The Importance of Preaching

How is preaching vital for the health and stability of a church? Why is preaching so essential? Should preaching be the priority of the worship gathering?

In this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast Dr. Richard Caldwell and host, Dr. Josh Philpot talk to us about the importance of preaching. Dr. Philpot asks these questions of Dr. Caldwell in all seriousness because many churches these days have downplayed the vital importance, essential place, and authority of God's Word being preached in His church. Dr. Caldwell says it's important because God says so. We don't have to work to try to figure out what makes for a healthy church. God, in His Word, has emphasized what pleases and glorifies Him in His church.

Dr. Caldwell says the New Testament is full of examples of the importance of preaching. Jesus, himself, while on this earth, went about preaching and doing good, always delivering to others what the Father gave Him to give. Looking at the Apostles you see the importance they gave to preaching all through the book of Acts. Examples include Acts 2, 3, 4, 5:20-21, 29, Acts 6:2-4 and so much more even with the Apostle Paul. When we come to the Epistles, we see him exhorting his assistants, Timothy and Titus, about how the household of God should function and what's important in it. In 2 Timothy 4 he charges them to "preach the Word", this is an imperative, therefore is not to be ignored. How we hear from God is through the preaching of His Word. By looking at church history we can see that healthy churches had healthy pulpits with healthy preaching. However, says Dr. Caldwell, it should not be isolated from the other means of grace that God has given to His church. It