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The Difference Between 'Preaching' & 'Teaching' SIB Metro Church Leadership Training Lesson 6
conducted by Ronny Cham on Thursday Night at 8. What is the difference between
‘preaching’ and ‘teaching’? Often, we find it difficult to describe a
person as a preacher or a teacher. Some
even generally think of preaching as speaking forcefully, having a ready
command of scripture, making application and using illustrations, and exhorting
people to follow biblical concepts. Some consider teaching as presenting a
passage of scripture, commenting upon it, explaining and clarifying the
biblical passage clearly. Yet there
is overlapping of preaching and teaching as well. The knowledge of the difference between ‘preaching’
and ‘teaching’ is important to the extent that the ministry of ‘preaching’
and ‘teaching’ is the backbone of Church growth in size, stature
and maturity. Church leaders guard
this ministry zealously and jealously, but at times at the expense of Church
growth. A clear understanding of
the difference between ‘preaching’ and ‘teaching’ would
free the Church to grow as the Holy Spirit releases this ministry in the
Church. What does the Bible say about
‘preaching’ and ‘teaching’? The biblical meaning of the word
‘preacher’ in the Greek language usually mean
a ‘herald’. A herald is
usually referred to a person who announces a message for the king or some other
ruling authority to those who had not heard it before. Therefore ‘preaching’ is
generally referred to in the New Testament as announcing the good news and the
content of that good news centered around the theme of Jesus, Christ, the Word,
the Gospel, His Holy Spirit and the Kingdom of God. Who is a preacher? These are the evangelists. Jesus
in Matt 10:7, 8, 27, 28, Mark 16:15,16 and Luke 9:60
called His disciples to go preaching the Kingdom of God and the Gospel. In 2 Tim 4: 2-5 Paul admonished us
to preach in the word in season and out of season to fulfill our ministry as evengelists: “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince,
rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will
not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they
have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves
teachers ; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things,
endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
(NKJV) We can see this picture of the
‘preacher’ being an ‘evangelist’ very clearly in Mark
16:15-18 When Jesus said to the disciples, "Go into all the
world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will
be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who
believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new
tongues; they will take up
serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them;
they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." (NKJV). The evangelist – a herald indeed,
all disciples of Jesus, all believers of Jesus are called to go and preach the
Gospel. What does the New Testament say about
‘teaching’ or ‘teacher’? Jesus
in John 14:26 tells us that it is the Holy Spirit who will teach us all things,
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring
to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (NKJV) Jesus
also warn us that we should not be called
“teachers” as there is only one teacher, the Christ. In Matt 23:10, He said, “And do not be called teachers; for One is
your Teacher, the Christ.” But in verse 11, he declared that “But he who is greatest among you shall be
your servant.” (NKJV) In
the New Testament church therefore, the title of “Teacher” is not
to be used on any one, but whether one is called as an apostle, a prophet or a
teacher, these are ‘gifts’ of service to the Church, or
“servants”. This is clear
in 1 Cor 12:28-31, Paul said, “And God has appointed these in the church:
first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then
gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are
all teachers ? Are all workers of miracles? Do all
have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But
earnestly desire the best gifts.” (NKJV) Jesus,
the Lord, gave us these gifted servants such as apostles, prophets,
evangelists, pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work
of ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ. (See Ephesians 4:11-16) Teaching
in the New Testament is therefore a service for the equipping of the saints for
the work of the ministry and for the edifying of the Body of Christ. So,
while it is the Holy Spirit who will be teaching us everything, why then are
there teachers being given by the Lord to the Church? One profound scripture that answers this
question is found in 1 John 2:27, “But
the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not
need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning
all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you
will abide in Him.” (NKJV)
This clear means that the Holy Spirit teaches through His anointing upon
His Called servants with ability to teach, for the purpose of equipping the
saints for the work of ministry and for the edifying of the body of
Christ. The
Bible warns us against teaching the believers other doctrines (see 1 Tim 1:17),
admonishing us to teach sound doctrine to the believers and not turning them
from the truth to fables (see 2 Tim 4:3-5). This is because, the world is full of highly
trained, skillful teachers in every area of expertise, but the teaching of true
doctrines by teachers anointed by the Holy Spirit is quite a different thing
altogether because the subject matter of teaching in the Church is Christ and
His Word as contained in the Bible and the teacher must teaches what the Holy
Spirit wants to teach His people. Teachers
are therefore mature Christians in our midst, skilled in the word of
righteousness, of full age, those who by reason of use,
have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil and this is the
condition set out in Heb 5:12-14. Furthermore, a teacher must take heed of
this warning in James 3:1-2 “My
brethren, let not many of you become teachers ,
knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.” GENERAL
CONTRAST Preaching
vs Teaching Description
vs Explanation Images
vs Concepts Passion
for the heart vs Insight for the mind Invitational
vs Instructional The
lost vs The saved One
way vs Interactive From
the Called vs From any
believer Skilled
at Painting Word Picture Vs Skilled at asking questions Speak
out of your own experience vs Draw out the experience
of others Part
II to follow next Thursday Night at 8 Ronny Cham |
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