02-The Preacher Must Instruct

Why begin with instruction? For this reason: unless I begin –
as, in any case, I believe it is right to begin – with
instruction, I fear that many will get the impression from
what follows that I advocate a kind of preaching which is all
emotional, frothy, entirely lacking in substance, something
bright and breezy, worthy – if that’s the word! – of a stand-
up comic, a cheeky chappie. Nothing could be further from
the truth. I am not calling for preaching which is devoid of
solid fact, reason and argument. Far from it! I am not asking
for preaching which is emotional and nothing more, jokey
and mere sentiment and anecdote. The preacher does not
stand before his hearers to amuse them. He has much more
serious business on hand than that!