How is proclaiming boldly to believers different from proclaiming boldly to unbelievers?
When we proclaim God’s Word to the church, we can trust the authority of Scripture and not feel we’re “trying” to make the Bible relevant. Our boldness comes from its sufficiency, and we simply let the lion out of the cage.
When Paul preached to the (non-believing) Corinthians, he wanted to know nothing else except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
And then he warned us not to shroud the gospel with human wisdom. The cross resonates when proclaimed in its simplicity.
I once asked Billy Graham, “If you knew as a young preacher what you know now, would your preaching have emphasized something more?”
Billy said, “The cross of Christ and the blood. That’s where the power is.”
How do you distinguish boldness from flamboyance?
Bold proclamation is not speaking loudly, with more emotion or passion. Many non-believers are turned off by preachers with an exaggerated, on-stage persona.
Bold proclamation is finding the balance between studying for insight and praying for passion. It means rightly dividing Scripture, and then bringing it with unction from the Holy Spirit.
Does bold proclamation need to be tempered by knowing the audience?
Yes. In Acts 2 Peter addressed a people conversant with the Scriptures, and in Acts 17 Paul proclaimed to a pagan culture. Their gospel was the same, but their ways of presenting it were different.
We want to build bridges with the audience, use terminology and applications that people understand. But we cannot change the message. Rather than catering to a secular worldview, we need to reeducate people to a biblical worldview.
On Mars Hill, Paul acknowledged their worldview, their worship of an “unknown god.” But then he told them their view was missing the good news of a knowable God. This, he said, “I am going to proclaim to you.”
Greg Laurie is pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, and an evangelist.
Copyright © 2003 by the author or Christianity Today/Leadership Journal. Click here for reprint information on Leadership Journal.
