The Pulpit and the Glory of the Word

During the Protestant Reformation, the pulpit took center stage in the architecture and life of the church, not by accident but by conviction. The Reformers recovered a vision of worship that revolved not around the altar or the priesthood but around the Word of God rightly preached. The pulpit rose as a symbol not of the preacher’s personality or authority but of the authority of Scripture. It reminded the congregation that it is not man who speaks, but God through His Word. The pulpit stood tall to signify reverence, gravity, and divine weight. It was a place where Christ crucified was proclaimed, where sinners were confronted, saints were edified, and God was glorified.

But in our day, we’ve seen the slow erosion of this reverence. The pulpit has been replaced with sleek stands, café tables, or nothing at all. What once demanded trembling knees and a burning heart is now treated as casual, conversational, and tame. This shift is not merely aesthetic—it reveals a deeper spiritual drift. The Word has been demoted, and with it, the fear of God. Preaching has turned into pep talks. The Cross has been sidelined for self-help. The Christ who offended the world is now rebranded as an accessory to a comfortable life—a Jesus with no scandal, no blood, and no power.

This is not the Jesus of Scripture. The Jesus of Scripture is the Lamb slain. He is the stumbling block and the cornerstone. His Gospel offends the pride of man and exalts the grace of God. It cannot be preached lightly, casually, or as one option among many. It demands a pulpit, not for tradition’s sake but for theological necessity.

We need preachers who once again take their stand behind the pulpit, not to showcase their charisma but to hide behind the Cross. Not to entertain but to proclaim. Not to give opinions but to open the Scriptures and let God speak.

Let the pulpits be restored, not just in wood and design but in purpose. Let them thunder again with the Word of God. Let them tremble with the weight of glory. Let pastors fear no man and preach Christ crucified boldly, clearly, and without hindrance. For when God’s Word is rightly proclaimed, God Himself is heard. And when that happens, the church is revived, sinners are awakened, and Christ is exalted.

Nino Marques