The Importance of Preaching

By: Fernando Diaz

(Rom. 10:14-17)

Not too long ago I was having a discussion with a friend of mine who is one of the leaders of the youth ministry at his church. He was sharing with me of the format of the youth services, and I must say, I was appalled of what I heard.  This dear Brother told me that the Youth Pastors decided that they didn’t want to have a “boring Sunday morning type of service” (that was the term used in the conversation.) They took out the Praise and Worship and the preaching of the Word and now it’s more like a hang out spot.  All this to make the services more appealing to the youth.

It is sad to see how the Modern Church have made the choice to entertain and not edify the Body of Christ; that’s what happens when the Message of the Cross is not preached. Can there still be a moving of the Spirit if the Preacher doesn’t preach the Cross? Absolutely not.  The Bible clearly says that the Preaching of the Cross is the “POWER OF GOD.” (1 Cor. 1:18)  Without the Power and the Anointing of the Holy Spirit, what’s being said behind the pulpit, is nothing but a “motivational speech.” It is a sad and harsh reality. 

You the Reader must understand this: the Cross is not some doctrine among a collection of doctrines, but it is the fundamental backbone of all Biblical Doctrines.  By removing the Cross and preaching something else is like selling a cheap infomercial product to the people.  Unfortunately there are many that buy that cheap product, ignoring the spiritual consequences, which is death, spiritual death that is, which is separation from God (Rom. 6:23)

No sermon or teaching is effective or legitimate for that matter if the Cross of Christ is not the foundation of what’s preached or taught.  If you read the text reference below this article’s heading, you will see that the Apostle Paul is talking about the importance of preaching.  You will also see in verses 14-15 in Chapter 10 of Romans Paul uses the word “they”, “they” as in all of humanity. Souls are at stake, sinners are going to Hell and Believers are living in a cold and dead religion. 

Preaching is important because it tells the Sinner how to get saved, it tells the Church how to live a Sanctified and Victorious Life which is Faith in the Finished Work of Christ.  True preaching of the Gospel doesn’t promote a twelve-step program, it only talks about ONE step, and it’s Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.  True preaching of the Gospel encourages Believers to seek the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, but points out that it’s through what Christ did at Calvary that gave the right to the Holy Spirit to not only dwell in us permanently (1 Cor. 3:16-17) but also to come over us (Acts chp. 2)

Without the Cross, everything else is a waste of time. I leave you with these words quoted by Charles Spurgeon: “Preach not calmly and quietly as though you were asleep, but preach with fire and pathos and passion.”