The Practical Theology Behind Biblical Preaching 

The Practical Theology Behind Biblical Preaching

Introduction 

The Art and Craft of Biblical Preaching (A&C) is a book published in 2005 by Zondervan and edited by Haddon Robinson and Craig Larson. The A&C is a collection of nearly 200 articles in 11 major sections covering various topics related to preaching the Bible. In this review, I will cover chapter 5 titled “Theology of Powerful Preaching” by Jay Adams. 

Adams begins by explaining his rationale for wanting to write this work. Essentially, preaching has a practical theology behind it because what we believe informs what we do and how we do it. If it is thought that the text is just another text, then the “preaching” will not be as high quality or impactful as it should be. In this review, I will examine the “Nine Beliefs at the Heart of Biblical Preaching." 

1. The ultimate aim is to please God. 

Our desire when we preach is to please our creator. It is written, “So we make it our goal to please him … For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Cor 5:9-10, NIV). Preaching is one of those righteous acts that Christ will judge and reward us for. Therefore, we should aim to please him when preaching. 

2. Preaching pleases God when it is true to scripture. 

The kind of preaching that pleases our creator is preaching that is accurate to the text. Adams mentions that results may not be determinative of good preaching. Remember the ministry the Prophet Isaiah was called to in Isa 6:8-10. He would proclaim the word to hard-hearted people who may not change. That is why we must remember that the measure of good preaching is how biblical it is. This is also why one must remember that he who preaches does so to please God. 

3. The Scriptures are inspired and inerrant. 

This section covers how one should view scripture when preaching. I think I would either slightly disagree or at least add nuance. For example, the Nazarene denomination does have effective preaching from the word of God with a nuanced view of inerrancy that differs from the Baptist. Regardless, the scriptures are true! And behind the biblical authors lies the purposes of the God who made them and inspired them!

4. Preaching is sacred. 

Due to the previous 3, preaching should be viewed as a holy, sacred, and revered task of the church. 

5. Scriptures are for the original audience and modern audiences. 

One should not simply lecture about a biblical topic. The sermon should be understandable to the people you are speaking to. You should also be able to apply the text to our modern context in a way that fits the original purpose and audience of the text. So, removing some of the technical language and not addressing some of the debates of a passage may be a sharp move at times. 

6. The original intent of the text controls the message for people today. 

Related to application, the message of the text applied to modern people must respect and fit the original intent of the text. Use the scriptures for the purpose it was given, not the purpose of the reader. 

7. The subject of every message is God and people. 

The application of the preaching should land personally for the audience. Adams writes, “The dominant word will not be I, he, she, it, but you. We will take our cue… from the preaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount”. 

8. Clarity is paramount. 

As I noted before, remove some of the preachy or technical language unless you have to keep it in and you explain it. Clarity and simplicity are key when preaching. The preaching should flow from start to finish in a logical, clear, and reasoned manner. Therefore, how you form the structure of the sermon also matters.

9. Preach Boldly. 

To cite Adams, “Humble preachers resemble the apostle Paul, who asked for prayer that he might “make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel” (Eph. 6:19, NASB). He further states that the "word for 'boldness' used here (parremsia)... that characterized New Testament preaching means 'freedom to speak without fear of consequences.'" Do not be afraid or discouraged. Speak the truth of the word and do so boldly and effectively; may God do the rest! 

Final Thoughts 

I enjoyed this chapter of the book. The practical theology applied to preaching here is understandable and clear. I found it personally encouraging for my ministry journey. Even though I am just making videos and writing articles, the points made in the chapter were still helpful. I pray many will apply the message of the chapter to preach and do the Christian life more effectively.

Image by Ismael Paramo on Unsplash

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