Response:

Many thousands of pages have been written on this subject. However, I will attempt to give you some points that I consider to be important.

I. Preach the Word. Many men quote this, but don't obey it. Preaching the Word does not mean that you read a text before you tell a string of illustrations and funny stories. Just today I listened to a sermon tape where the evangelist is trying to encourage folks to return. He tells them, "I usually get right into my message and don't even have people open their Bibles, but tonight we will be looking at a lot of Scriptures". How can a man be a preacher of the Word who doesn't even have the people open the Bible? Find a text, then take the time to study what it means, then deliver that message to the people. Again, on the tape I listened to today, the evangelist was preaching about the rapture. He said some great things, but the Scriptures he used to back up his position were taken out of context, and did not apply in any way to the rapture. His doctrine was correct, but his misuse of the Bible calls not only his preparation into question, but also his credibility.

In the same vein, be sure to give your people doctrine. It is our doctrine that distinguishes us from other groups. It is our doctrine that forms the basis for our practice. People will live more holy lives when the understand the doctrine of the holiness of God. People will obey the Scriptures more if the understand the authority of the Scriptures. Paul's prayer was that he might "know Him". I John continually reminds us of our need to "know" God. This is doctrine. Paul tells Timothy to "preach the Word...with all longsuffering and doctrine". That word "doctrine" comes from the Greek word that means "to teach". Teach your people something, but don't stop with the academics. Move on to application. Be longsuffering. It sometimes takes a long time to teach something, and sometimes people do not respond immediately. Just keep on teaching and preaching. Far too many pastors play "musical pulpits" because they get easily frustrated with the congregation. The excuse often is "I've taken them as far as I can". Who says? Keep teaching and preaching until GOD moves you on. Just as a note: I do a lot of series preaching through books of the Bible. I do not do it exclusively, but frequently. This helps in several ways. 1) It forces me to cover topics that I might tend to avoid, because they show up in the text. 2) It keeps me from having the appearance of "going after" people in the congregation who have particular problems, because I am simply preaching what comes next in the text. 3) It helps me to preach the "whole counsel of God" 4) It forces me to learn and study, because I can't just pull an old message out of the file. 5) I never have to try to figure out what my text will be for the next service.

II. Apply the Scriptures to people's lives. Preaching is not simply the impartation of knowledge, although that is the foundation of it. Paul told Timothy to "reprove, rebuke, and exhort" (II Tim 4). According to Wuest's Word Studies, one of the differences between a reproof and a rebuke is that the reproof will likely be responded to by the hearer, but the rebuke likely will not. In other words, tell them what they need to hear even if you think they aren't going to listen, and even if they haven't listened in the past. We all like to preach to a responsive congregation. Preach even when they won't respond. "Exhort" is the same word as is translated "Comforter" in John 14. He is the One Who "comes alongside to give assistance", and that is what our preaching is to do. Nehemiah 8 also gives insight into Biblical preaching. In verse 5 Ezra "opened the book". In verse 7 he "caused the people to understand the law". In verse 8 he did three things. He "read in the book in the law distinctly", which means he told them what it said. Then he "Gave the sense", which means that he told them what it meant, and then he "caused them to understand the reading", which means that he told them how it applied to them. Clearly this is what happened, because in verse 12 the people responded because "they understood the words that were declared unto them".

III. Have some enthusiasm about what you are doing. The Bible tells us that "whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might" (Ecc. 9:10). All the preparation in the world isn't going to help if your congregation is asleep! You can teach, and preach, with enthusiasm. It is the obligation of the preacher to hold his listener's attention so that the message can be delivered.

IV. Be sure to be in right relationship with God yourself before you enter into the pulpit. God has given you the gift of teaching, and His Word will not return void, so things can be accomplished even if you are in sin. However, since the Bible teaches us that it is "not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts' (Zec 4:6), it would be best for the preacher to be Spirit-filled, which only happens when we have confessed sin and yielded ourselves to Him.

Obviously, there is much more that could, and probably should, be said. However, these are some issues where I believe Fundamental Baptists (of which I am one) have dropped the ball. I hope it gives you some things to think about.

May the Lord bless you as you serve Him.

By Dr Mark Montgomery Ambassador Baptist Church 1926 Babcock Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 15209 (412)477-3210