Speaking of Hope: Prophetic Preaching

Abstract

This article proposes that the justice demand of caring for the poor, the weak, and the lost is the core biblical mandate and the prophetic role of preaching on the issue is the most urgent pastoral duty of all preachers in our time. In an effort to support this thesis, it provides the biblical background for this demand for justice in prophetic preaching and its hermeneutical, theological, and pastoral insight for an effective application to our context of rapid decline of church. Being aware of today's cultural reality in which preachers are often tempted to become a horn of the prosperity Gospel, this article argues that prophetic preaching as speaking of God's hope with pastoral love and compassion from an eschatological point of view is what will not only make Christian church authentic but also bring the pulpit back to life and change the future course of the church in America. This article concludes with some practical suggestions for prophetic preaching.