If the Word of God is to come alive in the pulpit, it will necessitate the death of the preacher, according to Steven W. Smith in his new book Dying to Preach (Kregel).
As Smith asserts, "The inestimable challenge of preaching is at once to grow in the development of the task while simultaneously giving it away—that is, being willing to die for people so they might live. This means a preacher will care deeply about preaching while at the same time surrendering his communication to God…The death to self that is demanded of the preacher works life in his people."
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The first section of Smith's book offers Paul's discussion of ministry in terms of suffering through an extended discussion of passages from 1 and 2 Corinthians. He observes that "Paul exchanged his life for the life of the Corinthians. He died for them. He died so they could live." Indeed, says Paul, "the success of Paul's ministry was related directly to the amount he was willing to suffer."
The second chapter applies this concept more specifically to preaching through an exposition of
1 Corinthians 2:1-5. In contrast to the rhetorical showmanship offered by the professional speakers of his day, who used speaking as a vehicle for entertainment and profit, Paul insisted on focusing on the simplicity of the gospel message.
Applying that idea to contemporary preaching, Smith writes, "There is a host of literature telling the preacher how he can find a style that best reflects the culture of the audience and use that style to communicate effectively with the audience. It makes sense. However, here Paul is saying, ‘Look, I know exactly the kind of style that you like, and I am intentionally not using it.'…Paul's fear is that if he so closely identified his preaching with the expected Greco-Roman forms, they might like it. In fact, they might like it so much that they might understand his style as foundational to their faith. His desire was that their ‘faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God' (
v. 5)."
Thinking of preaching in terms of artistry and performance does not accomplish the primary purpose of our calling, Smith says, which is "the exaltation of Christ through His Word. My fear is that my preaching will groom a new generation of pew sitters, perfectly skilled to recognize a gem when they hear it but still ignorant of what God says, not filled with a sense of the pressing impetus on them to obey the Word. This is the kind of preaching that builds churches but does not make disciples."
In the second major section of the book, Smith explores the implications of the cross for preaching using four Scripture texts:
2 Corinthians 4:1-6,
Colossians 1:24,
Hebrews 13:10-14, and
Philemon 1:5-11.
