Articles
“What is "Good" Preaching?”
“In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.”
What makes a sermon “good”? Having preached my fair share of stinkers, I often ask myself this question. We have examples in the Bible of topical, textual, and narrative approaches that were all effective. Jesus spoke plainly, used props, and told stories to get his point across. Apollos spoke eloquently. Paul, Peter, and John, though different, were all powerful. Stylistically, one listener may gravitate toward a studious academic approach while another prefers to listen to more conversational preaching. Others may thrive on a delivery filled with passion. But personal preferences aside, a few principles should apply to all these approaches.
Preach Biblically – The first and most important aspect of good preaching is its Scriptural content. Since the Scriptures come from God they are practical and effective to strengthen us (2 Tim. 3:16-17; Acts 20:32). Therefore, one of the main focuses of preaching is to get others to know the truth (Jn. 8:32; 1 Cor. 2:12-13). Preachers can do this effectively by showing Jesus in every text (Jn. 14:6). Jesus is the key to unlocking the power of the Old Testament Scriptures and therefore must be at the center of every sermon (1 Cor. 2:2; Lk. 24:27). Enlightening and informing the listener is the first goal of “good” preaching.
Preach Attractively – The power to transform sinners into saints rests with God and His living word (Jas. 1:18, 21; 1 Pet. 1:22-25; etc.). Thankfully, the salvation of others does not depend upon our eloquence or ability (2 Cor. 4:7). But God does choose to make his appeal through us (2 Cor. 5:20). With that being said, it is entirely possible to have all the ingredients for a “good” sermon only to botch it with a poor delivery. A haughty tone, a meandering outline or inappropriate comments can derail an otherwise good sermon. The answer is not to remove all traces of personality from the preaching and to simply read the Scriptures (though this has its own merits [1 Tim. 4:13]). The preacher’s role extends beyond simply dispensing information. His job is not merely to get others to know the truth but to present it in such a way as to encourage listeners to love the truth (Psa. 19:10; 119). This is done not simply by showing Jesus in every text but by showing Jesus as someone to love. It is not enough simply to enlighten and inform listeners but we must also to persuade and compel listeners (Acts 2:37; 17:17). In other words, we must try to get them emotionally invested in the gospel story.
Preach Powerfully – Lastly, preachers must be bold in their delivery of God’s word (Acts 4:13, 29, 31; 28:31; Titus 2:15). The only way a person can preach boldly while maintaining a good conscience (1 Tim. 1:5; 1 Pet. 3:16) is to embody the teaching in his own life (1 Tim. 4:12). A hypocritical teacher may hinder the message (1 Cor. 9:12; Rom. 2:17-24; Jas. 3:1). When teachers do the truth they are showing Jesus not only as someone to be admired and loved but as someone to be followed. By presenting the truth correctly, the preacher is informing and enlightening the listeners. By preaching the truth attractively, he is persuading and compelling them. But by enjoining his example to his preaching, he is moving the listeners to action. This 'double preaching,' a consistent message in word and in deed, is the goal of every faithful servant of the Lord (Ezra 7:10).
Similarly, Aristotle sums up his approach to effective persuasion in three words: Logos (appeal to logic, persuasion by reason), Pathos (appeal to emotion, persuasion by evocation), and Ethos (appeal to ethics, persuasion based upon the credibility of the speaker).
So, what constitutes “good” preaching? Styles of delivery may vary but to be effective we must make the gospel clear, make the gospel real, and make the gospel life itself. These are a few things I try to keep in mind when preparing and delivering a sermon and I hope you will too if you ever have that privilege.
