If you want to watch an awkward display of uncoolness, just give me a handheld microphone in one hand and something else in the other.
I remember one occasion getting the opportunity to preach before a relatively large group of college students. I was already somewhat nervous. My anxiety turned to full blown hyperventilation when I discovered that I would have to use a handheld microphone. I cannot preach with one. I use my hands when I preach and I’m too dense to keep a microphone in one place. I’d rather go all George Whitefield and preach with a bleeding throat and no microphone than be hindered.
Before the invention of the wireless handheld or the Britney Spears model our church uses, many pastors had to stay behind the pulpit because that was the only microphone. But with the invention of all things technological pastors do not have to remain stationary. Combine this with more pastors preaching without notes and an interesting thing has happened in many churches: the pulpit is gone.
Obviously, it is not absolutely necessary to preach behind a pulpit. You would be hard pressed to find Jesus using a pulpit, and it’d be a foolish argument to say that Jesus was not faithful in preaching. But is it possible that the pulpit holds a great symbolic function in the church? Is it possible that we should not be so quick to remove the pulpit?
Consider what Steven Koster says:
“In Reformed churches, the tradition has been to put the Pulpit in the center because of the centrality of preaching and the Word as a means of grace. The Pulpit is not just a utility stand for the preacher to use to hold his notes, but a weighty visual anchor to point to the significance of the proclaimed Word itself (which is why some churches have favored massive pulpits). In fact, some churches have a big pulpit (with Bible) in the center that is used only for preaching, with a smaller lectern to the side used for other readings and worship leading.
But is such a big bulky pulpit practical? Does it “scare away” seekers? Consider this by Mike Schreiter:
Fewer people want to see a sermon delivered from behind a large, wooden pulpit. Dynamic preachers that want to engage congregations today need to capture attention with words, actions, and illustrations. Today, a preacher needs a wireless microphone and a video remote control more than he needs a designated place to stand.
So what do you think? Should pulpits be discarded? Or do they carry a symbolism that ought to be preserved within our churches?
On Friday I will try to answer this question and also give a little history on where pulpits came from.
My opinion, for what its worth, is that we should not abandon the pulpit. There is a great amount of symbolism wrapped up in its very presence in our churches. Unfortunately, I think that a lot of people in our churches are ignorant of why it is there. They probably just think that it is an over-large fancy lectern, rather than symbolizing the centrality of the preached Word in the formation and sustaining of a true church.
I don’t really care for or against the pulpit. To me, nothing symbolizes the word proclaimed like the word actually proclaimed. And we don’t need a pulpit for that – we need God inspired preachers who do the hard work necessary.
I don’t care if you stand up or sit down, have a pulpit or have nothing, move or don’t move….all I care about is whether or not I can tell that you worked hard to bring God’s message to me. That’s it. That’s what matters.
(On a side note – I like pulpits most of the time. HOWEVER, the times I don’t are those times when I’m trying to convey an message of intimacy to the congregation. Pulpits create an air of transcendence of the preacher (not just the Bible), and for an intimate sermon, one needs to come out from behind it and be on the same level as the people.)
I don’t really care for or against the pulpit. To me, nothing symbolizes the word proclaimed like the word actually proclaimed. And we don’t need a pulpit for that – we need God inspired preachers who do the hard work necessary.
I don’t care if you stand up or sit down, have a pulpit or have nothing, move or don’t move….all I care about is whether or not I can tell that you worked hard to bring God’s message to me. That’s it. That’s what matters.
(On a side note – I like pulpits most of the time. HOWEVER, the times I don’t are those times when I’m trying to convey an message of intimacy to the congregation. Pulpits create an air of transcendence of the preacher (not just the Bible), and for an intimate sermon, one needs to come out from behind it and be on the same level as the people.)
Tom,
I agree. The church were I am currently associate pastor is sometimes difficult to preach at on Sunday morning. The “stage” area is so far away from the congregation. It causes me to feel disconnected from the people. On Sunday evenings I move a music stand down closer to the congregation.