Towards Understanding of the Practice of Proclamation: The Core Element of Russian Baptist Worship, Timofey Cheprasov, 2015

onship with God are the most important elements for a successful sermon. Therefore, the task and responsibility of the listeners is to come prepared not only to listen, but more importantly to hear God’s message. The two articles by Prokhanov dealing with questions of a preacher’s character appeared in 1946. Prokhanov argued that preaching ministry should only be open to those who ‘meet the criteria set by the Word of God,’ otherwise Christian preaching loses its ability to influence people. According to the author, there are four qualities that every preacher must possess.”” The first is conversion. The power of personal 27 Vakov |. Zhidkov, “Poriadok Propovedi Na Nashikh Sluzheniiakh” [“The Order of Preaching in Our Services” ], in Bratskii Vestnik, Vol. 3-4 (1955). 8 It might be worth noting that despite the previously noted “official position” of the Baptist Union and the BV on women in preaching, its subsequent publications always referred to preachers using the masculine pronoun “he.” Similarly, women-preachers never appeared on its pages as examples for others (unlike male preachers, such as Prokhanov, Kargel and many others). ° The second article, based on Prokhanov’s writings, addresses vices that preachers must avoid and suppress. These include spiritual laziness, pride, favouritism, pretentious scholasticism (which meant the use of big words and complicated sentences, as well as numerous references to well-known scientists and writers), gloomy and unwelcoming appearance, greed and mercenariness, and finally neglect of their family life and relationship (Ivan S. Prokhanov, “Poroki Propovednikov” [“Vices of Preachers”], in Bratskii Vestnik, Vol. 5 (1946), pp 47-50). 97 experience of accepting Christ and turning away from sin is directly linked to the convictional power of proclamation. Without such spiritual experience, biblical and theological knowledge is considered to be lifeless scholasticism. The second quality is calling. The calling of a preacher is confirmed by their preaching gifts. The confirmation of giftedness, however, comes from a church, and not from a preacher. The knowledge of the Bible is a third quality. Such knowledge is different from ‘theological theories’ and other religious knowledge. Prokhanov believes that every preacher must try to memorize large bits of the Bible, which also would be a natural result of constant reflection on the Bible and its daily application. The final characteristic is a preacher’s life. ‘A preacher must be an example for other believers ‘in word, in life, in love, in 730 spirit, in faith and in purity’ (2 Tim 2:15). The editors of the BV used Prokhanov’s heritage rather extensively — his sermons, articles (on preaching and other subjects), and even his preaching style were set as an example for other preachers. The article “I. S. Prokhanov kak Propovednik” [I. S. Prokhanov as a Preacher] is a lengthy analysis of his preaching styl