What makes preaching an effective means of discipleship?

Jeffrey D. Johnson asserts that the key to discipleship lies in the pulpit ministry, specifically through authoritative and experiential preaching of the Gospel. He explains that effective preaching is not a mere lecture or sharing of information, but it's 'logic on fire' coming from a man of God who deeply believes and has been personally impacted by the Word he shares. The preacher's conviction and personal transformation by the Word of God add weight and authenticity to his message, making it powerful and transformative.

Johnson emphasizes that effective preaching is deeply personal. The preacher identifies strongly with the message, making it his own truth and part of his identity. He believes in the life-and-death importance of the Gospel message and communicates it passionately, encouraging transformation in the listeners. This kind of preaching is crucial in disciple making, as it showcases a man of God who is not just leading others to follow the Lord, but is himself an ardent follower.

2 Timothy 4:2 (NKJV): "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching."

I firmly believe that one of the major methods of disciple making, and I would almost say the principal method of disciple making is the pulpit ministry, the preaching of the Word of God. That God's emphasized, New Testament scriptures emphasize the importance of authoritative, experiential preaching of the gospel. And I think Preaching is such a vital part of the sabbath making, and good preaching is not just a lecturing the Word of God and accurately explaining the meaning, the context, and then tacking on a little bit of application at the end. I think the preaching that God owns is, as Lord Jones would say, is logic on fire. It's not just data being communicated.

It's coming from the heart of a man of God who believes what he's teaching and has been impacted by what he's hurt himself. So the man of God has to feel and know and believe and been transformed by the very word of God that he's communicating and the people who are listening to that type of preaching know that this man this man is not just he's not just transmitting a message like somebody told me this I'm just telling you don't kill the messenger it's like no kill me If you don't like what I'm saying, kill me, because it's personal. It's my gospel. It's my truth. I believe this.

And if you don't like what I'm saying, you don't like me. I own this message and it's not for me. It's from God. But I believe it and I believe it so much as part of my own identity. So I'm not apologizing for what God is saying.

I'm not saying, hey, if you don't like it, take it up to God. No. I so identify with it and it's so transformed my own life that I believe you need this message and I'm communicating it in a way that people understand that it's life and death not just according to the scriptures but it's life and death according to the preacher. And that is the type of preaching that transforms people because people see it's real. It's life transformational.

And I think in any type of disciple making, if we're leading others to follow the Lord, and we ourselves are not following the Lord, we are counseling out our message.