"As the pulpit goes, so goes the church." This straightforward quote explains why so many local churches are weak, shallow, immature, and in desperate need of spiritual revitalization. "Successful" churches seem very content to be an inch deep so long as they remain a mile wide.
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones was right when he said, “The most urgent need in the Christian Church today is true preaching; and as it is the greatest and the most urgent need in the Church, it is the greatest need of the world also.”
In this vein, Dr. Steve Lawson adds some insightful commentary, "If a reformation is to come to the church, it will be preceded by a reformation of the pulpit. A return to preaching—true preaching, biblical preaching, expository preaching—is the greatest need in this critical hour. If we are to see God usher in a time of reformation, there must be a significant alteration of the pulpit. Today’s preaching, which is light, shallow, trivial, man-centered and devoid of Scripture, must become once again weighty, profound, God-centered, and saturated with Scripture."
In this vein, Dr. Steve Lawson adds some insightful commentary, "If a reformation is to come to the church, it will be preceded by a reformation of the pulpit. A return to preaching—true preaching, biblical preaching, expository preaching—is the greatest need in this critical hour. If we are to see God usher in a time of reformation, there must be a significant alteration of the pulpit. Today’s preaching, which is light, shallow, trivial, man-centered and devoid of Scripture, must become once again weighty, profound, God-centered, and saturated with Scripture."
One of the most important tasks of a pastor is to faithfully preach the Word of God. Sadly their is a famine in the land for the hearing and preaching of holy Scripture. Much of what is called Biblical preaching is nothing more than shallow, evangelical principlizing. Droves of American Christians seem to prefer preaching that is easy on the ears and not too demanding on the Sunday Daytimer. Even during a time when many contemporary praise songs extol a high view of God many preachers still present a user-friendly Deity.
So what is true preaching? How can one know whether they are hearing an expository sermon or something else?
Dr. Walt Kaiser Jr explains, Expository preaching and teaching begins and remains with the biblical text throughout the whole sermon. Rather than beginning with a human need or concern as the impetus for the sermon, the expository sermon deliberately reverses the action and has the sermon originate in the exposition of the Biblical text itself. Exposition starts with the Biblical text and holds fast to that text throughout the sermon or lesson. —Preaching and Teaching from the Old Testament, p. 50
