Adwin Ragoonath - Preach the Word a Pentecostal Approach

2004 Dr. Aldwin Ragoonath

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ISBN 0-9734468-0-3

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Print 5 4 3 207 08 09 10 11 Foreword-Dr.DavidYonggiCho 8

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4. Hermeneutics of Pentecostal Preaching
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Appendices 1, 2, 3 200 Preach the Word: A Pentecostal Approach

An African pastor asked me, Pastor Cho, what is the mostdifficult challenge you have faced during your years in theministry? I told him that without a doubt, sermonpreparation is the most challenging part of my ministry.Although every sermon is important, it is especiallychallenging for me to have a fresh sermon every Sundaythat will feed my congregation and meet their needs.

I have been in the ministry for the past 45 years, but everyMonday my heart is burdened when it is time to prepare anew sermon for the following Sunday. It is not an easy thingto prepare nutritious food. Preachers are like chefs. Nomatter how many ingredients a cook has, if he or she is not askilled chef, the food will not be tasty. Of course, the Biblemust be the main ingredient in the sermon, but how great asermon a pastor preaches is up to each pastor. People arespiritually hungry. If a preacher prepares a delicioussermon, many of the spiritually hungry will come to eat it.

Pastors must study the Bible persistently, and alwayslisten to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit watches over thehearts and minds of all people and can provide the pastorwith the wisdom and knowledge of what the congregationneeds. In order to preach a sermon with deep flavor, pastorsmust research and meditate on how the sermon will beprepared and served, much like a good chef.

As a Pentecostal preacher, the most important thing forme is to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit every momentas I preach. No matter how well we may have prepared asermon, unless the Holy Spirit is with us when we aredelivering it, that sermon will wear us out, and ourcongregations will not be moved by it. When we arepreaching, we have to wholly depend upon the Holy Spiritand receive His help.

The greatest weapon available to the Pentecostal preacheris the Word of God. If a preacher does not have the skill toprepare the Word of God for the congregation to bespiritually fed by the sermon, he or she is not a qualifiedpreacher. One must have the ability to skillfully deliver anadequate message in home visits, in cell meetings, behindthe pulpit, or wherever he or she may go. This is arequirement. Then pastors can feed good pasture to theirflocks, so they can have healthy spiritual lives.

In order to be able to prepare fine spiritual food for thecongregation, we must always make an effort to learn moreand pray continually. Then we will grow in our spirituallives and our churches will experience continual revival.

It is the intent of this book to help you become a dynamicPentecostal preacher for the glory of God. How youprepareGods message will determine the success or failure of yourministry.

David Yonggi ChoSenior PastorYoido Full Gospel ChurchSeoul, KoreaJune 22, 2003

I am indebted to my wife, Rubena, who has anencouraging spirit. She enables me to persist and has kindlyagreed for me to travel overseas to teach preaching coursesand seminars to pastors.

My children, Sharla and Christa, have quietly encouragedme to keep writing for which I am grateful. I am indebted tomy son-in-law, Gilles Gauthier, who has given helpfuladvice and made sure that my computer is always running.

My thanks to the many around the world who haveparticipated in my courses. Those who participated inpastors preaching seminars have helped me to sharpen theprinciples and concepts I present in this book. Pastors andstudents who have practised my theories have seenremarkable growth in their churches. The attendances at thechurch of one of my students has doubled in five years. Mystudents have shown me that this book can be a help to thewhole body of Christ.

I want to thank Bruce Brand who has encouraged me andhas spent many hours editing to make my work clearer.
Of course I am grateful most of all to the Lord Jesus Christwho has given me the vision and the strength to finish thismanuscript and to do work for His Kingdoms sake.

Aldwin Ragoonaths book, Preach the Word, is adelightful book that admirably meets a great need for ahomiletics text that is geared to the unique context of thePentecostal congregation. This very readable book wiselyguides the Pentecostal preacher through his or her ownspiritual preparation for powerful preaching. One will alsofind detailed advice for meeting the rigorous requirementsof constructing a dis c ipl ined and well-organizedhermeneutical questions concerning how the scripture is tobe fruitfully interpreted as well as practical insights intosuch matters as the altar service after the message.

I highly recommend this book for use in Bible Collegeclass rooms. It should also be on the desk or bookshelf ofevery Pentecostal minister.

Frank D. Macchia,Professor of TheologyDirector of Graduate Programs in ReligionVanguard University, Costa Mesa, CA

Pentecostal and Charismatic ministers are known foreffective and fruitful preaching with an emphasis on prayer,healings, miracles and exorcisms.

Pentecostal and Charismatic preaching is a type ofpreaching that is different from all other forms of preaching.It is an approach to preaching that is not founded uponmodern communication and homiletical theory alone butalso draws out homiletical and hermeneutical principlesfound in Scripture. (Some homiletical principles rely moreon communication theory than Scripture.) This approachisas old as the Bible itself and it does give students and pastorshomiletical and hermeneutical principles in preaching thegospel. Pentecostals have a holistic approach to preachingand make their model the preaching ministry of Jesus andthe apostles. It is a fresh (yet old) approach to preachingthat has the potential to change ones preaching ministry.

The Pentecostal approach to preaching has alreadyproven its value to the Christian church by its growth.Pentecostal/Charismatic churches are the fastest growingsegment of the Christian church. There are over fivehundred and fifty million followers worldwide. Themethods they use in preaching are certainly worthy ofinquiry.

The Pentecostal and Charismatic movements have grownvery quickly since their inception. (The Pentecostalmovement started in 1901 and the Charismatic movementstarted in the 1960s.) Today, Charismatic Christians arefound in every Christian denomination and are at the frontline of evangelism and discipleship. Diligent ministers ofthe gospel want to learn the secret for their success.

Some people have suggested that Pentecostals dont havea homiletic. Joseph Byrd speaks for scholars who hold thatpoint of view. In his dissertation, Formulation of a ClassicalPentecostal Homiletic in Dialogue with ContemporaryProtestant Homiletic,2 he has put forth an unconvincingcase. We are convinced that Pentecostals and Charismaticshave their own homiletic and their own way ofcommunicating the gospel. If homiletics is an approach topreaching which makes the Word of God plain to a groupof people then certainly Pentecostals have an approach topreaching. In this book, my research on the subject, myexperience as a Pentecostal minister for over thirty yearsand my experience in teaching Pentecostal preaching arepresented.