Why a Good Pastor is "Preachy and Theological"

Why a Good Pastor is “Preachy and Theological”

In a recent article about mega-church pastor, Joel Osteen, one admirer says that Osteen’s success is due to the fact that he is not “preachy or theological.” In other words, people are attracted to Osteen because he offers a message that is not the typical preaching of the Bible nor are his messages weighted down by theological matters. Although this endearment is not shocking considering that we live in a culture that is friendly to a therapeutic, feel-good message, it is no less disturbing. Since when did being “preachy” and “theological” become something that is unfitting for a pastor? Do we really believe that these are characteristics that should not fit the modern-day pastor? While it is not my intent to decipher the manifold styles of preaching nor to discuss whether every minister of the Gospel should be a theologian, per se, it is my intent to show that every good pastor will be a preacher and he will be grounded in sound theology.

We cannot interpret exactly what Osteen’s admirer meant by “preachy,” but we can infer that he was speaking of the strong, declaratory heralding of God’s Word that has been normative throughout church history. Paul admonished young Timothy to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2). For the believer, consistent exposition from the Scriptures is the sustenance and food for the body of Christ. For the pastor, preaching the Scriptures is his primary task and calling. The pulpit is the key to a healthy, robust church. It is the world that will always consider preaching to be “foolishness,” but for the church it is the “power of God.” We should expect the unbeliever to have a low tolerance for preaching from the Scriptures, if he has any tolerance for it at all. It should be no surprise to us that skeptics would make fun of preaching to the point that the very idea “to preach” is seen in a negative light. They say, “O, stop preaching at me.” Or they say, “get off your soap-box.” The world sees preaching as foolishness. This is not a secret. Who would want to get up on a beautiful Sunday morning (some people’s only day off) and choose to sit and listen to a man expound on an ancient text? Surely the beach is calling or the boat is beckoning their name! It comes as not surprise that people of the world have a low regard for “preaching” as defined by the Bible. What is stunning, however, is when those within the church start to view solid, biblical preaching as unseemly for today’s preacher. More acceptable is when someone speaks positive, motivational words that can sooth the emotions and bolster the ego. This, however, is not preaching. It can be classified as oratory, a speech, or even a sermonette; but it is not preaching. True preaching will entail exactly what 2 Timothy 4:2 says. First, true preaching will investigate, refute, and expose wrong philosophies that run contrary to God’s will (reprove). Secondly, true preaching will warn people of their error and point them to their only solution (rebuke). Thirdly, true preaching will loving invite people to adhere to Christ and the Gospel (exhort). All of this is to be done with “complete patience and teaching.” In other words, the message will not be jammed down people’s throats. The word will challenge, convict, and console, all with love and patience from the pastor’s heart.

Today’s culture may prefer and clamor for a kind of preaching that is alien to the Bible. People may flock to hear soothing words that appeal to the esteem of man. In the midst of this delusion, the true preachers of the Gospel must continue to be faithful------even if they are labeled too “preachy.”

2 Timothy 4:3-5 (The Message Paraphrase)

 You're going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy.

 They'll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages.

But you—keep your eye on what you're doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God's servant.

In our next blog we will look at why a good pastor will be theological.