The church pulpit is much more than a polished podium from which a pastor can pontificate. Since the beginning of our Christian heritage, the pulpit has been the primary place from where God’s Word has been dispensed to His people. From the pulpit, pastors proclaim God’s truth, sound His warnings, and feed His people.

But what governs the words of spiritual nourishment that come from the pulpit? Priorities. It’s easy to see a church’s priorities when the ministry is just starting out, when the ink of the congregation’s ideals is still wet on the paper. But later on, when storms roll in, the priority list can get blown away in a gust of confusion.

To keep this list securely nailed down, we must strengthen our grip on four priorities that must characterize our churches as well as our personal lives.