What is a Preaching Team?
A Preaching Team is a group of preachers, made up of pastors and laity, who rotate through the pulpit of one church or a group of churches. Perhaps the best way to describe a Preaching Team is to contrast it with the typical model of a church who has one pastor who does the majority of a church’s on any given Sunday during the year.
Why use a Preaching Team?
The primary advantage of a Preaching Team is that it brings a diversity of voices into the pulpit of a church. Churches are made up of varying groups of people, as seen in the New Testament. Because that is the case, some congregants may relate to some preachers more than others. This is for their benefit, as a Preaching Team brings a variety of not only style but also life experience.
The other benefit of a Preaching Team is that it gives churches a clear way to train and raise up preachers (2 Timothy 2:2) for the benefit of the church. When one pastor does most of the preaching, there is less opportunity for others to use and grow their God-given gifts.
One final benefit is that it hedges against the tendency for parishioners to attach themselves to one particular leader. While it is natural for some to appreciate the preaching of some more than others, it can become harmful spiritually when a person comes to Sunday morning worship out of a desire to hear from a person, rather than to hear from the Word of God.
Who is qualified to be a part of the Preaching Team?
Those qualified to be a part of the Preaching Team are those who would fit in the New Testament’s description of an “elder”. This is primarily taken from passages like 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. In addition, a member of the Preaching Team must be a member of a church within our denomination or certified to preach by our denomination.
Please note here how the qualification primarily comes from God, and not from the preacher. Many who have joined the Preaching Team would not consider themselves qualified, but they would consider themselves called. If the point of the Preaching Team is for growth in the use of spiritual gifts, then we must understand that when a person begins preaching, they may not be gifted in the world’s sense of public speaking. With this mindset, our churches are always looking for qualified men who are looking to join the Preaching Team and put their God-given gifts to use for His Kingdom and His glory.
How does a Preaching Team function?
The Preaching Team operates from a yearly schedule planned out in advance, that walks the church through a book or books of the Bible. The team works together on templates to guide Biblical fidelity in preparation, often operating weeks in advance, with Pastor Tanner providing oversight and feedback at each step. The Preaching Team also holds a weekly “Preaching Team Huddle”, where the team goes over their sermon preparation, offers feedback, and prays for one another.
