The Necessity and Nature of Biblical Preaching
Preaching is central to the life of a church, and it is part of God’s ordained means to originate, sustain, and grow faith (Rom. 10:17). It is through preaching that God reveals His will, calls sinners to Himself, and strengthens and feeds His people (1 Cor. 1:21). Preaching is also the charge that is given to the ministers of God (2 Tim. 4:2) and specifically preaching the Word. As Edmund Clowney explains, to preach the Word is to vocalize the breath of God. It is to speak the word of the gospel that communicates faith and converts the soul.[1] It is for this cause that preaching must be done as God has ordained in order to accomplish God’s ordained means.
Preaching must include the proclamation of the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). This means that preaching must be contextual, expository in nature, and Christ-centered, as Jesus Himself taught that all Scripture ultimately testifies to Him (Luke 24:27). As Jared Wilson articulated, “Every biblical text should be interpreted according to its immediate context, and every immediate context should be interpreted according to the greater context of the gospel story line of Scripture.”[2]
While preaching entails the gospel as God’s means of bringing and growing faith, and includes a contextual, expository, and Christ-centered message, the purpose of preaching is threefold. Preaching should show forth and expose the glory of God in Christ, it should edify the saints, and it should proclaim the good news of God. The purpose of preaching is to expose the glory of God to its hearers. It should show the character of God and the works of God that point to the redemptive purposes of God as seen in the person and work of His Son. Thus, the purpose of preaching, as Wilson mentions, is not “behave” but rather “behold,” as it is only by beholding the glory of Christ that a person can be transformed into His image.[3] Additionally, the purpose of preaching is to edify the saints. The preaching that edifies, is not merely preaching that encourages, rather, it is preaching that equips and perfects the hearers to do the work of ministry (Eph. 4:12). It is the preaching of God’s Word that enables the saints of God to carry the Word of God into the world, and as author Steven Smith writes, when God’s people are edified, the Lord will be honored.[4] Ultimately, the purpose of preaching is the proclamation of the gospel. While preaching, understood correctly, will glorify God and edify the saints, these things will only happen when the gospel of God is proclaimed. Wilson writes that the nature of preaching is primarily proclamation. He continues that while there will be teaching, explaining the text, and providing background, insights, and context, this all serves the proclamation of the gospel.[5] This point cannot be simply glossed over. If it is true, as the London Baptist Confession states, that it is the ministry of the Word that converts and grows the sheep of God, the gospel must be proclaimed anytime the Word is opened.[6] While it may be preached in a Christian church by a Christian preacher to a Christian people, if it is not Christ-centered, gospel proclamation, it is not a Christian message.[7]
While the composition of preaching, as mentioned, ought to be contextual, expositional, and Christ-centered, the delivery of preaching ought to be examined as well. In order to meet this qualification, preaching ought to be clear, passionate, and compassionate. Spurgeon states it is the duty of a minister to give a clear testimony of the gospel; thus, the composition needed in preaching is clarity.[8] This clarity must be felt in both the study and the proclamation of the minister. Part of the duty is that the minister understands clearly the message he is to preach. This lends back to the inclusion of contextual, exposition, and Christ-centered study. Spurgeon continues by stating that if a minister is not clear on what he is preaching so as rather show forth the glories of Christ, he will leave his congregation in a luminous haze.[9] The preaching of Christ must be clear to both the preacher and the hearer, but it must also be passionate. It is not enough for the preacher to see the glory of God clearly, but as Wilson states, the preacher must feel the gravity of the glory of God that he has seen, and the souls at stake that will be hearing it.[10] The motive for this clear and passionate proclamation of the glory of God must be clear as well. Why is it that we preach? For fame, or the sake of being seen and heard? God forbid. The motive of preaching must be the congregation and the minister’s love. Wilson again conveys that while passivate preaching may be common, a rare necessity is the compassionate preaching that erupts from a love for those who should hear it.[11]
Overall, the gospel informs every aspect of preaching because it is the central message of Scripture. It is this reason that the apostle Paul declared to the Corinthians that he was determined to know nothing among them except Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2). The gospel must not be assumed; it must permeate every aspect of preaching, from the study to the proclamation itself. Furthermore, the preacher himself must be sustained by the gospel, recognizing his calling as a minister of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18), to deliver the message of the gospel that was delivered to him (1 Cor. 15:1)
[1] Edmund P. Clowney, The Message of 1 Peter (The Bible Speaks Today Series), (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press), 55.
[2] Jared C. Wilson, Gospel-Driven Ministry: An Introduction to the Calling and Work of a Pastor (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan), 59.
[3] Ibid. 60.
[4] Robby Gallaty and Steven W. Smith, Preaching for the Rest of Us: Essentials for Text-Driven Preaching (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group), 147.
[5] Jared C. Wilson, Gospel-Driven Ministry: An Introduction to the Calling and Work of a Pastor (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan), 59.
[6] 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, 14.1.
[7] MBTSOnline, “Intro to Pastoral Ministry - Jared Wilson - Unit 4 Lecture,” YouTube video, 26:39, September 1, 2023,
[8] Charles H. Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students: Practical and Spiritual Guidance for Preachers (Volume 1) (Green Bay, WI: Aneko Press), 90–91.
[9] Ibid. 96.
[10] Jared C. Wilson, Gospel-Driven Ministry: An Introduction to the Calling and Work of a Pastor (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan), 62.
[11] Ibid. 64.