Tom Schreiner on Preaching and Biblical Theology

Tuesday is Pastor's Day at Resolve. Our featured article is by Tom Schreiner on Preaching and Biblical Theology. Here is an extract from the introduction and it is certainly worth reading teh rest here.

'...conservative churches may embrace the inerrancy of scripture, while denying in practice the suffi ciency of God’s word. We may say that scripture is God’s inerrant word, while failing to proclaim it seriously from our pulpits. In many evangelical churches today we truly have a famine for the word of God. We have sermon series in our conservative churches that feature in their titles television shows like Gilligan’s Island, Bonanza, and Mary Tyler Moore. Our preaching often concentrates on steps to a successful marriage or how to raise children in our culture. Such sermons on family issues, of course, are fitting and needed.

Unfortunately, two problems often surface in such sermons. First, what the scriptures actually say about these subjects is often neglected or skated over. How many sermons on marriage faithfully and urgently set forth what Paul actually says about the roles of men and women (Eph 5:22-33)? Or, is it the case that even we conservatives are somewhat abashed and embarrassed by what the scriptures say?

The second problem is of the same sort, and perhaps even more serious. In many conservative churches pastors almost always preach on the horizontal level. The congregation is bombarded
with sermons about marriage, raising children, success in business, overcoming depression, conquering fears, and so on and so forth. Again, all of these subjects must be faced in our pulpits. We must not go to the other extreme so that we never address these matters. But what is troubling is that these sort of sermons become the staple week in and week out, and the theological worldview that permeates God’s word and is the foundation for all of life is passed over in silence. Our pastors turn into moralists rather like Dear Abby who give advice on how to live a happy life week after week.

Many congregations do not realize what is happening because the moral life that is commended accords, at least in part, with scripture and speaks to the felt needs of both believers and unbelievers. Pastors believe they must fill their sermons with stories and illustrations,
so that the anecdotes fl esh out the moral point enunciated. Every good preacher, naturally, illustrates the points being made. But sermons can become so chockfull of stories and illustrations that they are bereft of any theology. I have heard evangelicals say rather frequently that we are doing fine in theology because congregations are not complaining about what we teach them.

Such a comment is quite frightening, for we as pastors have the responsibility to proclaim “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). We cannot rely on congregational polling to determine whether we are fulfi lling our calling, for it may be the case that a congregation has never been seriously taught God’s word, so that they are unaware of where we as pastors are failing. Amazingly those who make such comments rely on what people in pews want and feel rather than testing preaching by what the scriptures demand! Paul warns us that “fi erce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock” (Acts 20:29).

We are also reminded in 2 Tim 4:3-4 that “the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” If we assess our preaching by what congregations desire, we may be cooking a recipe for heresy. I am not saying that our congregations are heretical, only that God’s word rather than popular opinion must be the test of faithfulness. It is the calling of pastors to feed the flock with God’s word, not to please people with what they desire to hear.'