06/16/2026
What Is Preaching?
That title alone will get some people’s attention. Here’s a verse that might give us a basis for a Biblical answer to the question. Titus 1:3 “But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;”
In this verse we understand that preaching is a manifestation of God’s Word. The word preach in Webster’s 1828 dictionary is defined as to pronounce a public discourse on a religious subject, or from a text of Scripture. Sometimes the New Testament word that is translated “preached” in the KJV means to herald, to proclaim after the manner of a herald. A herald was one who went through the town or city making a public address or announcement for someone else. It was not his announcement he was making but another’s. Then sometimes the word translated “preached” in the NT means to utter a voice or emit a sound, to speak, to talk. This is what the word “preached” means in Mark 2:2 speaking of Jesus, “And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.” Note that Jesus “preached (uttered a voice, emitted a sound, spoke, taked) the word unto them”. Undoubtedly the phrase “the word” has to do with the Word of God.
Years ago a little boy was asked why he delivered papers when he only made just 2 cents a copy? The lad replied, “Cause it gives me a chance to yell.”
Some years ago a little boy that had never been to church asked me this question when he came out of the church I pastored, “Why were you yelling at us today?” His question caused me to examine everything I thought I knew about preaching. For some people preaching may just mean a lot of yelling, for others it is a manifestation of the Word of God. What is preaching to you?
Written by Chuck Perkins