At the commencement of a new phase of parish ministry people are hoping for a great deal of entertainment. When the non-Anglican, Congregational minister R.W. Dale was assigned to his latest post colleagues joked to him that his strong doctrinal emphasis would not warm his new flock to his pastoral approach. The stalwart preacher replied, "I am a doctrinal preacher and doctrine is what they shall have." The paucity of doctrine from the pulpit is a major cause of the decline in Christian faith in our time.

For doctrine in itself is description of the human condition and plight and the restorative grace of God through the person and work our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. Why did he come to us? What did he accomplish for us? How is the great benefit of his rescue assignment won for us sinners actually gained by us? Of what does the Christian salvation consist in time and for eternity? Inspired propositions are there in Holy Scripture to accurately inform us; propositions that need to be pondered and responded to if we are to be numbered among those who are saved.

Yet so many disagreeing with the propositional nature of the Word of God extol the best method for communicating our faith is to follow the story-telling ministry of Jesus who majored his discourse with the world in the form of parable. But Jesus' use of parable was a form of judgment on his audience. His parables shrouded the literal truth of the gospel because his earliest hearers rejected the strength of his straight forward language of conviction of sin, warning against the doom of failing to repent, and the urgency with which the way salvation ought to be taught.

He didn't speak in parables to make the gospel clear. He spoke in terms of verbal puzzles designed to make his audience earnest and sincere enquirers of the truth so that they would necessarily ask the Lord himself for the explanation which could only be grasped supernaturally.

Jesus speaks of the popular throngs that surrounded him as ever seeing, looking at pictures (picture language) conveyed verbally, but never perceiving the secret saving truth of Jesus' message. "But to the outsiders everything is said in parable" to prevent the careless and superficial from devaluing the solemn truths of the gospel and distorting its meaning.

The gospel is too precious to be downgraded in its sweet heavenly meaning as to the reality of the kingdom of God and admission to it [John 3;3]. The secret of the kingdom is reserved for the elect [v10]. They alone discern the meaning of Jesus' words because they have been given ears to hear [v9], a most magnificent capacity to receive from the Son of God himself. "

The secret of the kingdom has been given to you. All are bidden to hear the gospel command as a matter of human responsibility [Jn 3:16], but to come under the royal authority of Jesus is not the preference of human nature which, without enabling grace, chooses to rebel. The world has the opportunity to trust in Jesus Christ (whosever will may come) but it largely exercises refusal in a very determined fashion.

Strong doctrinal preaching is the urgent and profound need of our time so that the option of where eternity is to be spent is fully apprised to all as the trigger to divine conversion. The wise and glorious plan of salvation will embrace all who sincerely come.

John Newton observes concerning preachers, "If in the course of many sermons they can prevail but on one soul to take timely warning, and to seek Jesus, who is the way, the truth and the life, they may account it a mercy and an honor."

The Rev. Roger Salter is an ordained Church of England minister where he had parishes in the dioceses of Bristol and Portsmouth before coming to Birmingham, Alabama to serve as Rector of St. Matthew's Anglican Church