Preaching
Evangelist Reeves and his late spiritual father Dr. Stephen F. OlfordI was blessed in 2007 to meet Dr. David Jeremiah who is a gifted preacher and his encouragement to me was to “Just preach the Word of God faithfully”. Preaching is an act and at the same time has to be done with skills, but every preacher should have his own philosophy. A well thought out, chosen, and concise philosophy should be articulated well in ways that others will grasp the concept. The preacher should be faithful to his calling by studying to show himself approved by God (2 Tim. 2:15), and fully preaching the Word in season and out of season (2 Tim. 4:2).
Today the Church of Jesus Christ is drifting away from the Biblical exposition of the Scripture to give people messages that has little or nothing to do with the text that was read. Biblical preaching should aim to communicate “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). The apostles recognized that the Bible is the source of preaching (e.g., Luke 4:16-27; Acts 6:4).
The preaching that is biblical is Bible -centered and true to the text. “Expository preaching is the communication of a biblical concept, derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and experience of the preacher, then through him to his hearers” (Haddon W. Robinson. Biblical Preaching, P. 20).
It is God who makes the preacher; therefore, the preacher must be flexible to adjust to God’s methods in preparing His preacher to represent Him. Every preacher is to represent God; therefore, the message of the preacher ‘must’ be based on the Word of God.
It is a shame for anyone to open the Bible and just say anything he decides without having idea about the forms or genres in the Bible. Every preacher should be aware of what I called the “five Ps”. 1.Poetry, 2. Prose, 3. Passing-history (narrative), 4. Profundity (wisdom), and Prophecy (apocalyptic). Biblical preaching is essential to the Christian’s faith. The preacher should pursue righteousness and godliness, because in Christ we are righteous. The Holy Spirit is the One who enabled the preacher and if we continue to yield to His will our preaching might be better.
References / Books / titles and Authors
1. Ramesh Richard ………….. Scripture Sculpture
2. Wayne McDill ……………… The 12 Essential Skills For Great Preaching
3. D. A. Carson ………………. Exegetical Fallacies
4. John MacArthur, Jr ………. Why I Trust The Bible
5. Stephen F. Olford ………… A Passion For Preaching
6. John A. Broadus ………….. On The Preparation and Delivery of Sermons
7. Stephen F. Olford ………… Anointed Expository Preaching
8. Farrar Patterson …………. Do-It-Yourself
9. Woodrow Kroll ……………. Prescription For Preaching
10. Findley Edge ……………. Teaching For Results
11. Gordon D. Fee ………….. New Testament Exegesis
12. Henry A. Virkler ………… Hermeneutics
13. Gordon D. Fee ………….. How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth
14. Roy B. Zuck ……………… Basic Bible Interpretation
15. Charles W. Koller ………. Expository Preaching Without Notes
16. Haddon W. Robinson ….. Biblical Sermons
17. Jerry Vines ……………… A Guide To Effective Sermon Delivery
18. R.C. Sproul ……………… Knowing Scripture
19. James F. Engel …………. How To Get Your Message Across
20. Sidney Greidanus ………. The Modern Preacher and the Ancient Text
21. James Braga …………….. How To Prepare Bible message
22. E. W. Bullinger ………….. Figures of Speech Used In The Bible
23. Haddon W. Robinson ….. Biblical Preaching
24. Robert A. Traina ……….. Methodical Bible Study