THE PULPIT
"The Word of God can take care of itself, and will do so if we preach it, and cease defending it. See you that lion. They have caged him for his preservation; shut him up behind iron bars to secure him from his foes! See how a band of armed men have gathered together to protect the lion. What a clatter they make with their swords and spears! These mighty men are intent upon defending a lion. O fools, and slow of heart! Open that door! Let the lord of the forest come forth free. Who will dare to encounter him? What does he want with your guardian care? Let the pure gospel go forth in all its lion-like majesty, and it will soon clear its own way and ease itself of its adversaries." C.H. Spurgeon
The ministry of the church is primarily built upon the preaching of God's Word. It is preaching that God has chosen to save that which was lost. It is preaching that builds up the church and grows her up unto maturity. It is the preaching of the Word through which the Spirit of God washes and sanctifies the church. The apostle Paul commands Timothy to "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." Preaching is the duty to which the pastors must diligently give themselves to.
One of the most prominent features of the Reformation was the revival of the Scripture in the life of the church. The fires of revival broke out from the deep concern over the text of Scripture, the translation of that text into the vulgar languages to make it readable, the printing of those translations to make it accessible, and finally the priority of preaching of that text as the primary ministry of the church. The altar of the false sacrifice of Roman Catholicism was quickly replaced by the pulpit, becoming the centerpiece of the sanctuary, to demonstrate the conviction of the primacy of preaching.
At Trinity, we have been blessed by the excellent craftsmanship of a custom built pulpit, made from solid oak, complete with inscriptions that are indicative of the high view we place on the preaching of God's Word. We firmly believe in the "sacred desk" and the work that is done there to be one of the most glorious aspects of true worship in Spirit and truth - God speaks to His people!
We had several inscriptions crafted into our pulpit to remind us of the importance of preaching and the preeminence of God's Word in the ministry of our church.
The Solas of the Reformation - Four solas are engraved on each of the legs; Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Sola Christus, Sola Scriptura. The base of the pulpit, the foundation, is engraved with Sola Deo Gloria.
The Invitation of the Gospel - Across the front of the pulpit, where the congregation can clearly read, it is engraved with the glorious gospel phrase from Revelation 22:17, "The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come'"
The Sacred Duty of the Preacher - As the preacher enters the pulpit, he can see the inscription along the front edge of the lectern that reminds him of his sacred duty, "Preach Christ, With Christ, to the Glory of Christ". and along the very top edge of the lectern, visible to the preacher as he stands in to herald the Word, as though it is the cry of the people, engraven in Greek, "Please Sir, we wish to see Jesus!".
