The epitome of modern preaching is the slick evangelist who overstates every emotion, struts around the platform with a microphone wired to his ear, and gets the audience clapping, stomping, and shouting while he incites them into an emotional frenzy. There's no meat to the message, but who cares as long as the response is enthusiastic?

Of course, preaching in most conservative evangelical churches is not that exaggerated. But sadly, even some of the best of today's preaching is more entertainment than teaching. Most churches typically feature a half-hour sermon with lots of amusing anecdotes but little doctrine.

In fact, many preachers think of doctrine as undesirable and impractical. A major Christian magazine once published an article by a well-known charismatic speaker. He mused for a full page about the futility of both preaching and listening to sermons that go beyond mere entertainment. His conclusion? People don't remember what you say anyway, so most preaching is a waste of time. "I'm going to try to do better next year," he wrote; "that means wasting less time listening to long sermons and spending much more time preparing short ones. People, I've discovered, will forgive even poor theology as long as they get out before noon." 2

That perfectly sums up the attitude that dominates most modern preaching. There is an obvious parallel between that kind of preaching and those trendy jeans0perfume0beer commercials. Like the commercials, it aims to set a mood, to evoke an emotional response, to entertain0but not necessarily to communicate anything of substance.

Such preaching is sheer accommodation to a society bred by television. It follows what is fashionable but reveals little concern for what is true. It is not the kind of preaching Scripture mandates. We are to "preach the word" (2 Tim. 4:2), "speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1), and "teach and preach...the doctrine conforming to godliness" (1 Tim. 6:2-3). It is impossible to do those things and always be entertaining.

If the tragic course of modern preaching is to be changed, Christians must insist on biblical preaching and be supportive of pastors who are committed to it. How does a pastor of integrity reach people who may be unwilling or even unable to listen to carefully reasoned expositions of God's truth? That may be the greatest challenge for today's Christian leaders. We cannot yield to the pressure to be superficial. We must find ways to make the truth of God known to a generation that not only doesn't want to hear, but may not even know how to listen.

© 2008 by Grace to You. All rights reserved.

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1 Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death (New York: Penguin, 1984), 104.
2 James Buckingham, "Wasted Time," Charisma (Dec. 1988): 98.