7 Requirements for an Effective Preaching Ministry

Colossians 1:28-29 "We proclaim him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.  I labor for this, striving with his strength that works powerfully in me."

This passage gives us seven requirements for an effective preaching ministry.

1) Evangelism.  "We proclaim him."  Effective preaching requires evangelism.  The preacher must proclaim the gospel often and call for a decision.  One way to include the gospel in every sermon is with the following formula:  First, present God's standard.  Second, point out that we all fall short of God's standard.  Third, offer the remedy of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  "Do the work of an evangelist (2 Tim 4:5)."

2) Warning.  "Warning and teaching."  The surgeon has to cut in order to heal.  The preacher must warn in order to save.  Preaching must not only be words of comfort and motivation, but words of admonishment.  The preacher must use God's word to warn of false teaching, the dangers of sin, the coming judgment, the reality and horror of hell, the discipline of God, and the schemes of the enemy. A father doesn't just encourage his children, but warns them of the many dangers in life. "I'm not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children (1 Cor 4:14)."

3) Teaching.  "teaching everyone."  The preacher is a Bible teacher, not merely a motivational speaker or a self-help guru.  His pulpit work is to read the word, explain the word, and apply the word.  The preacher must teach ALL of God's word; not only the promises, but the precepts.  Not merely the comforts, but the corrections.  Not merely the encouragements, but the exhortations.  Not merely Christ's death, but His demands and the disciple's duties.  The preacher must show how God's word speaks to the major issues in the believer's life, and to the major problems in culture.  He must not shy away from issues or passages because they are controversial, or because the Bible's teaching is offensive or politically incorrect.  "You know that I did not avoid proclaiming to you anything that was profitable or from teaching you publicly from house to house....  I did not avoid declaring to you the whole plan of God (Acts 20:20, 27)."

4) Wisdom.  "With all wisdom."  The preacher must be innocent as a dove, and wise as a serpent (Mt 10:16).  He must use every possible means to be winsome and persuasive.  He must apply wisdom to his preparation, delivery style, dress code, sermon length, illustrations, tone, and even to the way he interacts with people before and after church.  "Anyone with a wise heart is called discerning, and pleasant speech increases learning (Pr 16:21)."

5) Discipleship.  "so that we may present everyone mature in Christ."  The preacher's goal is not merely to evangelize, but to make disciples.  Not only to populate heaven, but to produce holiness.  The end-game is not a big crowd, but fully-devoted disciples.  The preacher must help his people to go deep in doctrine, high in worship, wide in evangelism, and long in godliness.  He must preach "so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3:17)."

6) Diligence.  "I labor for this, striving."  The preacher must work hard.  He must work harder at preaching than the doctor works on healing, than the carpenter works on building.  Preaching requires all diligence because it is the most important vocation, and it faces the most resistance.  Lazy preachers are no good to God, and no threat to Satan.  "Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I never stopped warning each one of you with tears (Acts 20:31)."

7) Dependence.  "striving with his strength that works powerfully in me."  The preacher must not only work hard, but must depend on God's strength.  Spiritual work can only be accomplished in the power of the Holy Spirit.  God's Spirit only anoints the preacher who is both diligent and dependent.  The dependent preacher spends must time in prayer, much time in personal devotions, much time studying the word for his own spiritual progress.  The dependent preacher strives to be fully-surrendered, fully yielded to God, so that he can be filled with the Spirit.  "Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified (1 Cor 9:27)."