Evolution of a Preacher - A look back on 50 years of preaching

How does a preacher grow over the years?

My growth began at the Mount Dora (Florida) Bible School where I spent all of my school years from 1st grade through high school. In my senior year, I preached my first sermon (where I was the only preacher that night) in a little country church not far from my home. It didn't take me long to tell the folks all I knew, but I was launched! I took that same sermonette to at least one other church that year, maybe more.

A few years later, I was in New Zealand as a missionary - now a grauate of Alabama Christian College (AA, '58) and Harding (BA, '60) and a veteran of nearly two years of preaching part-time while earning my living in a "day job" as a computer programmer.

In New Zealand as I taught regular Bible classes I began to notice what I called a Pauline Characteristic. In the writings of Paul, there would be doctrinal teaching followed by a "therefore" and practical teaching based on the doctrine.

Following three years in New Zealand, I came to Sunset where my Biblical education really began (although when I left High School I thought I knew just about all I really needed to know!). I remember resisting Richard Rogers as he taught on grace - until it dawned on me that grace actually teaches us how to live (see Titus 2:11ff). Then I began to lap it up. Not long before I left Sunset in July 1967, I spoke in chapel. I started by listing some things that disturbed me - things like so many of the students spending so much money at the lunch wagon when other students were struggling to stay in school, students not volunteering in the Sunset personal evangelism program under Harold Taylor, and several other things of like nature. But then I said, "But what really disturbs me is that I hear so many sermons about things like this and we call it gospel preaching." (In the hall afterward, Richard said to me as he hurried by on his way to class, "I knew it wasn't you!)

While at Sunset, I discovered that my "Pauline Characteristic" was not limited to Paul - that the other New Testament writers and even the Old Testament prophets did the same thing! Practical teaching was based on a doctrinal foundation. It was much later that I heard the expression "the indicative imperative." For English scholars, this means a command to do based on what you are. The indicative declares what you are or what is; the imperative is the mood of command. The indicative declares what God has done for us; the imperative tells us what we are to do because of what God has done. But I had not put it all together yet. It was much later before I realized what this really means - that I need to encourage people to BE before I tell them what to DO.

After leaving Sunset for a second stint in New Zealand, I had opportunity to continue my studies on my own and with people I found in New Zealand who were well advanced in their own studies.

Through experience and more mature study, I began to realize more of what God's grace means to me in my own life - and therefore began to realize more about how to present the gospel to others.

I'm not sure at what point it dawned on me that if the apostles and prophets wrote basing their instruction about what we are to do on the doctrine they taught, that maybe I ought to preach that way. It was about the same time that I realized that the doctrine was always what God had done for his people - and that because of what God has done, here is how we are to live. Here again is the indicative imperative. We do because of the truth of what God has done.

It was still later that I began to sharpen my understanding of what God has done for us to the cross. Of course, I always knew the cross was important; it was there that Jesus shed his blood that forgives my sins. But I knew that even when I was still a legalist trying to deserve God's favor. I still didn't have a clue about what it meant for me to take up my cross and follow Jesus, not in ritual, but in practical, day-to-day living. I still did not understand how Paul could preach nothing save Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Some time about thirty years ago, I decided that I should preach at least 1 sermon each week based on Jesus - something he did or said, something prophecied about him, something one of the New Testament writers said about him, etc. I still was not tying it all together and putting it on the cross. But I was making progress. It was at this time, that my preaching began to develop more depth and power, because even though I did not understand it, the simple story of Jesus has power beyond that of the messenger.

Gradually, my focus shifted from Jesus to Christ crucified. I began to understand 1 Corinthians 2:2, though my understanding is still shadowy even now. I began to see that all that I am to do, I do because of the cross. In fact, if the cross is not the reason for it, it is likely not really a part of the gospel message.

Now, the indicative imperative drives all of my preaching. God has acted; therefore here is how I am to respond. Before, I preached what men must do - without ever giving them a compelling reason to do it. Now, the reason is bound up in what God has done for us in Jesus and him crucified. A good scriptural basis for this is Titus 3:8. "Stress these things so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themelves to doing what is good...." What are "these things?" Look back to 2:11 - 3:7 to see the great doctrines of grace in all of its facets as the motivation for God's people to do what is good.

I sincerely believe preachers - and their congregations - will be a lot less frustrated when they base their appeals for action of any kind on the simple story of what God has done, is doing, and has promised to do for his people.

For now, I remain between better and best and trust you are the same.