Just Don't Call it Preaching

There is a growing trend among evangelicals. This trend is "life-talk" speeching, and it is often found on the platforms of evangelical churches. I would say "behind the pulpits", but no one seems to use pulpits anymore. I do not have any problems at all with these life talks in principle. Sure, I have problems with the execution sometimes - I don't think Ed Young Jr. knows enough about the dynamics of sexual relationship within marriage to really speech on it. But in principle, most of these talks are quite sound and good. I remember listening to a prominent evangelical pastor speech a series on "vision". It was good stuff - stuff I still use today.

The problem I have with all of this is that it isn't preaching. That in itself is no problem - there is plenty of things we Christians do with communication that isn't preaching. But...this stuff has supplanted preaching. I am going to agree with Al Mohler's perspective in He is Not Silent. Preaching is the public exposure of God's Word. Preaching is an act of worship precisely because it is commanded in Scripture, and it is the means by which God speaks to his people today. Cessationist? Hardly! God is alive and actively speaking to his people - and He does it through His living Word. This is why preaching - the public exposure of God's Word - is so dynamic and exciting. I dare say some would be far more excited about being entranced by the Holy Spirit and caught up to the third heaven. We have an inbred lust for theological glory. But this kind of experience is not God's normal means for speaking today. The normal means is through his spoken Word. And this is why preaching is so important, and why it should never, ever be supplanted by life-talk speeching.

So go ahead and talk about finances and leadership and vision. You can even do so from a "Christian" perspective (Although we must concede that there is nothing Christian about having sex for a week). Just don't call it preaching.