Is there anything wrong with a preacher walking around the auditorium while speaking? Does it matter whether he does this when teaching a class or preaching? Thanks! ~ Steve Foster
What would you think if the preacher sat down to teach or sat down to preach? Our Lord Jesus routinely sat down to teach or preach (Matthew 5:1; Luke 4:20; 5:3). Ezra stood on a pulpit of wood to proclaim the Word of God (Nehemiah 8:4); incidentally, the people stood also when the Word of God was read (Nehemiah 8:5). Customs respecting postures of either God’s preacher or the people to whom the Word of God may be preached varied, and God has not codified or made into a law within His Holy Word any particular posture for preacher or for those to whom the Word of God is preached. Consequently, neither should we make a law where God has not chosen to do so (1 Corinthians 4:6 NKJV).
The role of a preacher, one discerns from the original language words and their English counterparts, has to do with the message. The Greek word, kerux, means “crier” or “herald” and is translated “preacher” (1 Timothy 2:7). The Greek word, kerusso, means “to cry or proclaim as a herald” and is translated “preacher” (Romans 10:14). The Greek word, euaggellizo, means “to announce good news” and is translated “gospel preached” (Matthew 11:15); euaggelistes means, “a preacher of the gospel” and is translated “evangelist” (Acts 21:8).
As far as the circumstances under which the Gospel is taught and especially preached in the Lord’s Day assembly, things must be conducted “decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40), i.e. to God’s satisfaction primarily. Yet, a wise preacher will be sensitive to or aware of the receptivity of his Gospel presentation to his listeners, and how various mannerisms may have no effect upon, help or hinder that presentation, since the object of preaching in the first place is to communicate the Word of God in such a way that it is comprehended (Nehemiah 8:8). However, the Christian in the pew needs to be wise enough to the best of his ability to ignore potential distractions or mannerisms that could lessen the impact on him by good Gospel preaching. Surely, through cooperation and common goals respecting the teaching and preaching of the Gospel of Christ, preachers and congregations can participate in the successful communication of the Word of God in teaching and preaching environments. We need to grant as much latitude toward each other as Christians as we can, especially in areas where no command or direct statement, biblically approved example or inference and implication corresponds to the object of discussion.
