What is the Teach/Preach?
What
is the teach/preach? I have been
doing a lot of thinking about preaching in the last couple months. In fact, Bryan Catherman and I have
spent a lot of time recording podcasts, writing, and thinking about Christian
preaching and teaching. We agree
that every Christian is called to preach the Gospel at some level; meaning, all
Christians are called to explain the word of God to some group of people
whether it is their coworkers, family, or the congregation God has called them
to shepherd. The goal of all
preaching should be to explain the Word of God in a way that calls people to
submit their lives to Christ and to effect real change in the lives of our
listeners.
As
I have thought about Christian preaching and teaching I have identified what I
think to be the three primary forms we experience in the church. These include discussion, the
teach/preach, and pulpit style preaching. Take a look at my definitions below and let me know what you
think. I am particularly
interested in feedback on the teach/preach. I think the teach/preach is an underutilized and yet very
effective model of preaching that we utilize quite a bit at Risen Life Church.

I. Discussion – Use: one on one Meeting,
community group, friends getting together.
Mainly
opinion based discussion. Should
feel like a group of people brainstorming on a topic or text from the Bible
trying to arrive at correct understanding. The goal should be to create an honest wrestling with the
concepts of scripture. Often in
one on one meetings the topic may be unknown at the outset. In regularly meeting groups the main
points of what is to be discussed from the Biblical text should be prepared
beforehand and discussion should track with those points.
As
a called discussion leader, it is their responsibility to bring correct
thought, right answers, and right application to the discussion through a
Biblical text or a Biblically informed opinion. The leader should ask leading questions that drive the
listener to arrive on his own at the Gospel solution. If the listener never arrives at the solution, the leader
should deliver the answer. Arrival
at Gospel based solutions can be assisted by first creating some sort of
tension or disconnect in the listener and then resolving the tension with a
Gospel solution.
II. The Teach/Preach – Use: Bible study, larger
group settings, intimate retreats.
The
teach/preach combines elements of discussion as well as elements of more pulpit
style preaching. The teach/preach
should have an outline similar to a sermon. The main points are decided, there are key illustrations,
the text is definite. The
teach/preach is marked by sections of preaching with group discussion interspersed.
One
way to approach teach/preaching is to roll out questions that stir interest,
create tension on the subject, and evenly divide the audience along major
views. This helps to get at the
heart of the issue as each person is thinking about where they stand on what is
being taught. When the discussion
reaches its height of tension, it is the job of the preacher to preach the
Gospel answer similar to what he would do in the pulpit. The discussion has revealed a heartfelt
need and the questions have drilled into that need. The sermonic answers have fulfilled that need with the
Gospel. The intensity and length
of the discussion should track along with the importance of the points being
preached.
III. Pulpit Style Preaching – Use: Sunday morning
church, large gatherings, street corners.
Pulpit
style preaching is usually a monologue.
The main points have been decided from a Biblical text and put together
in a way that brings understanding of the text to the audience. The preacher’s sermon also moves from
an understanding of a text to the application of that text in the lives of the
listeners. Finally the sermon
should be delivered in a way that moves the hearers to make a change in their
life through the Gospel.
*The image above was used in accordance with the licensing agreements of WikiCommons and in no way reflects the views of the artist that produced the image.
*The image above was used in accordance with the licensing agreements of WikiCommons and in no way reflects the views of the artist that produced the image.
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