Assuming for a minute that the accuser actually was present during every sermon at the church and that he was actually paying attention for the whole sermon, there are at least two problems with this kind of accusation:

1. While the Bible is sufficient for all topics of faith and practice, the sermon isn’t designed to be the sole or comprehensive source of Christian instruction. Some topics are better addressed in other venues. A thirty-minute message given to an audience with wide diversity in age and spiritual maturity is limited in efficacy to teach all the topics that the Bible addresses. Even if a pastor preaches through a whole chapter in the Bible every week, it would take nearly twenty-three years of Sundays to teach through the whole Bible.

2. Whenever someone identifies a deficiency in his faith, it is best to humbly ask, “What have I done to get here?” rather than an accusing, “Here’s how the church has me failed again.” Some believers confuse spiritual maturity with an ability to point out weaknesses in others rather than an increased awareness of personal responsibility.

As Christian leaders, especially in the Baptist tradition, we value the preaching of the Word as a key component of the worship service each week. The sermon is critical to instruct believers, encourage the faithful, and create unified community. However, if the sermon is the exclusive or even primary way a church equips the saints for the work of the ministry, disciples are often left stunted in their spiritual growth.

An equipping church will either provide or promote a range of training opportunities that help people at any starting point to move toward spiritual maturity. Churches shouldn’t be expected to address every obscure topic, but let’s continue to develop a much more comprehensive teaching strategy than just the Sunday sermon.