Proclaimer Blog
The theology of preaching
At a theological conference last week I asked a very knowledgeable theologian and church minister what book he would recommend on the theology of preaching. He wasn’t exactly brimming over with suggestions. The topic is on my mind because it’s an area in which we are attempting to beef up what we teach at Cornhill. Of course we will continue to teach preaching to a large extent through thorough study of books of Scripture and intensive practice, but we who teach at Cornhill also reckon that we need to strengthen our theology of preaching. By that I don’t mean the principles and practices of biblical exposition themselves, but a rich biblical and theological understanding of why we are right to do what we do when we preach, and of what preaching is in relation to other aspects of Word ministry.
So this week I have turned back to one reliable book that purports to address this topic head-on: Peter Adam’s Speaking God’s Word: A Practical Theology of Preaching. I’ve partly found what I’m looking for there, but (if I’m honest) not entirely. Yet there are many good things in the book. In one lovely section he sets out some of the reasons that Calvin gave for why God established the ministry of preaching. Here’s a taste:
- God is invisible, so he uses the mouths of preachers as his delegates.
- He shows his regard for humanity, by deigning to use some of them as his ambassadors.
- It teaches Christians humility: ‘when a puny man risen from the dust speaks in God’s name, at this point we best evidence our piety and obedience toward God if we show ourselves teachable towards his minister although he excels us in nothing’ (a great line to remember the next time someone in church intimates that they think you’re ‘puny’ – or if I’m tempted to look down on other faithful preachers as not ‘up to my level’).
- It fosters mutual love. We all have to sit there on the same level listening to the same message.
- It is not enough to preach ‘as though a man should teach in a school’. ‘We must moreover be quickened up with good and vehement exhortations; we must be rebuked as if a man should search a wound’. Peter Adam himself gives some excellent tips on how to put the latter into practice; not least: spend at least as much prep-time thinking and praying through how to apply your exposition profoundly the body of people you’ll be speaking to, as you do working on the text. Not, of course, an excuse to reduce my text-work time! Very tough to do, as we all know – and as all really valuable things are.