On yesterday's Things Unseen, we were talking about preaching.

And I was commenting on how our forefathers believed 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. Stott, the distinguished Anglican

evangelical preacher. He was asked what he thought of the state of preaching today. I 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. Stott 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.

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