DV* is the director of SBT:NI. SBT:NI is a network of churches and organisations which equip the emerging church in North India by training church planters and leaders to study, teach and apply God’s word effectively, who then train others to do the same.

India is a melting pot of religion. There are major religions, minor religions and post-modern religious groups. Most of these follow a tradition of preaching and teaching. But where the preaching of many religions is philosophical, mythical or more emotional, the Christian faith stands out. God’s living word, the Bible, should be the foundation, source and authority of any Christian preaching. We commit a colossal error if we think or imply that preaching is just lecturing or giving a pep talk. Biblical preaching is interpreting God’s living word, communicating his heart and intention to people in all walks of life. God’s word draws along struggling, sinful, rejoicing, grieving, confused, searching people to encourage, rebuke, build up and admonish. It speaks to our head, our heart, our souls and our lives. It is a light to our feet and a lamp to our path.

Yet biblical preaching has been fading over the past few decades. People are cold towards and disinterested in God’s word. It doesn’t affect their lives. And preachers lack passion for sharing God’s word. I’ve frequently observed that in a two-hour service, the duration of the sermon is between five and ten minutes. Often the sermon’s content is limited to positive ‘pick-me-ups’ and lacks any faithful Bible teaching. Both those in the pulpit and those in the pew are disappointed, disillusioned and are being led astray.

We need to seriously rethink and revive biblical preaching if we want to fulfil the biblical mission of sharing God’s word with the nations. Here are some observations we have gathered at SBT:NI, which influences how we teach church planters and Bible teachers:

  1. Practice what you preach: We have a saying, ‘the preacher is the post of preaching’, although ‘practice what you preach’ might be a clearer equivalent translation. One of the reasons for spiritual apathy and disinterest in God’s word is that the life of the preacher and the preaching do not match. If God’s word has no effect on the one speaking it, then the one listening has even less motivation to act in response. Actions speak louder than words. The author of Hebrews writes ‘Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith’ (Hebrews 13:7).
  2. Preach prayerfully: It is easy to think that the Apostle Paul was the most confident preacher of his day. But he reminds the Corinthians Christians of his weakness, great fear and trembling. He wasn’t eloquent, persuasive or considered wise by human standards (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). Without a prayerful reliance on our Father, preaching becomes an exercise in human insight, which is limited and riddled with blind spots and errors! God’s insight is perfect and unlimited. Do we know just how much we need God’s help? Follow’s Paul’s example: ‘pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains’ (Ephesians 5:19-20).
  3. Prepare before preaching: The Bible is not an ordinary book. It is a collection of 66 books written by 40 human authors inspired by God’s Spirit spanning centuries. Each book is written with a specific pastoral purpose, in a specific situation for a specific group of people. Although the same Holy Spirit inspired all the books of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16), each book is different. Biblical preaching aims to communicate, by the help of the Holy Spirit, the biblical message in the present context after understanding it in its original context, so that hearers may apply the truth in their own lives. Without adequate preparation, preaching will either be boring, repetitive or false.
  4. Preaching is for people: Biblical preaching connects with people and transforms their perspectives, and ultimately their lives. It helps get God’s word under people’s skin, so to speak. But, for this to happen, the hearers must be understood and appropriately related to. Paul’s preaching in Athens is a much-cited example of this (Acts 17:16-34). People’s language, culture, mentality, communication, priorities and problems need to be considered, which can be a complicated task! But preaching should not be complicated. Preaches should use everyday words not research paper language so people can understand, listen, take an interest in and accept God’s word. Preaching that both fails to understand its hearers and communicate simply is not compelling but boring, and worse, makes God’s word look irrelevant and exclusively for the intellectual.
  5. Preaching with purpose: The purpose of preaching is not to prove how excellent or erudite a speaker one is. It is not to merely relay information. It is not to show off one’s Bible handling. The purpose of preaching is for people to live out what they have heard in God’s word, after the preaching is done! Preaching is only the beginning of that process. Preaching should be so clear and practical that the connection between God’s word and everyday lives seems simple and is therefore lived out.

Pray for us as we work to train preachers who preach like this. We are working hard to foster a culture of faithful, engaging, thoughtful, practical biblical preaching that stands on God’s word and depends on prayer. Christians will be spiritually healthy when churches make faithful and clear preaching their priority, and healthy Christians will, in turn, build healthy churches.

* Real names not used due to security concerns, as hostility and opposition to Christians is increasing in North India.