Paul's command to Timothy was straight to the point, "Preach the Word." He had already set the example in his own ministry, "For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God" (Acts 20:27). What a great calling! What a serious calling! What a sacred calling! Unfortunately, we seem to have a new generation of preachers today who think preaching their ideas is preaching the Word. They do not know the difference between precept and prejudice. They believe if Dr. "So and So" preached it, it must be the Bible. No wonder the people are confused, disoriented, and discouraged. Jeremiah pronounced a curse upon those who said God had spoken when He hadn't.

I have marveled during some preachers' fellowships, as preachers would "Amen!" at some great oratory, but sorry theology. Just because "it will preach", doesn't make it true. Too much of our preaching today can be described as reading a verse, and then shouting through three stories that lift up the life and prejudices of the preacher.

Oh, how I long for good, old fashioned, Bible preaching! How I long for preaching that preaches the Word in context. How I long for preaching that thunders the precepts of God, the promises of God, and the power of God. How I long for preaching that “reproves, rebukes, and exhorts” on the authority of the Word of God, and not the verbosity or volume of the orator. How I long for preaching that turns men from their sinful ways and sinful attitudes.

As I read the preaching in the book of Acts, I read about preaching that brought men to the Saviour. Preaching that was straight to the point. Preaching that pulled no punches. And, even though I am not against some humor in the pulpit, I find none of it in the preaching of those first century giants who brought multitudes to the Saviour. The testimony of Paul's preaching at Corinth was this, "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God" (1 Cor. 2:4,5). Men of God, let us rise up and accept the charge, "Preach the Word."

Dr. Mike Allison, Madison Baptist Church – Madison, Alabama
www.MadisonBaptist.com

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