I am very concerned with what I perceive to be an approach to preaching (and listening) which, more and more, seems to place the word of God in the background. I’ve heard some sermons recently which illustrate the point. In one, I was not required to open a Bible for the first 20 minutes; in another, one verse was referred to, sort of as a launching pad, and then the Bible was closed from that point on. I heard another “sermon” in which the preacher (who had a degree in psychology) first expressed his opinion about certain problems in our relationship with God, then quoted psychological theories to validate his opinion, then threw in a little Bible, presumably to validate the psychology. If these are examples of “preaching the text,” I must admit that I’m very worried about the future of preaching!

We need a fresh reminder of the lesson of Nehemiah 8, where Ezra stood in the pulpit (v. 4) and OPENED THE BOOK (v. 5), reading distinctly from it and helped them to understand what the BOOK said (v. 8). If that does not describe our function as “preachers of the word,” then I’m at a loss as to what I’m supposed to be doing as a full-time gospel preacher and teacher. Of course, I’m not sure the problem is all in the pulpit. In fact, I’m pretty well convinced it is not. I preached a meeting recently in which the majority of people did not have a Bible in their possession. Since I was attempting to present an exposition of one of the minor prophets, needless to say, I was at a disadvantage.

I cannot pretend to understand why people of God would enter a building, presumably to hear the word of God preached, and not have a Bible with them. What is going through a person’s mind? What are they expecting to hear? What do they want to hear? Platitudes? Maxims? Jokes? God said through Amos, many years ago, that there would be a “famine in the land, not of bread nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord” (Amos 8:11). Such a famine came and the people of Israel suffered the spiritual consequences. There is no such famine now, except when it is self-imposed. In too many places and in the sermons of too many preachers (one is too many), such a famine exists. It extends to the pew and people are beginning to get along quite well without the word of God... after all, if we hear only opinions, we have a choice to accept them or reject them, don’t we? “My opinion is surely as good as his, though perhaps not as eloquent.”

Perhaps I’m sounding an alarm which is not needed (though I know many others who share my concern). Jeremiah said to beware of those who cry “peace, peace when there is no peace” (4:10). These are just my observations - but if they ring true, in your experience, I’d like to make a couple of short suggestions. To those who occupy the pews each week and listen to preaching, demand (yes, demand) Bible preaching - accept no substitutes. In addition, bring your Bibles, open them up, take notes, listen. Challenge the preacher to present the word of God as the only solution to every problem he presents. We need to be challenged, checked and, sometimes, corrected. And, to my fellow preachers, let’s “just preach the text” (2 Tim. 4:2).

- collegevuechurch.com