Proclaimer Blog
A theology of preaching (2)
Here are some statements.
The preaching of the word of God is the word of God
Heinrich Bullinger, that one. What we call the Second Helvetic Confession, but he called his Last Will and Testament. True story.
If preachers preach what is founded on the Scriptures, their word as far as it is agreeable to the mind of God, is to be considered as God's
Mr Simeon from Cambridge, no less. Or how about this:
Preaching is the most excellent part of the pastor's work.
That's Richard Baxter, that is, which considering how much time he spent door to door is a remarkable statement.
Are they right? If so, why? Many preachers feel that they are onto something, but couldn't prove it biblically, nor are they so comfortable, in this relativist age, with such bald statements.
The answer is wrapped up in how God makes himself known and how his actions and presence relate to his words. That is not just about a robust theology of the Bible, but a robust Christology (he is, after all, the Word of God) and a robust ecclesiology – three areas where we're often woefully weak.
Let's assume you believe that God's actions and his words are biblically tied together. Jot down, in just a few steps, how you get from there to a robust theology of preaching.