The Equipping Ministry, Student Workbook, SW15

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T H E E Q U I P P I N G M I N I S T R Y

After reciting and/or singing the Nicene Creed (located in the Appendix), pray the following prayer: God of the ages, you call the church to keep watch in the world and to discern the signs of the times. Grant us the wisdom which your Spirit bestows, that with courage we may proclaim your prophetic word, and complete the work that you have set before us; through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Nicene Creed and Prayer

~ Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The Theology and Worship Ministry Unit. Book of Common Worship . Louisville: Westminister/John Knox Press, 1993. p. 373.

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Is Preaching an Issue of Content, Delivery, or Both (or Neither)?

Many preachers today gear their messages around easy topics delivered in a way that neither challenges nor offends. Those who preach in some of the largest congregations in the country deliver cheery messages on banking and family vacations, and rarely are any messages ever given on doctrine, theology, or the hard sayings of Christ and the Bible. As one popular teacher said, “It is necessary in this day of the decline of Christianity, to travel light, in terms of theological baggage.” Other preachers, aware of this downward trend, have ramped up their preaching with sermons dealing with difficult doctrinal or moral questions delivered in a tone that is nearly angry, believing that they and their preaching are the true message of the Gospel today. When you consider these alternatives, what do you believe the essence of preaching ought to be in terms of focus: on the content of the preaching, the delivery of the sermon, the needs of the audience, something else entirely?

The preacher’s task is to speak as a personal witness to God’s revelation, interpreting it, explaining it, and applying it to the needs of the people. ~ J. S. Baird.