Sunday is for Preaching
By Aaron Menikoff September 14, 2006
Greg made the point in last Sunday’s sermon at Third Avenue that the church is not a day spa, catering to the needs of her members as if they were clients. This means that pastors, especially those who preach, have a great responsibility to prepare themselves before God to give the congregation what she truly needs: the Word! This was a point made by a Baptist, Isaac Backus, way back in 1789. He encouraged congregations to support their pastors adequately so those ministers of the gospel had the time to devote to study. Backus knew time in the study would bear fruit in the pulpit:
I confess, a little Learning, and less Study, may furnish a Man with such discourse as may please some weak Persons, ‘that judge of a Sermon by the loudness of the Voice, and affectionate Sentences, or can fancy themselves to be fed with the Ashes of jingling Words, and Cadency of Terms in a Discourse. But Alas! The seeming Warmth of Affection that is stirred by such Means, is as short-liv’d as a Land-flood that [hath] no Spring to feed it. He that will do the Souls of his People good, and approve himself a Pastor after God’s own Heart, must feed them with Knowledge and Understanding, and endeavour to maintain a constant Zeal and Affection in them, by well informing their Judgments, and such an opening of the Mind of God from the Scriptures, as may command their Consciences: And this is not to be expected, but from him that labours in his Study, as well as in the Pulpit. Mistake me not; I know the the Success and Fruit of all the Studies and Labours of Men that preach in the Gospel, is from the Grace and Power of the Holy Ghost; but the Assistance of the Spirit is to be expected by us in the way of our Duty.
Those of you preparing for pastoral ministry in seminary–be encouraged, your time is time well spent. Those of you preaching, make sure to spend quality time in the study beforehand, lest you give the people “Ashes of jingling words” and rely simply upon “Cadency of Terms in a Discourse.” That may be pleasing to the ear, but it leaves congregations wishing for something more substantial.