The pastor and author lamented that today’s churchgoers often arrive not with a sense of reverence but with a consumerist mindset and called for a return to “serious engagement with the Bible.”
In a message delivered at the annual Sing! Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, Begg, the senior pastor of Cleveland’s Parkside Church, said that in churches around the world, the pulpit once stood as a monumental symbol of spiritual authority. Yet, over time, this symbol has all but faded, making way for a more casual and consumer-friendly approach to worship.
He said the change represents more than just a design preference — it reflects a deeper shift in how churches engage with the Bible itself.
Begg said. “In the past the pulpit was central and visually dominant, not as an expression of the preacher’s authority, but as a reminder of the authority of Scripture.”
But today, in many churches, that centrality has been lost.
For Begg, the decline of the raised pulpit is emblematic of a broader issue: the diminishing role of Scripture in congregational life. He contended that modern churchgoers often arrive not with an expectation to encounter God’s Word, but with a more casual mindset.
Begg called for a return to what he calls “serious engagement with the Bible,” where the focus is less on inspirational talks and more on preaching that seeks to unfold the meaning of the text, not just offer uplifting or therapeutic messages.