Hipster or Herald?

In his noteworthy book Hipster Christianity, Brett McCracken describes the modern faddish approach to the Christian faith as being "more concerned with its image and presentation and ancillary appeal" than with real substance. "It assumes that mere Christianity isn't enough or isn't as important as how Christianity looks and is perceived by the outside world." (1)

Relevance and contextualization outweigh biblical truth and distinctiveness. Regrettably, the leaders of this trendy movement are profoundly influencing a new generation of young ministers’not least in the area of preaching. The following is meant to be a direct word to young preachers, calling them back to the old and trusty paths of biblical proclamation.

1. Preach the Text

A significant portion of evangelical preaching today is largely personal illustrations, stories, histrionics, and practical tips for a well-adjusted life. I don't think I'm being unfair here. Examples of such homiletical infidelity are rife, and it is becoming increasingly hard to find faithful exposition. Therefore, young preacher, reject the faddish new measures of contemporary preaching. Preach the text. Be a servant of the Word and "present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed," who rightly handles "the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). On entering the pulpit, be sure to read the text carefully, explain it clearly, refer to it frequently, and apply it specifically. Faith is created and nourished by the Word of Christ (Rom. 10:17; 1 Pet. 1:23-25; 2:2). God's Word alone, by his Spirit, is efficacious to save, sanctify, and comfort the elect. It is a primary means by which Christ communicates his saving benefits. Therefore, heed the inspired words of Paul: "Preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching" (2 Tim. 4:2).

2. Preach Christ Crucified

The bold heralding of the person and finished work of Jesus Christ are the essence of faithful preaching. It is no stretch to say that preaching devoid of Christ can hardly be called Christian preaching. Daniel Baker, the notable nineteenth-century Southern Presbyterian preacher, rightly expressed that "the sermon that does not distinctly present Christ in the beauty and glory of his mediatorial character is no better than a cloud without water, a casket without a jewel, a shadow without the substance or a body without the soul." (2)

Summarizing the apostolic preaching ministry, Paul declares, "We preach Christ crucified" (1 Cor. 1:23a). Subsequently he writes, "And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:1-2). Moreover, to the Galatians the apostle describes his preaching as that which publicly placards the atoning death of Christ (Gal. 3:1). Commenting on this passage, Calvin writes: "Let those who would discharge aright the ministry of the gospel learn, not merely to speak and declaim, but to penetrate into the consciences of men, to make them see Christ crucified, and feel the shedding of His own blood." (3)

Therefore, young preacher, preach Christ and him crucified. Like the apostles, devote yourself to proclaiming Christ from all of Scripture (Col. 1:28-29). May you never be found guilty of preaching Christ-less or gospel-less sermons. When these are not easily discernible in the text, labor hard to make those gospel connections (cf. Luke 24:27, 44; Acts 2:14-41). Whenever you preach, devote yourself to joyfully announcing the good news that God "loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10b).

3. Preach the Imperatives

A troubling trend in contemporary preaching is the emphasis upon the indicatives of Scripture to the neglect of the imperatives. (4) Afraid to offend, many young preachers are reluctant to explain and apply God's law in its various uses’especially the third use that functions as a guide for Christian living. If the law is mentioned at all, it is referred to only as a mirror that shows us our sin and an impossible standard that can never be met, thus highlighting mankind's colossal need for Jesus Christ, the perfect law-keeper and sin-bearer. To be sure, this guilt-exposing, need-revealing function of the law must always play a central role in preaching, but so must the law's function as an inspired blueprint for godliness. God's moral law, summarized in the Decalogue and woven throughout Scripture, is meant to do more than just expose the sinner's inner corruption and spiritual privation. It is also meant to teach the regenerate how to "walk in a manner worthy" of their Christian calling (Eph. 4:4), and how to pursue holiness in every area of life (cf. 1 Pet. 1:14-16).

Some may be secretly worried that preaching God's commands will potentially undermine the gospel; an emphasis upon imperatives might lead to new forms of legalism or even weaken the believer's assurance. Undoubtedly, Christ-less preaching can produce these adverse effects. However, the faithful preaching of biblical imperatives (that which is built upon gospel indicatives) in no way compromises the good news. The very structure of Paul's Epistles underscores this point. (5)

The framers of the Westminster Confession of Faith wrote that rather than contradicting the gospel, the proper uses of God's law "do sweetly comply with it" (cf. WCF 19.7). As a guide for the Christian life, the law sweetly complies with the gospel and should be viewed by every Christian as a precious gift from God, not a burden: "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome" (1 John 5:3). Kevin DeYoung writes that "there is nothing sub-Christian in talking about obedience to God's commands. There is nothing inherently anti-gospel in being exhorted to keep the imperatives of Scripture. There is nothing ungracious about divine demands." (6)

Young preacher, does your preaching reflect a faithful emphasis upon the third use of the law? Are you boldly teaching the flock how to live in the light of God's sovereign grace? Renew your commitment to preach the "whole counsel of God." Devote yourself not only to proclaiming the free gospel of grace, but also to teaching God's people how to live in the light of it. The law cannot save, but in the hands of the Spirit it is a tool of sanctification for every believer.

4. Preach with Authority

Preachers are called to be courageous messengers of God's authoritative truth, not timid crowd-pleasers (2 Tim. 1:7). They are called to declare, "Thus says the Lord." However, today we too often hear preachers gingerly and even apologetically tiptoeing through texts so as not to offend. This is a far cry from what we witness in the ministries of the prophets, the apostles, and the Lord Jesus Christ. They preached with power and authority. Those who heard them recognized it. There was something different about their preaching. It was not like the ear-tickling preaching of the false prophets or the self-aggrandizing preaching of the Pharisees. They preached with authority because they knew that they were preaching the authoritative Word of God.

In a sermon on pastoral fidelity, Thomas Smyth (1808-1873), a Presbyterian minister in Charleston, South Carolina, wrote:

Reckless of popularity, reputation, or comforts, [the faithful preacher] will proclaim the truth plainly and boldly. In common life he is the willing, humble servant of all men; and of all men most defenseless and unprotected, and ready to receive instruction and reproof from a little child. But his message in the sanctuary rolls over crowned and anointed heads; the king and the slave are alike unto him, and with a faithful and unsparing hand he will humble them alike into the dust. The unlettered man and the wise shall bow to the wisdom of God, and the weak and the strong together shall tremble at his power. Out of the pulpit the preacher knows no man below, and in the pulpit he knows none above him. (7)

These are timeless words that every minister should take to heart. Young preacher, as a lion for the Lord's cause and a lamb for your own, preach Scripture with boldness and authority’confident that it's not your own word you preach, but the living and abiding Word of God.

5. Preach with Seriousness and Dignity

The preacher is called to be a royal ambassador of the crucified, risen, and exalted Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:20). The preacher's message and appearance, therefore, should reflect the seriousness and dignity of his office and divine calling. Leading hipster preachers in our day, however, sometimes fail to communicate godly dignity when they incorporate salty language and inappropriate themes in their sermons. One hipster megachurch in the South discourages children under the age of twelve from attending public worship with their parents because of the explicit content in the sermons.

Moreover, dignity in preaching is severely impaired when pastors refuse to dress suitably for the occasion, or even appropriately for their age. There are reasons why presidents and prime ministers dress formally. They hold a dignified office, and they want people to take them, and what they say, seriously. In the late 1960s, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones once lamented that a nearby London preacher took great pains to "have his hair waved once a week and maintains an artificially produced tanned appearance of his skin." (8) If only he knew what was happening today! This does not mean, of course, that every preacher must wear a Geneva gown or a three-piece suit and speak in the Queen's English. It does mean, however, that the preacher's message and appearance must, if possible, communicate the seriousness and dignity of his holy calling.

Do This, Not That

Young preacher, beware of the faddish trends of contemporary preaching and preachers. Devote yourself to preaching sermons that are textual, Christ-centered, authoritative, serious, dignified, and full of robust application. This is a faithful and enduring ministry. Not only will this kind of preaching bring a modern reformation to the church and a bold witness to the world, it will also serve, both in the study and the pulpit, to sanctify the preacher. The choice is yours: Will you be a cool hipster or a holy herald?