The Art of Preaching
By Anthony Casperson
11-5-22

As a person who literally majored in preaching for my bachelor’s degree, I tend to tweak a little bit when people use the word “preach” with a connotation of browbeating, forcing one’s opinion on others, and self-righteously lecturing in the most annoying way.

And though I normally let the disturbing feeling slide, this absconding of the word “preach” to label the statements of people who won’t shut up has happened too many times in recent days for me to not say something about it. Especially, given the overly politicized leanings of the wrongful use of the word.

For this reason, I felt it good to consider a more proper definition. Instead of blaming people who incorrectly use the word, or have only seen it used in this way and know no better, let’s take a look at the origin of the word and context of preaching in the bible.

To begin, this English word comes from Latin, where it carries the idea of “to declare before” or “to proclaim.” Basically, it’s used of people who stand up to speak. Oration in general.

In a similar vein, falls the Greek word that we followers of Jesus translate as “preach” in the bible. Although, it adds the concept of a herald or messenger who has been invested with public authority. Thus, the one preaching has something important to say, at the behest of another. They have a poignant message that needs to be told to others.

And if we turn to the Old Testament, the word “preach” is most often used to translate two different Hebrew words. The first is used solely to describe the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes. Seven times, this individual is called “the Preacher.” This word’s built off of the Hebrew for assembling. So, it’s got the thought of the person for whom a crowd of people gathers to hear. Again, an orator.

However, the second Hebrew translation is found in more poetic uses. Quite often, linked with prophesying in a linguistic parallel. Thus, we can see a link between preaching and prophecy. Even more so when we understand that this word has the idea of letting something drip or flow. Essentially, the preacher is one who lets the words of God flow out of them. A message that has an origin from God rather than the mouth of the one speaking. And thus, would narrow down to God as the authority of the one for whom the preacher speaks an important word.

Notice that none of these definitions have anything to do with coercing, compelling, or pushing something down a person’s throat. And definitely not speaking in an annoying manner. If anything, the message being delivered is of so much importance that the hearers would want to hear it, or at least should hear it.

How should we properly use the word “preach” then?

Well, before I answer that question, let’s look at one more clarifying aspect in this correlation between preaching and prophecy.

Have you ever paid attention to the way that the words are written in most of the prophetic sections of the Old Testament? (And I’m assuming that at least some of us have ventured into those strange linguistic lands.) Quite often, they’re printed in a center-justified position. The way that the poetic parts are as well.

This is because much of biblical prophecy is poetry as well. A pleasant aesthetic added to the very words of God. A pretty form that encapsulates some of the beauty of the God who desires to speak truth to his people.

(Though it does break my flow a bit, I feel it necessary to mention the tendency for prophecy/preaching in the bible to not focus on speaking about future events—foretelling—as most people assume when we refer to prophecy. Instead, a much larger amount of these poetic messages are focused on teaching the people of God how to live in the present moment in accord with the ways of God—forthtelling.)

So, let’s run this one more time, in a concise manner. 1.) Prophecy and preaching are linked enough to basically be considered synonymous. 2.) Much of prophecy is given in an aesthetically pleasing poetic form. 3.) Preaching is the oration of an important message given for the sake of the authority of another.

Do you know what it is that I consider to also be able to boil down to an aesthetically pleasing message? What’s both pretty and poignant?

Art.

I’ve spoken concerning my perspective about good and lasting art being something that’s both pretty and poignant elsewhere, so I won’t rehash that understanding here. But let it be known that to this person, who should have an intimate grasp on preaching—considering that it was my major in college and something that I have performed hundreds of times over the past couple decades—that preaching is an artistic expression of public speaking that has an authority behind it. Specifically, for we followers of Jesus, that authority is God.

Now, does this mean that everyone who calls themselves a preacher follows this idea? No. There are plenty of individuals who have stolen the art of preaching and abused it for their political machinations or self-righteous lecturing. But those words they spoke were not preaching—no matter how much they say that was the result of their task.

Any words that don’t showcase God’s beauty, while speaking the truth of God, are not preaching. Not for we followers of Jesus.

People can stand behind a pulpit and speak all sorts of words, but unless they speak the very truth of God while reflecting his glorious beauty, it is not preaching. Teaching, lecturing, cheerleading, or forcing one’s opinions upon others, maybe. But not preaching.

So, my plea in this blog is to stop using the word “preach” for our cultural tendency to describe negative examples of human speech. Don’t allow preaching to be considered synonymous with an ideological forcing of one’s opinion onto others. Stop maligning the beautiful union of God’s truth proclaimed through his herald.

And let preaching be the artistic expression of God’s truth that it has long actually been.