The term ‘preaching to the choir’ has been used quite often in recent years. I understand it to mean preaching, or talking, to those who already know and understand what ever subject you are speaking about. In my mind, the term brought visions of a preacher or pastor who spends his time preaching to his own congregation about things within the church that is of concern only to those who belong to that particular church…such as the need for people to serve at the next pot luck, or who should bring the potato salad. In other words, a church who was busy within itself and not reaching out to the community of lost souls…the ones who really need to hear what the preacher has to say.
Over time, I have come to realize that preaching to the choir is very important. Although the pews are filled with bodies, a number of these bodies are not tuned in to what the preacher is saying. They are preoccupied with personal concerns, money problems, an illness…whatever it might be. Maybe at one time they were excited about the Lord and came to church with ears to hear and a heart to listen, but now it has become a habit, just something to do on a Sunday morning…they’ve become a member of “the choir’. Not the choir that gets up and sings, but the members who feel they have heard it all before and have lost interest.
In every church there seems to be many members that attend but only a faithful few that do the leg work when it comes to outreach programs, visitation, etc. “I’ll bring the potato salad, but you fill the seats,” seems to be their attitude. This is fine for some to serve in this way, but we can’t all bring the potato salad.
Much of the New Testament is filled with letters from Paul to the various churches he established across the country. Many of these churches had fallen back into their old ways of worshiping idols, putting works before faith, forgetting their spiritual wealth, putting aside unity, failing to put Christ first, and adopting false doctrines. Paul therefore spent much of his time preaching to them through letters if he could not do it in person.
We all need to be active members of the church, which is considered the body of Christ, serving in some way… and we all need to hear what the Word of God has to say. We all need to be reminded as Paul reminded the people in Philippians 4: 1-7 …stand fast in the Lord…Rejoice in the Lord always…Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
We need to be of the same mind. We are the choir. None of us have yet learned all there is to know about our Lord and how He works. Paul told the church in 2 Cor. 4:3 “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that is lost.” Let us live our lives in such a way that others might see and want to know Him too.
2 Cor. 4:6-7 For god, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen (imperfect) vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
So may they keep preaching to the choir and may we listen. John 3:17 For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.