I am of the conviction that we should, as much as we can, have reasons for everything we do as a church. This includes having reasons why your sanctuary is set up the way it is, such as the position of the pulpit, the communion elements, and the like. Everything symbolizes your beliefs, or lack thereof, about something.<\/p>\n
The obvious example of this is the pulpit. The reason most Protestant churches have their pulpit front and center stage is to symbolize the centrality of the Word. The Word of God is the central thing we gather around as a church on the Lord’s Day.<\/p>\n
I want to consider for a moment what standing in the pulpit symbolizes. When I say standing in the pulpit I literally mean standing behind the pulpit to preach.<\/p>\n
I believe that it is important to stand behind the pulpit to preach based on what it symbolizes. As a preacher literally stands behind the Word, it symbolizes that he stands behind the Word. The Word is what leads us, guides us, and keeps us in line. We don’t go to the right or to the left of it, but right in line with with it.<\/p>\n
It also symbolizes that the Word is the focus of the attention, for the preacher and the congregation. The people of God are not there to watch the pastor perform, but to be given and fed the Word. The pastor stands behind the Word, as if he is simply a server delivering the food of God’s Word that has been prepared and made edible.<\/p>\n
In the same way, it symbolizes that it is not the pastor who is there to be put on display, while part of his body is literally covered up by the pulpit, but it is Christ that is on display.<\/p>\n
Finally, when a pastor is free to simply stand behind the pulpit and deliver the Word it symbolizes that the Scriptures are sufficient. Both for the pastor and the congregation. There is no need for a show or performance, for the Word is enough – not in a “just enough to get by” sense, but in an overflowing happiness “more than enough” sense.<\/p>\n
This of course is no hard and fast rule from the Bible, I am simply exploring what how we preach symbolizes. Even if you disagree with my conclusions, I hope you consider these questions, “Is the Word the center?” “What is my preaching style symbolizing?” And, “Is what I symbolize more important than my preferred style?”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I am of the conviction that we should, as much as we can, have reasons for everything we do as a church. This includes having reasons why your sanctuary is set up the way it is, such as the position of the pulpit, the communion elements, and the like. Everything symbolizes your beliefs, or lack […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":685,"featured_media":3498,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[205,281,643,645,678,698,699,920,975,1005,1014,1056,1105,1183,1213,1361],"class_list":{"0":"post-3499","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-bible","9":"tag-church","10":"tag-important","11":"tag-in","12":"tag-jenkins","13":"tag-josh","14":"tag-joshua","15":"tag-pastor","16":"tag-preaching","17":"tag-pulpit","18":"tag-rags","19":"tag-riches","20":"tag-scripture","21":"tag-standing","22":"tag-symbolize","23":"tag-word","24":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/02\/img_1161.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3557,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/setting-up-the-sanctuary\/","url_meta":{"origin":3499,"position":0},"title":"Setting up the Sanctuary","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"May 8, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Anytime and place throughout history when Christians have been, and are able to gather together openly for corporate worship, it is a happy thing. Personally, I love old church buildings and sanctuaries that were built with great attention to detail. While ultimately, the building a church has or doesn't have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Church History"","block_context":{"text":"Church History","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/church-history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/23231745924_1784954176_b.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/23231745924_1784954176_b.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/23231745924_1784954176_b.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/23231745924_1784954176_b.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3094,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/two-reasons-for-congregational-singing\/","url_meta":{"origin":3499,"position":1},"title":"Two Reasons for Congregational Singing","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"September 7, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"One of my favorite things about my church is our congregational singing. It does me good to hear and participate in worship with people who sing the gospel from their bellies. We may not have hundreds of voices but we've got some good ones and loud ones. The most important\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Faith"","block_context":{"text":"Faith","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/faith\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/09\/pews-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/09\/pews-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/09\/pews-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/09\/pews-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/09\/pews-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/09\/pews-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3712,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/admonishing-in-tears\/","url_meta":{"origin":3499,"position":2},"title":"Admonishing in Tears","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"February 15, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"In Acts 20:17-38, Paul gives a final word and farewell to the Ephesus elders with whom he had previously spent three years, laboring in the ministry. In this final speech he reminds them of the gospel which he preached, and warned them of \"fierce wolves\" that will come to them.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/02\/ap2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2668,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/pastor-as-overseer-of-worship-music\/","url_meta":{"origin":3499,"position":3},"title":"Pastor as Overseer of Worship Music","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"August 11, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Most people would typically understand and agree that one of the pastor's main responsibilities is the weekly preaching and teaching from the pulpit. Further, most would agree that the pastor is the overseer of the doctrine that is taught in the church, although most likely it is within the bounds\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Gospel"","block_context":{"text":"Gospel","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/gospel\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/08\/piano.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/08\/piano.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/08\/piano.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/08\/piano.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3518,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/the-life-and-ministry-of-dr-martyn-lloyd-jones-lessons-for-the-christian-minister\/","url_meta":{"origin":3499,"position":4},"title":"The Life and Ministry of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: Lessons for the Christian Minister","author":"Joshua Mills","date":"April 17, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"INTRODUCTION The greatest need for the church today is to have faithful men who will proclaim the whole counsel of God. Instead of feeding the sheep, preachers today have simply sought to entertain them. The aim of this paper is to look at the life and preaching ministry of David\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Church History"","block_context":{"text":"Church History","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/church-history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/04\/640x480.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/04\/640x480.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/04\/640x480.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3914,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/female-pastors-a-lost-vision-of-the-home\/","url_meta":{"origin":3499,"position":5},"title":"Female Pastors: A Lost Vision of the Home","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"October 2, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"\"I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.\" - 1 Timothy 2:12 When Paul tells Timothy, concerning the churches, that he does \"not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man,\" I take\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Culture","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/10\/img_0405.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/10\/img_0405.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/10\/img_0405.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/10\/img_0405.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3499","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/685"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3499"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3499\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3498"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3499"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3499"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}