Good Preaching Requires More than a Good Preacher

What is it called when a person studies a passage of the Bible, does exegesis of the text, assembles it into a cohesive message, and then delivers that prepared message out loud with passion and conviction? What would you call it if that person carried out the event in the middle of the forest? If a sermon is preached in the forest with no one to hear it, does it really get preached? Preaching without active listeners is just a monologue. Preaching is a communication event. By definition, it requires a speaker and at least one listener. Good preaching involves more than just a good preacher; it also requires good listening.

This passage in James 1:19–25 can be organized just like a sermon outline. Following its theme of what faithful preaching includes as its goal for the Church, we will look at three components of good preaching: 1) the exhortation, 2) the illustration, and then 3) the application.