The Living Pulpit: Show Me Your Preaching Life
We often judge the spiritual maturity of a believer by the length of their prayers or the depth of their quiet time. We speak reverently of "prayer warriors" and those who have a "rich prayer life." And rightfully so—prayer is the breath of the soul. It is our lifeline to the Father.
But there is a dangerous dichotomy that can form in the life of a disciple. It is the gap between the knees we bend in private and the feet we walk on in public.
It is possible to have a fervent prayer life and a silent, sterile "preaching life."
The challenge for the church today is this: Show me your preaching life more than your prayer life.
The Danger of the Prayer Closet
Jesus commanded us to enter our closet to pray (Matthew 6:6). But He never intended for us to stay there.
The danger arises when we use prayer as a substitute for obedience. We pray for the lost neighbor, but we never invite them to dinner. We pray for the poor, but we never adjust our budget to be generous. We pray for "opportunities," but walk with our heads down, ignoring the divine appointments right in front of us.
If our prayer life does not result in a preaching life—a life that proclaims the Gospel through action, attitude, and audible words—then our prayer life may be little more than religious therapy.
What is a "Preaching Life"?
A preaching life is not about having a degree, a title, or a pulpit on Sunday morning. In the New Testament, the "pulpit" was the marketplace, the dinner table, and the prison cell.
To have a preaching life means to be a "living epistle."
"You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ... written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God..." — 2 Corinthians 3:2-3
For many people in your sphere of influence, you are the only Bible they will ever read.
The Three Marks of a Preaching Life
1. Proclamation through Integrity A preaching life requires that our audio matches our video. When we claim to follow the Prince of Peace but are constantly embroiled in drama and conflict at work, our life preaches a false gospel. When we speak of God’s grace but hold grudges against family members, we are preaching a sermon of hypocrisy.
2. Proclamation through Presence Incarnational ministry means being with people. Jesus didn't just pray for humanity from Heaven; "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). A preaching life gets messy. It involves sitting with the grieving, celebrating with the joyful, and being present in the chaos of the world rather than retreating from it.
3. Proclamation through Boldness "Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary," the reality of the New Testament is that words are eventually necessary. A preaching life builds the bridge of relationship so that the vehicle of truth can cross over. It earns the right to say, "Let me tell you about the Hope that is in me."
The Ezra Model
If we want to balance our intake (study/prayer) with our output (preaching life), we should look to Ezra.
"For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel." — Ezra 7:10
Note the order:
Study (The Intake)
Do (The Preaching Life/Application)
Teach (The Verbal Instruction)
We cannot teach what we have not done. We cannot export what we do not possess.
Conclusion
Prayer prepares the vessel; the preaching life pours it out.
Do not stop praying. Pray more fervently than ever. But let your prayers be the fuel for a life that screams the glory of God. Let your patience in traffic be a sermon. Let your integrity in business be an altar call. Let your forgiveness of enemies be a benediction.
The world is tired of hearing about our prayer lives while watching us live like everyone else. Let us rise up, leave the closet, and let our lives preach.