Following a rapid survey of the history of preaching, Michael Quicke (The Art and Craft of Biblical Preaching, ch. 14) raises some questions for today’s preachers.

1. What short-term and long-term effects are we aiming for?

‘Some preaching has immediate impact. Chrysostom confronted lifestyle issues of his urban congregation and critiqued aspects of the Byzantine Empire; Luther addressed Germans on every issue of moral, political, and social importance. Long-term effects of preaching are often dramatic. The Reformation began the modern era for Western civilization, shaping Christian Europe and seeding the modern missionary movement. It has promoted revival, reformed church life, and affected society.’

2. Does our preaching have spiritual vitality?

‘Preaching is a spiritual matter, marked from its New Testament beginnings by spiritual vitality (1 Thess. 1:5), gospel clarity (1 Cor. 15:3–4), cross-cultural relevance (1 Cor. 9:19–23), and boldness (Acts 4:13; 9:27). All preaching requires spiritual vitality. Is there now less belief in God’s presence in the preaching event? Is there less boldness today?

3.  ‘Are there church traditions today that preaching should challenge?’

‘At several points of its history, preaching needed to reform the church in its practices or doctrine. The Reformation was partly precipitated by a courageous attack on the wealth and privilege of the Roman church that sold guarantees (indulgences) about shortening purgatory. John Wesley preached out of concern for holy living and founded Methodism.’

4. How is preaching related to leadership?

‘Churches can easily become sidetracked by wealth, privilege, and complacency to downgrade doctrine. Preaching is involved in leadership as it focuses God’s will for his church expressed by correcting, rebuking, and encouraging (2 Tim. 4:2; cf. 3:16). This remains a difficult but necessary task for the twenty-first century.’

5.  ‘How much is doctrinal teaching needed today?’

‘Reformation and renewal are always associated with personal rediscovery of biblical text and doctrine after a time of biblical illiteracy. The clearest example is Martin Luther’s discovery of Pauline convictions about sin, grace, and justification by faith. Whenever preachers are personally committed to live out the Bible by explaining and applying its truth, preaching forms “people of the Book.” However, when preaching becomes mechanical and routine, it loses power, as in the Dark Ages.’

6. Where is apologetic preaching needed today?

‘Apologetic preachers seek to understand and confront current false teachings. Early New Age type Gnosticism was followed by a succession of attacks on orthodox beliefs about the divinity of Christ, the nature of salvation, and Christianity’s exclusive claims. Augustine remains the best example of a preacher whose intellect, exegesis, and doctrinal perspicacity defended orthodoxy against several rivals, such as the Pelagian heresy that diminished Christ’s role in salvation. In today’s relativism and spiritual diversity, preachers need to respond to rival opinion formers with clear apologetics for exclusive Christian claims.’

7. How can preachers achieve greater relevance?

‘Evangelistic preaching begins with lost people where they are. George Whitefield developed open-air preaching with great dramatic flair. Like Paul on Mars Hill, more recent seeker-sensitive preaching makes connections with contemporary authorities in order to establish the credibility of Christian claims. Bill Hybels at Willow Creek church represents this approach. Pastoral preaching, in which preachers respond to specific needs within the congregation, as with Fosdick, can engage appropriately. Are there fresh ways to ensure that good news is made relevant?’

8. ‘How does changing media and forms of communication affect preaching?’

‘In order to be heard and understood, preachers have always needed to relate to contemporary culture. In Jesus’ oral culture, the role of narrative was especially important. Classical preaching adopted rhetoric’s principles. Later, Reformation preaching took advantage of mass printing and gained previously unthinkable influence.

‘There is general agreement that Western modernity, influential for the last 250 years, is giving way to postmodernity, which calls for fresh sensitivity to communication styles. Today, preachers need to use all available technological resources and appropriate means of communication.’

9. Are today’s preacher’s willing to learn new approaches?

‘Through history, preachers have always benefited from preaching helps. Augustine’s textbook was seminal. In the Middle Ages, European universities published large numbers of primers—around 80,000 survive from the two centuries following 1150. John Broadus (1827–95) had influence in the early twentieth century and more recently Fred Craddock (b. 1928) and others have introduced new styles of biblical preaching—especially inductive and narrative preaching. It is important to stay open to valid developments in preaching’s theology and practice.’