Preaching should be both theologically deep and wide.
This is the final of four articles giving some of my thoughts on expository preaching that laid out why I value expository preaching but also consider other forms as biblically valid and helpful to the congregation. We need to be preachers who are constantly renewing our commitment to proclaiming God’s Word, with expository preaching as central.
(Read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of the series.)
In this final article, I want to look at how to preach effectively without dumbing down the content, or how to be prophetic and practical at the same time.
In the modern era, there have been a generation of preachers whose approach resembled the self-help inspirational talks of Tony Robbins. You could find titles of sermons such as, “Five Principles for a Better Life,” “Four Steps to Facing Fear,” and “Three Models for House Repair.”
I’m just joking about the last one, but you get the idea.
Suffice it to say, some preaching was dumbed down (stripped of theological depth) to reach the dechurched or unchurched by offering pragmatic ways people could have a happier and healthier life.
It’s a good motivation, but I think the wrong application.
I’m not saying that every attempt at preaching in a way that unchurched people understand is dumbing down the preaching. You can clearly proclaim the Word of God without compromise while also applying it practically to hearers, from the unchurched to church leaders.
Why Do Preachers Sometimes Sacrifice Being Prophetic for Being Practical?
Some pastors who preach more “felt need” type sermons do so because they believe church has become inaccessible, irrelevant, or uninspiring to those who were and who were not attending. There is a desire for creating an environment that was more accessible and understandable without losing the ability to bring truth and meaning.
At different times and places, such an approach did grow some churches.
Unfortunately, starting from a place other than Scripture in preaching can inadvertently lead to sermons that are “a mile wide and an inch deep.” Shallow churches sometimes grow, but is that the growth we seek? Sometimes the genuine desire to reach people brough the unintended consequence of exchanging theological depth for creativity, craftiness, cleverness, and catchiness. Don’t misunderstand what I am saying. I’m not railing against the contemporary church or the employing creativity.
