By Mark E. Yurs
The teaching ministry Blackwood envisioned was conducted largely through preaching. Largely, but not exclusively. He was also a strong advocate of pastoral work, and that in more than the book by that title. As for the minister's use of time, he expressed his vision of the ideal when he said, "Morning hours in the study, later hours among the people, a crowning hour in the pulpit -- all of these mean much or little, spiritually, according to the degree of a man's fellowship with Christ."21 When he summarized the characteristics of a teaching minister, he put pastoral work first in order: "be a faithful pastor of the flock, a diligent student of the Book, and a helpful preacher of the Gospel."22
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He believed in pastoral calling for the sake of the people and not simply for the sake of one's preaching. He did not consider himself a good "mixer" -- to use his term -- but he was ready to serve the Lord as a home-going minister. He nonetheless felt every call should have a worthy purpose and not be mere socializing.23
Before bringing to a close this section of Blackwood's ideals for the teaching ministry, we would be remiss if we did not present his views concerning the Sunday evening service. Blackwood was a strong advocate of the evening service in the era when it was already beginning to lose power. In many of our denominations it is now a relic of the past. Blackwood felt the demise of the evening service was disastrous. He remarked, "In as far as I can see and judge, if local Protestantism contents itself with a one-hour-a-week schedule for the public worship of God, our part of the Church will be on the way out."24
With reverent pride, he claimed to have been able to conduct evening services that were well-attended. When he referred to his success with evening services, his intent was to encourage younger workers, not draw praise for himself. In each of the pastorates he served, he was told an evening service would be impossible. Yet, under God, he proved the nay-sayers wrong. He hoped his experience would foster a form of apostolic optimism in others.25
III. A Legacy of Sturdy Principles
The teaching minister prepares and delivers individual sermons. While Blackwood had much to say about the directions of a teaching ministry, he kept the individual sermon in constant view. This brings us to a discussion of the principles he advocated in terms of the preparation of sermons.
Purpose stood out in importance for Blackwood. For him, purpose was always practical, and it governed everything having to do with the sermon's growth and development. "The purpose has to do with moving the will of the hearer to action, which may be only within the heart."26 The purpose, determined early and preferably written down, should be used to guide all the remaining work, particularly the difficult decisions of what to include and exclude.
Structure also loomed large in importance for Blackwood. He understood this word to refer to "the bony framework of a sermon that lives and moves so as to reach a certain goal."27 This structure may or may not stand out to the hearer, but it cannot be ignored by the preacher. It is an aid to both the writing and the delivery of the message. The structure should not be wooden or predictable from week to week, but moving and varied. The structure of each sermon should be marked by unity, order, symmetry, and progress.
