What is preaching?

Today at the Brook Dialogue called “Spirit and Truth” I’ll be sharing some thoughts on preaching, and taking in a lot from the pastors and worship leaders gathered at Elmbrook, from special speaker Scot McKnight and our worship staff, and then, later in the evening, a special presentation by Professor James Davison Hunter. It should be a full day! Here are some historic quotes I like to share when talking about the ministry of preaching:

Martin Luther: A preacher must be both soldier and shepherd. He must nourish, defend, and teach; he must have teeth in his mouth, and be able to bite and fight.

Martin Luther: A preacher should have the skill to teach the unlearned simply, roundly, and plainly; for teaching is of more importance than exhorting.

Abraham Lincoln: I don’t like to hear cut-and-dried sermons. When I hear a man preach, I like to see him act as if he were fighting bees.

Phillips Brooks: Preaching is truth through personality.

Edgar DeWitt Jones: The preacher for this day must have the heart of a lion, the skin of a hippopotamus, the agility of a greyhound, the patience of a donkey, the wisdom of an elephant, the industry of an ant, and as many lives as a cat.

St. Francis de Sales: The test of a preacher is that his congregation goes away saying, not what a lovely sermon, but, I will do something!

George Crane: You cannot have a live church with a clergyman who is devoid of humor or dramatics.

Richard Cecil: To love to preach is one thing—to love those to whom we preach, quite another.

John Newton: My grand point in preaching is to break the hard heart, and to heal the broken one.

Austin Phelps: Genius is not essential to good preaching, but a live man is.

Any of these quotes notable to you? What do you think about the ministry of preaching today?

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top
Scroll to Top
Share via
Copy link
Powered by Social Snap