Bible engagement preaching …
There are approximately 37 million churches worldwide and 34,000 (Christian) denominations. If every church has only 1 service a week (most churches have more than 1 service), about 2 billion sermons are preached yearly!
That’s a lot of sermonizing, meaning the Bible is the most talked-about book in the world!
The state of preaching today.
This gets me wondering: how are preachers engaging with the Bible in their sermons, and what Scriptures are they emphasizing?
The researcher, Ed Stetzer, addressed this question, in part, in a June 2009 article in Christianity Today. Analyzing 450 randomly selected sermons by different North American preachers, he found that pastors organized and delivered their sermons in diverse ways. He also discovered that Matthew was the most preached book, Genesis the most preached Old Testament book, and Luke, John, Acts, and Romans the most likely books for preachers to use for their main text. More than 70 percent of sermons are a commentary on New Testament texts.
Stetzer’s research indicates that preaching, while Bible-based, isn’t based on the whole Bible. This is troubling, particularly in light of Paul’s words to Timothy that “all Scripture … is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3:16.
Why preaching the whole Bible is essential.
Note the phrase “all Scripture … is useful for teaching.” The text suggests that all 39 books of the Old Testament, and by extension, the 66 books in both Testaments, are profitable for training and instruction. Why are all the books useful for teaching? Because when preachers preach from the whole Bible, it provides us with the full range of meaningful encounters that we need to know and grow in Christ (cf. Luke 24:13-35).
The role of the preacher: Engaging the whole Bible.
Preaching from the entire Bible isn’t optional; it’s essential. To grow in spiritual maturity, people must feed on the whole counsel of God. So here’s a shout-out for preaching that connects us with every chapter and genre of Scripture in both Testaments.
That’s not to say that it’s feasible for a preacher to preach from every passage of Scripture, but it is to say that good preaching should engage the listeners with breadth and depth in the major acts of the whole Bible.
Connecting listeners with Jesus.
When preachers engage with the entirety of Scripture, they lead their congregations into deeper encounters with God’s truth and equip them to live out their faith in a transformative way. Thus, the aim of every preacher should be to connect the listener with Jesus and His Word. Not some of the Word, all of the Word. For we mature in our relationships with Jesus through engaging with His Word in its entirety.
Do you agree or disagree? Please share your opinion in the comments below.
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Summary
There are approximately 37 million churches worldwide, preaching billions of sermons each year, making the Bible the most talked-about book in the world. Research by Ed Stetzer reveals that while many preachers focus on New Testament texts, preaching from the entire Bible is essential for spiritual growth. Preaching from “all Scripture” helps believers experience the fullness of God’s message and grow in maturity. To deepen their relationship with Christ, preachers must engage their congregations with both the Old and New Testaments, offering the full counsel of God.
© Scripture Union Canada
