Preaching: An Act of Worship

Why is preaching important?

In Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe (Wheaton: Crossway, 2010), Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears answer:

We are to preach the Word of God, the good news of what God has done, not merely good spiritual advice for better living. It has the power to save and bring people to maturity. The power of preaching does not come with clever stories or rhetorical devices but with the power of the Spirit and the answer to prayer. Preaching brings faith for hearers and is spiritual food to nourish people.

Paul warned that times would come when people would not tolerate preaching. Unfortunately, many ‘progressive’ churches want to re-imagine preaching and include no sermon at all. Sadly, even some well-known Christians wrongly claim that preaching is pagan and that preaching has no place in Christian church meetings.

God’s people have always viewed preaching as something to be done when the church gathers. Preaching is proclaiming with authority and passion the truth of God’s Word. In preaching, the authority of God’s Word is upheld and God’s people are collectively led and taught according to the Scriptures. The willingness of Christians to sit under preaching is an act of worship, as they are humbly submitting to Scripture and the pastor, who is preaching on behalf of the elder team. Preaching is among the most essential ministries of a church because the authoritative preaching of Scripture informs and leads God’s people in the rest of the church’s ministries. (p. 324)

I haven’t read words on preaching that are very uplifting for a while. I have to say that the authors clearly reflect Reformed understanding of preaching the Word of God. The coming of Christians to sit under the preached Word is an act of worship. We hearers worship with listening and prepare to obey what we hear from the preacher. The preacher is not the center; the Word is. But the preacher carries the authority of God as God’s ambassador. The preacher preaches with authority because the preacher’s message is attached to the Word of God. I totally agree that preaching is the most esteemed, essential ministry in the church. It is in this ministry through which the Word of God is preached to all congregants at the same time.