David Eby author of “Power Preaching for Church Growth” states:

According to the New Testament, and particularly the book of Acts, we cannot have church growth without preaching. There we discover that preaching is no side issue. Rather, the ministry of the Word is the main weapon in the spiritual arsenal, the only seed for church planting, the primary tool for church building, and the principal strategy in God’s plan to disciple the nations. No preaching, no church. No proclamation, no church growth. Preaching is the heart, the blood, the whole circulatory system of the life of the church. (p 11)

Why is it then that so many pastors lean on the lectionary only – rarely spend more than a few hours preparing a sermon…

that small quote says so much about church and church growth !