Theology + Proclamation = Church Growth
The revelation of Jesus Christ is the revelation of the heart of God. God is not known apart from this special revelation; and God has ordained that Christ would be made known through proclamation.
Justification for sinners is a gift of God’s grace. It is the declaration, “not guilty.” This is only possible because of the finished work of our Lord, who alone has attained right standing before God, by His own meritorious work.
God’s judgment is absolute, and so our absolution must be entire. God has done all the work to accomplish what was required. The only task that remains is for the Holy Spirit to bear witness of the person and finished work of Jesus Christ. This is accomplished by explanation, as when one teaches systematic theology. It is also accomplished when the preacher proclaims Him, admonishing every man to repent and believe that Christ is the end of our problem with God.
Christ Jesus is of no value when He is not proclaimed, for it is one thing to know about Christ, but it is quite another to know Him — or be known by Him. Luther distinguished between the hidden God and the revealed God. Christ Jesus is God revealed, but He remains hidden unless He is proclaimed in the Spirit and power. Many do not know about Jesus, and many others distort Him into their own configuration. This is the essence of Christian cults.
Proclaiming the true Jesus, that is, the Jesus revealed and rightly divided from Scripture, is our singular task as Christ witnesses. Here is the act of giving faith to those who do not believe in Him. Thus, proclamation of Christ is a grace from God, as is the faith generated in the hearer through proclamation.
The faith of the preacher is manifested by the purity of His presentation. Preaching Christ in truth have cost many preachers their livelihoods, if not their lives. The beneficiaries of risk-taking proclaimers are filled with so much gratitude, however, that their cup overflows, too. The more sacrifice made by inspired preachers, the more inspired preachers seem to appear.
The seed of the Word must be planted for there to be a harvest of souls, and preaching the Word is equivalent to the farmer planting in faith of a harvest to come with time. All Christians bear witness of Christ, but the Spirit appoints men of God to be elders in the church (Acts 20:28).
Elders are entrusted with the stewardship of the mysteries of the Gospel, and they are held to a higher standard of judgment because of the importance of the task entrusted to them. They should be recognized by their devotion to the Word and prayer (Acts 6:4), which has its good effect upon their families, first. Having been found faithful with God’s Word, their families evidence good soil and the power of the seed to bring the new life of God into their children. The church sees him who is faithful with a little flock, and entrusts him with a local congregation.
The first task of the pastor/preacher is “theology in whole (systematic theology),” and this is for one purpose, which is proclamation. We are theologians because God has made us preachers. There is great distraction in the church in every age, but never has there been such information overload, as today. Therefore, we must pray that God will raise up men of singular devotion to Christ Jesus, the Word of God. We must pray for their bold witness in proclaiming the King of glory. In this, alone, is the divine formula for authentic church growth, spiritual and numerical.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
October 30, 2021
