The Narrow Path Ministries

I am aware of many of the differences between preaching and teaching of the gospel. It seems as though preaching is a call to the individuals who have not as yet received the gospel. Teaching is directed toward the individuals who have and would like further instruction into the life they have chosen to live from the BIble itself.

When I go to church the pastor gets up and preaches, an hour prior to this I have stood before our adult sunday school class and I teach. The main difference to me seems to be he more or less exhorts us to directions in our lives where Christ would want us to go calling on our passions and desires. I do the same thing calling from the direction of the reasoning from the Word of God. There's a little of his "preaching" in my teaching and my "teaching" in his preaching.

I see a difference but was wanting some comment on the difference between the two. Doesn't it seem technically "preaching" is for the lost and teaching is for the saved?

Any responses appreciated.

God bless.

I see a difference but was wanting some comment on the difference between the two. Doesn't it seem technically "preaching" is for the lost and teaching is for the saved?

Yes Aaron i agree with you. I think the greek word translated as "preaching" can also be translated as "proclaim" as in proclaim the gospel, to who? Obviously to the lost.

Hello Aaron,

Without getting too technical, I believe you are generally correct. So, if I take your definition as correct, then I would have to question why a "preacher", Greek keryx, would be proclaiming the gospel within the body of believers. As I understand it, preaching in the technical sense took place outside the body of believers. Assuming those attending your fellowship do so because of an existing understanding of the gospel, then they would require teaching only. There's much more to say about this but maybe you would want to comment on whether this is what you understand.

livingink

Much of what your talking about seems to be linked to the style of presentation not the content.

Proclaiming of the Gospel can be presented in countless styles and methods. Equally, teaching can be presented in countless styles and methods.

It's a question of content not style IMO.

I just thought I'd weigh-in with my agreement to the general conclusions of those on this thread. I have long believed that "preaching", in scripture, was a reference to evangelism, and was not an activity conducted in the gathering of believers, but rather outside the church, to the lost. Jesus commanded that the gospel be "preached" to every creature (Mark 16:15).

By way of contrast, the body of Christ requires "teaching"—which is the method of making disciples out of baptized believers (Matt.28:19-20). It is to be assumed that genuinely-converted hearts do not need to be preached to, since such hearts are by nature desirous to obey Christ, and need only to be taught what obedience entails.

There is a place for what some might call "preaching" in the congregation, at times. When a spiritual lethargy or discouragement has fallen upon the church (as in some of the churches in Revelation 2-3, or the readers of the book of Hebrews). This form of discourse, however, I would distinguish from the biblical idea of "preaching," and would regard under the label "exhortation" (Rom.12:8/Heb.13:22), which actually means "encouragement." In cases when a sterner word is required, terms like "reproof" or "rebuke" (1 Tim.5:20/Rev.3:19), and "admonition," which often means "to warn" (Acts 20:31/Rom.15:14/ I Thess.5:12, 14/ 2 Thess.3:15/Titus 3:10) seem applicable.

Though I have held this opinion for many years, I do not recall ever hearing it expressed by others until Aaron's post (above), with which I am obviously in agreement.

Steve wrote:I This form of discourse, however, I would distinguish from the biblical idea of "preaching," and would regard under the label "exhortation" (Rom.12:8/Heb.13:22), which actually means "encouragement." In cases when a sterner word is required, terms like "reproof" or "rebuke" (1 Tim.5:20/Rev.3:19), and "admonition," which often means "to warn" (Acts 20:31/Rom.15:14/ I Thess.5:12, 14/ 2 Thess.3:15/Titus 3:10) seem applicable.

I would agree with these definitions for sure.

I believe preaching to be as AAron has stated, to procliam. I do not totally agree with you Steve, that it is only used to the lost or to those outside the church. I have seen gifted teachers but not preachers. I have known many pastors who could lead but not preach, But in prophecying, teaching exorting the body, etc. and proclaiming the gospel to all involves a preacher. Sometimes the church needs a preacher. Is it not also a gift used for the edifycation of the body of believers? Romans 10:14-16

Hi Frank,

The passage in Romans 10 seems to be addressing the need for evangtelism, which is not a function of the church gathering, where unbelievers (in New Testament times) were not necessarily expected to be present.

There is no gift of "preaching" mentioned in scripture, though the gift of "evangelism" is found in Eph.4:11, which no doubt refers to the same activity.

My conclusions arose from a survey of all the biblical references to preaching. It seemed that they always referred to proclaiming the gospel to unbelievers, not to the church, which, by definition, already knows and has embraced the gospel.

I could only find one reference in scripture to Paul preaching to a gathering of Christians (Acts 20:9). The King James Version uses the word "preaching," though it is not the ordinary word normally used in the New Testament for preaching the gospel, and is translated "spoke" in the New King James. The word may be referring to teaching, though he might have been preaching, as the KJV suggests.

This, however, was not said to be a regular church meeting, but may have been a specially called gathering to hear Paul (who was visiting and departing the next day), where unbelievers may have specifically been invited to hear the gospel and get saved.

Steve,

It still seems to me that we are talking about style at least to some degree.

Does teaching in your mind "look" a certain way?

Steve, Do you not think that prohecying is preaching? What about Ecclesiastes 1:1 ?