Why We Do What We Do | Preaching Team
People ask me why FBC has multiple preachers and why I’m one of many who preach every Sunday. I understand the question since many (most?) churches have one preaching pastor who teaches almost every week of the year, and this has become a standard among Western evangelical churches. However, we believe that a preaching team that incorporates a variety of voices is healthy for both the church and the preaching pastors.
A Preaching Team is Healthy for the Church
We want our church family to gather every Sunday to hear God’s word and not to hear one particular person. It’s often the case that a church becomes associated with the one who preaches, and the “success” of the church is determined by whether or not the preacher is dynamic, inspiring, powerful, or attractive. Indeed, we believe that a preaching pastor must rightly handle the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15), admonish and teach everyone with wisdom (Colossians 1:28), and be able to clearly and effectively communicate God’s word to God’s people. However, the temptation with a one-person preaching pastor is to become enamored (or not!) with the pastor and come to Sunday gatherings for the person, not the Word of God. A one-person preaching team neglects the different gifting of those within the church with teaching gifts. A preaching team helps us guard against that sort of thinking.
A Preaching Team is Healthy for the Preaching Pastors
Preparing to preach is a lot of hard work! It takes a good chunk of my time each week I preach. My time is devoted to prayer, studying God’s word, reading books and commentaries, and writing my sermons. On weeks that I preach, my mind and heart consume themselves with what the Spirit is working in and through my work. It’s tiring, intense, and awe-inspiring, all wrapped up together. It’s a fantastic job!
However, several other things, besides preaching, stir my heart as a pastor at FBC. For one, my heart beats for discipleship and to equip disciple-makers. When I have a week or two off from preaching, I can devote more time to building into our Missional Community and Mentor Group leaders to do just that. I also have more time for meeting with members of FBC to hear their stories and share life with them. I get more time to write the curriculum for discipleship cohorts. I find space to implement staff training. I get to press into developing relationships with community leaders and other pastors in the valley. I find time for planning for future sermon series and thinking through different ways to grow our people in God’s word. I get to serve with our missionary teachers in Kids of Faith on Sundays, sometimes play guitar with the worship band, or have a more extended conversation with a hurting person on a Sunday morning.
The point is that implementing a preaching team allows preaching pastors the time to pour into other areas of ministry that are important, needed, and life-giving when they are not preparing to preach. In addition, a preaching pastor gets a level of mental and soul rest when they have a week off. We believe that this is a healthy rhythm for our preaching pastors.
I am so thankful for a church family that has learned to embrace this rhythm of a preaching team over the past couple of years. It is a joy to partner with you in the gospel, preach God’s word to you, and equip you to be Jesus’ servant ambassadors. I truly am blessed.
–Pastor Wade
