority of Brooks’ work is taken up with the first part of Ephesians 3:8 and Paul’s confession that he “is the least of all the saints.” But patient reading is rewarded for at the end Brooks reaches the topic of humble Christ-centered preaching. And oh how the sparkling doctor shines!

This section on preaching is fueled by Brooks’ belief, “That it is the great duty of preachers to preach Jesus Christ to the people.” He then moves to the “why” and “how” of preaching Christ, by first giving 5 reasons:

  1. It is the only way to save and to win souls to Jesus Christ.
  2. It is the choicest and chiefest way to ingratiate Christ with poor souls.
  3. The preaching of Christ is the only way to preach down anitchrist, or whatever makes against Christ.
  4. The Christ-less preacher contracts the blood of souls.1
  5. The preaching of Christ contributes most to people’s comfort here and to their reward hereafter.

“It is only the preaching of Christ, that allures and draws the souls of men,” Brooks writes. This kind of allurement and drawing of souls to Christ means, according to Brooks, preaching marked by 11 adverbs. The preacher must preach Christ:

  • Plainly
  • Faithfully
  • Humbly
  • Wisely
  • Boldly
  • Consistently
  • Exemplarily
  • Experientially
  • Rightly
  • Acceptably
  • Constantly

Brooks knows that such exhortation might be simultaneously encouraging and discouraging for some. So he goes on to make a “counted presumption” that his readers will allow him to “propound a few rules for such to observe that are willing to preach Christ to poor souls.” He offers three:

  1. If you would preach Christ to the people, according to the rules last mentioned, then you must get Christ within you. “There is nothing that makes a man indeed so able to preach Christ to the people, as the getting Christ within him . . . Nothing will make him so wise, so painful, so watchful, so careful to win souls, as Christ within; nothing will make a man strive with sinners, and weep over sinners, and wait upon sinners for their return, as Christ within.”
  2. They that would preach Christ to the people must study more Scripture truths, Scripture mysteries, than human histories. “They must study God’s book more than all other books . . . Let the word be so concocted an digested by you, as that you turn it into a part of yourselves.”
  3. Such as would preach Christ aright to the people had need to dwell much upon the vanity of human doctrines. “Human doctrines to not discover sin in its ugliness and filthiness as the Scriptures do. Human doctrines have no humbling power in them. Human doctrines are so far from enriching the soul, that they usually impoverish the soul. They make men-pleasers of men rather than pleasers of God; yea, they make men set up themselves and others, sometimes in the room of Christ, and sometimes above Christ.”

5 reasons, 11 adverbs, and 3 rules for preaching Christ. This is Puritan meditation at its finest.

  1. Here he channels what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:16, “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.” ↩
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Testing Your Sermons

411yqoulxhl-_sl500_aa300_1On Wednesday I mentioned R.L. Dabney’s seven “cardinal requisites for the sermon”: textual fidelity, unity, evangelical tone, instructiveness, movement, pointedness, and order.

Lo and behold, the next day I decided to reread T. David Gordon’s Why Johnny Can’t Preach and found the first chapter is largely occupied with comments on the seven requisites. Gordon is especially useful in providing the following test questions for each of Dabney’s requirements:

  1. Textual Fidelity. Does the significant point of the sermon arise out of the significant point of the text? Is the thrust of the sermon merely an aside in the text? Is the text merely a pretext for the minister’s own idea?
  2. Unity. If ten people are asked after the sermon what the sermon was about, will at least eight of them give the same (or a similar) answer?
  3. Evangelical Tone. Do the hearers get the impression that the minister is for them (eager to see them richly blessed by a gracious God), or against them (eager to put them in their place, scold them, reprimand them, or punish them)? Is it his desire to see them reconciled to and blessed by a pardoning God? Does the sermon press the hearer to consider the hopelessness of his condition apart from Christ, and the utter competence of Christ to rescue the penitent sinner?
  4. Intructiveness. Does the sermon significantly engage the mind, or is the sermon full of commonplace cliches, slogans, and general truths? Is the hearer genuinely likely to rethink his view of God, society, church, or self, or his reasons for holding his current views? Is the mind of the attentive listener engaged or repulsed?
  5. Movement. Do the earlier parts of the sermon contribute to the latter parts’ full effect? Does the sermon have intellectual (and consequently emotional) momentum?
  6. Pointedness. Is the effect of the sermon, on those who believe it, similar? If it encouraged one, did it tend to encourage all, and for the same reason? If it troubled one, did it trouble all, and for the same reason? If it made one thankful, did it ten to make all thankful, and for the same reason?
  7. Order. Could the hearers compare notes and reproduce the outline of the sermon? If they could not reproduce the outline, could they state how it progressed from one part to another?

Preachers around the world today will ascend to the sacred desk to offer sacred rhetoric from the Sacred Book. May they do so with faithfulness to all these “requisites.”

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Walking Up to Preach

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Every preacher knows his ascension to the sacred desk can be a fearful climb fraught with weighty excitement. It’s why Charles Spurgeon was said to mount the stairs to the Metropolitan’s pulpit by repeating, with each step taken, “I believe in the Holy Spirit.” It’s why John Piper says he almost always runs through the acronym of APTAT (Admit, Pray, Trust, Act, Thank) just before the sacred moment of preaching.

In just over twelve hours (at the time of this posting) I will, Lord willing, step up to preach on Christ’s calling of the Twelve in Mark 3:7-19. If tonight is par for the course, I won’t be nervous nor anxious, the dominating sense will be one of awesomeness – a mixture of awe and terror. The awe comes from wonder and delight that God allows me to preach His word. The terror comes from, I think, a holy fear of the responsibility I have to preach God’s word. As James 3:1 says, preacher dare not trifle with God’s word lest He be judged all the more harshly.

So, in the brief moments before walking up to the pulpit and starting the sermon, I have come to recite the acronym of R-E-L-Y.

Recognize. I recognize that, in and of myself, I am insufficient and weak for the task at hand. My words will falter in places and mind wander in places. I will not say things as clearly as I ought nor preach as boldly as I ought. The recognition leads me to remember that God’s power is made perfect in my weakness, and that my preaching ought to be a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, not my own.

Exalt. The sermon is an arrow which must hit the one grand target for which it is intended: God’s glory in Jesus Christ. I remind myself the exaltation of a crucified Christ leads to exultation in the glorious God of the universe. To exalt God’s glory in Christ is the one thing I for which I must aim.

Lead. I must lead my congregation to truth. Like a father taking his child’s hand, I must take the hand of my church and lead them to the right understanding and application of the text. The Lord places His preachers in His pulpit in order to lead His sheep to His truth.

Yearn. The final word brings me, in some ways, back to the first point. If I am to faithfully exalt God’s glory in Christ and lead His people to His truth, I need Spirit’s power. Put in the older language, I must yearn for the Spirit’s unction. EM Bounds said, “This divine unction is the one distinguishing feature that separates true gospel preaching from all other methods of presenting truth. It backs and interpenetrates the revealed truth with all the force of God. It illumines the Word and broadens and enriches the intellect and empowers it to grasp and apprehend the Word. It qualifies the preacher’s heart, and brings it to that condition of tenderness, of purity, of force and light that are necessary to secure the highest results. This unction gives to the preacher liberty and enlargement of thought and soul—a freedom, fullness, and directness of utterance that can be secured by no other process.” That is what I yearn for in my preaching.

To sum it up . . .

Recognize my weakness.
Exalt God’s glory in Christ.
Lead them to truth.
Yearn for the Spirit’s unction.

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7 Requirements of the Sermon

0875526632A forgotten contribution to the modern conversation on preaching is Robert Lewis Dabney’s Evangelical Eloquence: A Course of Lectures on Preaching.

The legendary Southern Presbyterian minister originally published the work as Sacred Rhetoric (a quite lovely title) in 1870 as the fruit his seventeen years at Union Theological Seminary. Contemporary preachers would be well served by the whole book, but lectures 7-8 are particularly helpful. These two lectures offer the following seven “cardinal requisites of the sermon”:

  1. Textual Fidelity. This means “sticking to one’s text.” The preacher’s very nature as a herald demands such fidelity, for the first quality of a good herald is the faithful delivery of the very mind of his king. God’s thoughts, not ours, are to occupy a primary place in the sermon.
  2. Unity. The sermon, like every work of art, needs unity. Dabney says rhetorical unity requires two things: 1) a main subject for the discourse, and 2) a main impression for the hearer. Singleness in exposition and application are unity’s best friends.
  3. Evangelical Tone. The proclamation of the gospel requires a gracious character; it is the place “where mercy and truth meet each other, and righteousness and peace kiss each other.” This requirement assumes that the sermon will be predominately evangelical. Or in contemporary jargon, “gospel-centered.”
  4. Instructive. This does not mean a sermon should be accused of “odious intellectualism.” An instructive sermon instead means food for feeding. The instructive sermon will have an important point, rich in substance, faithfully delivered to the congregation’s life.
  5. Movement. Movement, said Vinet, is the royal virtue of style. Dabney says movement is what will make a discourse eloquent. What’s movement? “It is, in short, that force thrown from the soul of the preaching into his sermon, by which the soul of the hearer is urged, with a constant and accelerated progress, toward that practical impression which is designed for the result.” Preaching needs passion.
  6. Pointedness. There must be a main point to the sermon, clearly understood by the hearer, intended to excite the soul. From there the preacher must have a clear idea of where his is going and his congregation must understand, once he gets to the end, how and why he got there.
  7. Order. The sermon needs to be properly ordered and divided along expositional lines. “Each thing should be said in its right place.” Dabney has little time for the wandering discourse and aimless exposition, for “disarray is displeasing.” If a church member is able to recall the sermon’s contents a few day’s after the preaching event, the sermon likely had order. If the church member can’t remember anything from the sermon other than the preacher did a good job, the sermon like had no order. Order brings benefit to the hearer.

Once you get used to the late-19th century prose, I predict you’ll be amazed at how profitable this book is.

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10 Priorities of a Faithful Pastor

Pastoral Ministry

Every pastor needs a few trusted friends. Friends that help him stay focused on the glorious task of ministry; friends that protect him from the myriad responsibilities sucking away his attention to that which is of first importance. These friends show up at just the right time and know how to offer just the right encouragement.

Biblical priorities play this kind of role in the life of a pastor. They are some of the most trustworthy friends a pastor can have.

Just yesterday I found myself nine hours into my workday and thought, “Wow, I have done a lot today.” And then I thought, “Wow, I haven’t done anything today.” I managed to complete a large number of administrative tasks, but had spent little time in the word and prayer. I don’t wish to erect a false dichotomy for I know that administration is necessary to faithful ministry. Nevertheless, I am sure you know what I am getting at.

I wish these days weren’t as common as they are, but they are. Maybe you are like me.

So at the end of the day I decided to have a brief meeting with the pastoral priorities revealed 1 Timothy 4, some of my best friends in ministry. These friends help put flesh on the skeleton of faithful ministry. I am sure you can break up the passage differently than I do, but my study of 4:6-16 reveals ten priorities of a faithful pastor:

  1. He trains himself in sound doctrine (4:6).
  2. He has nothing to do with useless and vain discussion (4:7).
  3. He trains himself for godliness (4:7).
  4. He sets his attention on the things of eternity (4:8).
  5. He fixes his hope on the living God (4:9).
  6. He sets an example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity (4:12).
  7. He devotes himself to preaching and public reading Scripture (4:13).
  8. He employs his Christ-given gifts (4:14).
  9. His makes tangible progress in sanctification (4:15).
  10. He persists in watching his life and doctrine (4:16).

These priorities are friends to have around at all times. They will help fix your attention on gospel ministry and lift your gaze from earthly things to heavenly things. Simply put, they will point you to Christ.

Trustworthy friends indeed.

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Pastoral Postcard – Holy Dread

Pastoral PostcardEach week I try to write a “Pastoral Postcard,” a post that aims to encourage pastors in the work of ministry. I take one verse of Scripture and apply it to the blessings and afflictions every gospel minister experiences. The postcards originate from a time when I was preaching through 1 Timothy while reading Thomas Boston’s The Art of Man-Fishing. As a young pastor myself, I tried to channel my inner Boston and write short-ish notes to encourage my labor. Hopefully they can be some encouragement to you.

“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” – James 3:1

Pastor, execute your ministry with a sense of awesomeness – a tone of holy dread.

The holy dread of ministry is found in the warning, “Not many of you should become teachers,” for you will be judged with greater strictness. Your words and ways are on display for all to see and will be the fragrance of life or stench of death. You dare not be found a peddler of God’s word, but a faithful trader in eternal things. The apostle reveals his understanding of your awesome calling when he asked, “Who is sufficient for these things?” To answer in a sentence: the pastor soaked with Spirit-wrought sobriety and sincerity.

A SOBER PASTOR

Sobriety in ministry fertilizes holy dread. Sobriety is identified by her children called Earnestness and Reverence. God made you a steward of His Word so that you would publish abroad the good news of His kingdom; what earnestness this calling demands! The sin of your heart and schemes of your enemy will tempt you to complacency in ministry. The Serpent knows that idleness might just be more effective in harming your congregation than disqualifying sin. Idleness fuels lifeless preaching, disconnected oversight, and spiritual isolation. If the Serpent succeeds in rendering you idle he will then attack your congregation and/or elder body to unwise extensions of grace. They will let your sin go unchecked longer than it should and even if they call you to account he will tempt them to keep you in your office. Should he succeed in both ends he has just rendered the congregation faithless and fruitless. The gates of hell snicker at idle pastors and, by extension, idle congregations.

Yet, the gates of hell crumble in terror before a man of God distinguished by the peculiar grace of reverence. Reverence, fear and awe at God’s majesty, slays the sin of complacency and promotes sobriety. The age in which you live celebrates levity and frivolity in the pulpit, while your God celebrates men who tremble at His Word. Many congregations come to corporate worship hoping for a chance to laugh rather than a chance to repent. The Serpent will use the atmosphere of the age to tempt you to be an entertainer more than a gospel minister, but you must stand your ground. You are standing in the gap of the ages calling people to repent of their sin and believe in their Savior. Such proclamation cannot be done with flippant shallowness, it must be done with sober reverence.

Understand that the Serpent will tempt you away from reverence by presenting it as unapproachable austerity. But no, this is deception and confusion. Your God reigns in awesome splendor that strikes men with fear, but compelling fear. Awesomeness compels nearness; holy dread fuels sobriety.

A SINCERE PASTOR

Sincerity is a friend to the fear of God and is thus a friend to holy dread. No one, not even you, can stand in front of the Glorious God covered in deceptive masks. He knows your prayers before they are offered, your words before they are spoken, your actions before they appear; You cannot hide from Him and His Spirit searches you inner being. Do you see how this calls for sincerity? This coming week you will stand behind the sacred desk and the awesomeness of God demands sincere proclamation. The Serpent will tempt you to subtle deception in preaching; he will scheme for you to soften the reality of sin, the greatness of Christ, and the demands of discipleship. Sincerity slays soft preaching and prepares a feast that your people may not want, but they still need.

Pastoral ministry runs on the twin rails of patient plodding and pleading, and this long-suffering needs sincerity. The oracles of God you carry into the pulpit and around town each week are blessed burdens. The Serpent intends to burn you with these burdens by tempting you to bear them alone. Yet, sincerity drives out this deception by linking arms with a band of brothers to join you in plodding and pleading. After all, you are not the only one that will give an account for those God entrusted to you. Holy dread promotes and enables sincerity.

Finally, remind yourself often that this ministry is not be played at nor trifled with. Your Lord will not suffer His sheep to be shepherded with buffoonery; rather, His glorious majesty assume a disposition of sobriety and sincerity. Pastor your people with holy dread.

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Cultivating Gravity and Gladness in Preaching

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In The Supremacy of God in Preaching John Piper calls preachers to “gravity and gladness” in their work. For those wondering what the phrase means, Piper writes,

Gravity and gladness should be woven together in the life and preaching of a pastor in such a way as to sober the careless soul and sweeten the burdens of the saints. Love for people cannot treat awesome realities lightly (hence, gravity!), and love for people cannot load people with the burden of joyless obedience (hence, gladness!).

He then gives seven suggestions for cultivating gravity and gladness in preaching, suggestions that will challenge and encourage.

  1. Strive for practical, earnest, glad-hearted holiness in every area of your life.
  2. Make your life – especially the life of your study – a life of constant communion with God in prayer.
  3. Read books that were written by men or women who bleed Bible while you prick them and who are blood-earnest about the truths they discuss.
  4. Direct your mind often to the contemplation of death.
  5. Consider the biblical teaching that as a preacher you will be judged with greater strictness.
  6. Consider the example of Jesus.
  7. Finally, strive will all the strength you have to know God and to humble yourself under his mighty hand.

Here’s to preaching whose primary aim is repentance and faith wrought by a stupendous vision of our glorious God.