On yesterday's things unseen, we were talking about preaching.

And I was commenting on how our forefathers believe that preaching was the chief means

of conversion and spiritual growth, but I suspect many Christians don't think that way

any longer.

Yes, our services should have a sermon, but for many Christians it's a kind of

added extra to their own Bible study or the House Group or some other Bible study program.

Why then did Jesus and the Apostles do so much of it?

Could it be that we're looking at things the wrong way round?

What if preaching is still meant to be the chief means of converting people and building

them up in their most holy faith? Why then isn't it doing that?

I saw a fascinating interview with the late John R. W. Stark, the distinguished Anglican

evangelical preacher. He was asked what he thought of this state of preaching today.

Can still hear his answer ringing in my ears, articulated in the beautifully modulated

accent of an upper-class graduate of the University of Cambridge. He replied with one word.

Miserable. That really hurts if you're a preacher.

But if Dr. Stark was right, and he certainly believed in the centrality of preaching,

then the problem today is not so much preaching, but preachers.

And I think we need to think seriously about that. Wherein lies the problem?

Well, we can all think of answers. In a moment I want to mention one in particular that we need

to think about. But here's one answer. You might think that the answer is that there are men

who preach, who shouldn't. They want to serve the Lord. Preaching is one of the most obvious

ways to do that, and so they become ministers, but they're not actually gifted to preach.

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