By Pastor Al Petroelje
Sometimes I receive invitations to lead worship in other churches. I usually feel privileged to have these opportunities. Something I have been noticing in these preaching occasions is that some churches no longer have their original pulpits and have replaced them with slender lecterns or podiums of various sizes, which are located on the floor level and in the center aisle. The space once occupied by the pulpit is then filled with other things used by musicians. Seeing this makes me wonder if getting rid of pulpits is a growing trend.
How should we think about this practice? Is this a good thing? It certainly poses some challenges for the preacher from a convenience standpoint. Some of the lecterns are little more than the size of a music stand. So when I walk up to this shrunken “pulpit,” I barely know where to place my sizeable Bible, set of notes, and perhaps a bottle of water. But if this were the only concern, the matter would not be one of much significance. It would only be a matter of personal preference. Upon more reflection, I think there is something of much weightier import involved with ridding a church sanctuary of a pulpit.
“The Reformers held and taught that the preaching of the Word of God was the primary means by which the Holy Spirit creates and nurtures the faith of God’s people. And this conviction changed the position of the pulpit in the sanctuary to its center.”
As human beings we are greatly affected by what we see. We are quite optically oriented. For example, the furniture in our homes say something about what we value in our family life. A large table in a dining room is indication that meal time with family and friends is important to us. From the early centuries of the church, the gathering place for worship became a special place for Christians. Even though the church consists of God’s people and not buildings and though church buildings are not like the Old Testament temples, nevertheless, buildings became important for Christians when these buildings were dedicated to the worship of God. And what went into the worship of God determined the visual articles used for worship.
In pre-Reformation times, the Roman church constructed large cathedrals and furnished them with altars which were front and center in their sanctuaries. The reason was that the sacrament of communion, which is called the mass, was primary in their worship. A pulpit was positioned to the side of the altar because preaching was considered secondary to communion. The Reformers held and taught that the preaching of the Word of God was the primary means by which the Holy Spirit creates and nurtures the faith of God’s people. And this conviction changed the position of the pulpit in the sanctuary to its center. It must have a prominent place, and it must have an impressive visual appearance so as to communicate the vital importance of the preaching of God’s Word.
During our travels, I am often drawn to historic churches, and if permitted, I like to stand in their pulpit. A few years ago, Marcia and I visited some of the historic churches in the Netherlands, and we saw large and ornate pulpits, like the one in Dordrecht (where the Cannons of Dordt were written). These pulpits were elevated and centrally located in large sanctuaries. They may only be occupied by duly ordained ministers of the gospel. They made the unspoken statement about the primacy of preaching for the faith-life of God’s people.
While we were in Heidelberg, Germany, we visited the Church of the Holy Spirit where Casper Olevianus, one of the authors of the Heidelberg Catechism, preached. A pulpit was prominently displayed in that spacious sanctuary. I couldn’t help feeling a sense of awe just thinking of what was preached there and the conviction of the catechism writers that the Holy Spirit produces faith in our hearts by the preaching of the holy gospel (Q. & A. 65). The pulpit itself was intended to make a strong statement about the indispensable means of preaching.
If you visit Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Florida, where the late R.C. Sproul preached, your eye will immediately catch sight of the massive, elevated pulpit in front of the sanctuary. Undoubtedly this was intentionally designed by R.C. to underscore the Biblical requirement for preaching to build the church of Christ. In our Reformed tradition, preaching is primary in our worship of God. Music and other elements of worship are secondary.
The pulpit in the church of Dordtrecht, Netherlands. Note the pulpit in white marble and ornate overhead sounding board.
So when a pulpit is removed from a church sanctuary, I can’t help getting the impression that the importance of the preaching of the Word is being diminished. In Dutch that is called “een slecht teken” (a bad sign). I am very heartened by the fact that when our pulpit furniture was replaced a few years ago, we retained a sizeable and impressive looking pulpit. May it be a good sign of our commitment to preaching as the chief means of grace.
Of course, that view of preaching places a great responsibility on those who stand behind that pulpit. The message we bring may not be our opinion or a speech to entertain people but a message arising from the testimony of the Holy Scriptures, something symbolized by the pulpit. As I read recently, “the pulpit is more than just a piece of liturgical furniture. It represents historically, liturgically and architecturally the entire office of pastor and preacher. It represents the stability of the office from person to person. No matter the warm body that occupies that pulpit, that pulpit will be with that congregation for generations, maybe centuries. Preaching is not about the pastor, much less his personality. It is about God's Word and the need for the people to hear that Word week in and week out.”
So in answer to the question whether we should get rid of our pulpit, I hope all of us–and the generations following us–can resoundingly say, NEVER!