Preaching Articles

Over the years, I’ve made no secret of my admiration for men such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, who were so instrumental in the recovery of the gospel during the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century.

I’m amazed by their towering intellects and their ability to stand firm amid much danger. Their love for biblical truth is an example to follow, and as I approach twenty years of weekly preaching at Saint Andrew’s Chapel, I’m particularly grateful for their pastoral model. Both of these men were “celebrities” in their day, but neither of them spent his years traveling Europe in order to consolidate a movement of followers. Instead, both of them devoted themselves to their primary vocation of preaching and teaching the Word of God.

Both men were tireless preachers—Luther in Wittenberg, Germany, and Calvin in Geneva, Switzerland. They took the ministry of the Word of God seriously, so when they talk about the task of the preacher, I pay close attention.

More than a decade ago, I was invited to give a lecture on Martin Luther’s view of preaching, and I found that preparing for that exercise was invaluable for my own work as a preacher. I also discovered that what Luther had to say about preaching was not only for the pastor but also for the entire church, and it’s amazing how timely his words remain in our day.

One of the emphases that we find again and again in Luther’s writings is that a preacher must be “apt to teach.” In many ways, this is no great insight, for he’s just restating the qualifications that are set forth in the New Testament for church elders (1 Tim. 3:2). Yet given what we expect from our preachers today, Luther’s words—echoing biblical revelation—need to be heard anew. The concept that the primary task of the minister is to teach is all but lost in the church today. When we call ministers to our churches we often look for these men to be adept administrators, skilled fundraisers, and good organizers. Sure, we want them to know some theology and the Bible, but we don’t make it a priority that these people be equipped to teach the congregation the things of God. Administrative tasks are seen as more important.

This is not the model that Jesus Himself commended. You remember the encounter that Jesus had with Peter after His resurrection. Peter had denied Jesus publicly three times, and Jesus went about restoring the Apostle, telling him three times to “feed my sheep” (John 21:15-19). By extension, this calling is given to the elders and ministers of the church because the people of God who are assembled in the congregations of churches all over the world belong to Jesus. They are His sheep. And every minister who is ordained is consecrated and entrusted by God with the care of those sheep. We call it the “pastorate” because ministers are called to care for the sheep of Christ. Pastors are Christ’s undershepherds, and what shepherd would so neglect his sheep that he never took the time or trouble to feed them? The feeding of our Lord’s sheep comes principally through teaching.

Typically, we distinguish between preaching and teaching. Preaching involves such things as exhortation, exposition, admonition, encouragement, and comfort, while teaching is the transfer of information and instruction in various areas of content. In practice, however, there is much overlap between the two. Preaching must communicate content and include teaching, and teaching people the things of God cannot be done in a neutral manner but must exhort them to heed and obey the Word of Christ. God’s people need both preaching and teaching, and they need more than twenty minutes of instruction and exhortation a week. A good shepherd would never feed the sheep only once a week, and that’s why Luther was teaching the people of Wittenberg almost on a daily basis, and Calvin was doing the same thing in Geneva. I’m not necessarily calling for the exact practices in our day, but I’m convinced that the church needs to recapture something of the regular teaching ministry evident in the work of our forefathers in the faith. As they are able, churches should be creating many opportunities to hear God’s Word preached and taught. Things such as Sunday evening worship, midweek services and Bible classes, Sunday school, home Bible studies, and so on give laypeople the chance to feed on the Word of God several times each week. As they are able, laypeople should take advantage of what is available to them by way of instruction in the deep truths of Scripture.

I say this not to encourage the creation of programs for the sake of programs, and I don’t want to put an unmanageable burden on church members or church staff‹s. But history shows us that the greatest periods of revival and reformation the church has ever seen occur in conjunction with the frequent, consistent, and clear preaching of God’s Word. If we would see the Holy Spirit bring renewal to our churches and our lands, it will require preachers who are committed to the exposition of Scripture, and laypeople who will look for shepherds to feed them the Word of God and take full advantage of the opportunities for biblical instruction that are available.

SermonCentral is the world's leader in sermon resources and research. We are dedicated to equipping pastors worldwide for excellence in preaching.

Browse All

Related Preaching Articles

Talk about it...

Keith Anthony

commented on Oct 9, 2015

There are many ways to get to this error. One of them is to subscribe to the misapplied Old Testament "God's Anointed" theme, when in fact all New Testament believers are indwelt (although not necessarily gifted for a particular church office).

Dean Johnson

commented on Oct 9, 2015

I was hoping Sproul would interact with the Biblical terms for preaching and teaching. In the NT, "preaching" was done outside the church, toward the lost. "Teaching" is to the church, believers. What we call "preaching" today is what the NT would call the teaching of believers, except I suppose at seeker-targeted churches, where the sermon is evangelistic and directed toward the goal of evangelization of non-believers.

Curtis E. Nester

commented on Oct 9, 2015

Teaching is the imparting of knowledge. People need a basis of knowledge of God's Word. When we preach, we preach for a verdict. A decision is required. People cannot commit until they know what the Bible says about sin and salvation. Then they are called upon to act upon it, or render a verdict of "I am a sinner and I need to receive Jesus, because Jesus saves sinners." Both teaching and preaching should be present in every sermon!

Al Simmons

commented on Oct 9, 2015

I am in agreement with Curtis E. Nester of Retired Pastor. Preach to the sinner and teach the saint.

E L Zacharias

commented on Oct 9, 2015

The pastor must be a preacher AND teacher; those are not necessarily separate tasks directed to separate audiences inside or outside the church. The preaching aspect is not just persuasion but also as proclamation of what God has done to save us. Otherwise a preacher might think he has to use a heavy dose of Law in one setting and the a nice comforting slab of Gospel in another. Rather, in every situation, let the pastor explain the text, urging the listener to turn away from sin and to see the forgiving God on the other. That balance of Law and Gospel is an art that the pastor has to make as it speaks to certain people in regard to its setting. Martin Luther (in the 1500s) and CF Walther (in the 1800s) wrote extensively if you want to examine this.

Niranjan Sahoo

commented on Oct 9, 2015

Thanks for inspiring with Biblical Thoughts......

Colin Coombs

commented on Oct 11, 2015

Thank you for this message. During my own ministry I have always felt the need to Teach truth as well as make clear the need and way of salvation. In our teaching of Truth, it must be founded on God's Word as that is the Foundation to build on. However, it is so vital that the need of, and the way of, Salvation is clearly shown. What a joy it is to lead someone to know the Lord as Saviour, and then to help them through good teaching to grow in the Lord. Thanks again.

James Awosina

commented on Jul 5, 2019

This is a timely reminder from a season teacher of the Word. I will recommend that every gospel minister get, read and meditate on a copy of "The Reformed Pastor" by Richard Baxter. It will drive us on our knees when we realise how far away from biblical pattern our pulpit ministrations are today. We have lost the art of expounding the Word because we loath the disciplined study of the Word and conformity to biblical pattern. I have heard of preachers who denounce doctrinal exposition out of blatant ignorance. Read Nehemiah chapter 8 and get inspired. Revival will not come until we start doing what Ezra did conscientiously: "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading" - Nehemiah 8:8.

David Legrand

commented on May 2, 2025

Say Goodbye to Crypto Scams Cyberspace Hackpro Recovery I was scammed, but Cyberspace Hack Pro helped me recover my lost funds. Their team is professional, efficient, and dedicated to customer satisfaction. Their expertise in tracking down scammers and retrieving funds is impressive. I highly recommend their services to anyone who has been scammed. Recovering from Scams: A Personal Journey As a resident of Houston, TX, I never thought I'd fall victim to a scam. But on February 15, 2025, my life took an unexpected turn. I invested in what I thought was a legitimate opportunity, only to discover it was a scam. The feeling of helplessness was overwhelming. I had lost $1,342,890, and I didn't know where to turn. That's when I stumbled upon Cyberspace Hack Pro's success stories online. Their expertise in recovering scammed funds gave me hope. The Recovery Process: I reached out to Cyberspace Hack Pro, and their team worked tirelessly to recover my funds. Using their expert recovery device, they tracked down the scammers and retrieved my money from their private wallet address. Lessons Learned: Looking back, I realize that scams can happen to anyone. It's essential to be cautious and do your research before investing in any opportunity. If you've been scammed, don't lose hope. There are professionals like Cyberspace Hack Pro who can help you recover your lost funds. If you've been scammed, don't hesitate to contact Cyberspace Hack Pro. Their expertise and dedication to customer satisfaction are truly commendable. They can help you regain control of your finances and secure your future. Cyberspace Hack Pro Informations Email: Cyberspacehackpro@rescueteam com WhatsApp +1 (559) 508 2403 https://cyberspacehackpro0.wixsite.com/cyberspacehackpro

Roy Kesler

commented on May 3, 2025

Thank you, RUDER CYBER TECH SLEUTHS, for recovering my scammed bitcoin asset a couple of days ago, which is why I am reviewing their undeniable expertise in recovering lost crypto. I was on the verge of losing my life savings and also frustrated after falling for a stupid scam of pig butchering and crypto investment scam, but RUDER CYBER TECH SLEUTHS team's quick response and powerful tools made all the difference I needed. RUDER CYBER TECH SLEUTHS traced the fraudulent transactions I made to multiple wallets to those scammers and got my scammed Bitcoin back in no time. I am still in awe and shock, though I still can't believe RUDER CYBER TECH SLEUTHS successfully recovered my lost Bitcoin into my wallet. I couldn't be more grateful for your support and professionalism, RUDER CYBER TECH SLEUTHS. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You saved me from a huge loss, and I highly recommend your services. info@rudercybertechsleuths.com support@rudercybertechsleuths.com whatsapp: +12132801476 Telegram : @rudercybersleuths

Abram Nerilie

commented on May 4, 2025

If you’ve been scammed I suggest you should first gather all the evidence and contact a recovery specialist. In my case, the process took 24 hours . I was able to get back a substantial amount of the money lost, may I suggest Qualified Experties . They helped me recover my funds with good counselling and financial support system that can help you at this difficult time. If you have been a victim to internet related frauds do not hesitate to reach out to them. they’re reliable. WEBSITE: https : // team . qualifiedexperties . com EMAIL: support @ qualifiedexperties . com Gmail: teamqualifiedrecoveryexpertise @ gmail . com WHATSAPP: ‪‪+1 4 1 2 2 2 5 5 9 1 8

Abram Nerilie

commented on May 4, 2025

If you’ve been scammed I suggest you should first gather all the evidence and contact a recovery specialist. In my case, the process took 24 hours . I was able to get back a substantial amount of the money lost, may I suggest Qualified Expertise . They helped me recover my funds with good counselling and financial support system that can help you at this difficult time. If you have been a victim to internet related frauds do not hesitate to reach out to them. they’re reliable. WEBSITE: https : // team . qualifiedexperties . com EMAIL: support @ qualifiedexperties . com Gmail: teamqualifiedrecoveryexpertise @ gmail . com WHATSAPP: ‪‪+1 4 1 2 2 2 5 5 9 1 8

Naomi Alex

commented on May 16, 2025

losing Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT is quite regrettable. I fell prey to an online investment schme and lossed all my money and realized it wasn't genuine, I was hearing stories. But that wasn't the end; I tried to contact hackers and recovery expert but was unsuccessful till I came across jamesmckaywizard a Recovery Hacker, who after 7 to 8 Hours helped me retrieve my Bitcoin. Having seen firsthand how they assisted someone in a similar circumstance, I had faith in them and was patient. Mr. James Recovery Hacker deserves praise for his excellent job. Contact them through the address below if you need a recovery expert.. Email:jamesmckaywizard at gmail dot com or what'sapp +31/ 6 5 - 7 4 - 4 6 -24.8.

Join the discussion