“One of the great pleasures in life is conversation.”
— Sydney Smith, 19th Century English essayist
What is the point of preaching? Preaching is not just giving commentary or information about the Bible or offering advice on how to live a better life—it is how God shapes His people. From the Old Testament prophets to the apostles until the present, God has spoken through human voices to guide His people, forming hearts, training minds, and nurturing a community alive to His presence and purposes. Through preaching, God’s truth becomes tangible in the life of the church, calling, correcting, and guiding the congregation into the life He intends for them.
Communication
To preach the gospel is first to communicate. God’s truth is ultimate reality, independent of human invention. It transcends comprehension yet is intelligible because of God’s grace and our creation in his image. His truth in Scripture crosses cultures and generations, penetrating hearts to transform minds and lives, engaging them in the life of God.
Divine communication is not abstract, like the Gnostics taught, nor a mystical “Force” like in Star Wars. Rather, truth is fleshed out, connected concretely to human experience through language and experience. Philip Brooks called preaching “truth through personality.” Haddon Robinson defined expository preaching as the application of Scripture through the personality and experience of the preacher. God speaks through human language and human persons.
Preaching shows how human life intersects with the divine rhythm, inviting the community into communion with the Triune God
The preacher is like a translator of a rich, mysterious language, rendering it intelligible and life-changing through study, prayer, interpretation, and application. In this way, the preacher becomes the channel through which God speaks.
Demonstration
Preaching is also demonstration. God is not an abstract concept but a living Person to be encountered. Truth is not merely a set of propositions; it is a lived reality, a dynamic interaction with the life of God. Preaching shows how human life intersects with the divine rhythm, inviting the community into communion with the Triune God—a dance drawing creation into harmony with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
N.T. Wright notes that Jesus did not merely speak of the kingdom of God; he was the kingdom made manifest on earth, embodying its values, love, and priorities in every action. Likewise, the preacher exemplifies God’s truth in thought, speech, and practice, making abstract theological concepts tangible in everyday life.
Preaching is…about modeling a life attuned to God’s presence
Robinson’s definition emphasizes that preaching must first “get under the skin” of the preacher to transform him from the inside out. Only then can he guide others. Preaching, therefore, is less about delivering information and more about modeling a life attuned to God’s presence—a life in which love, holiness, and obedience are visible and contagious.
Representation
Finally, preaching is representation. The preacher stands as God’s ambassador to the congregation and the congregation’s voice to God—a priestly role as mediator, guide, and interpreter. Preaching is a pillar of pastoral ministry: the intellectual and theological expression of shepherding. It is the mental work of guiding the flock—interpreting Scripture, connecting it to lived realities, and articulating the path God calls them to follow.
Through preaching, the shepherd helps the community understand God’s purposes and equips them to participate in His work. The preacher sets the tone for the corporate life of the church. Through careful teaching and insight, he models what it means to respond to God with reverence and devotion. He becomes both messenger and model—a visible representation of God’s presence and a faithful interpreter of the community’s prayers, concerns, and worship.
Conclusion
To preach the gospel is to bridge heaven and earth. It is to communicate divine truth with clarity, demonstrate the life God calls His people to, and represent God to humanity and humanity to God. It is a calling that touches every dimension of life—intellectual, emotional, spiritual, personal, and communal. The preacher’s vocation is the marriage of divine truth and human experience, showing a unique community how to live fully in God’s presence and purposes.
This is what it means to preach the gospel.