What is the Difference Between Teaching and Preaching

The main difference between teaching and preaching is that a teacher mainly addresses the intellectual needs of the learners while the preacher mainly focuses on the spiritual needs of listeners.

When we pay attention to the principal aim of these two activities, it becomes clear that preaching focuses more on influencing, motivating, and inspiring the listeners in such a way that a positive change will take place in their lives. However, teaching is more turned towards informing, educating, and equipping the listeners with knowledge and skills. Therefore, when it comes to their primary intention, there exists a clear difference between teaching and preaching.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Teaching  
   – Definition, Features
2. What is Preaching
     – Definition, Features
3. Relationship Between Teaching and Preaching
     – Outline of Common Characteristics
4. Difference Between Teaching and Preaching
    – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Teacher, Teaching, Preacher, Preaching

What is Teaching

Teaching can be simply defined as a process through which a teacher imparts knowledge and skills to a target group of students. The function of a teacher differs from that of a preacher; while teachers try to transfer knowledge, skills, and instructions on how to do something, the task of a preacher takes a slightly motivational approach. Teachers play a vital role in the field of education.

Measured by the number of people practicing teaching as a profession, teaching is one of the most common professions in the world. In order to become a teacher, a person needs to complete formal training from a validated and certified institute through which he or she acquires specialized knowledge and expertise.

What is Preaching

Preaching is a process that focuses more on influencing, motivating, and inspiring listeners in such a way that a positive change will take place in their lives. Preaching is a spiritual process and often involves religion. A person who preaches is called a preacher. Preaching mainly aims to make a positive shift in people’s hearts, minds, attitudes, habits, behaviors, and manners. Most significantly, preaching influences a person’s thinking process.

Preaching aims at nourishing the listener’s heart, unlike teaching, which nourishes his mind. Above all, if a process of preaching does not address the mind and emotions of the listener, it won’t be successful in making any kind of influence on the listener.

Relationship Between Teaching and Preaching

• Both teaching and preaching processes involve some kind of an educator. In the process of teaching, we usually call him/her a teacher. When it comes to the process of preaching, he/she is called a preacher.
• These processes involve different aspects of education, whether intellectual or spiritual.
• Both teaching and preaching involve two parties: the teacher and the learners, and the preacher and the listeners.

Difference Between Teaching and Preaching

Definition

Teaching is a process that mainly focuses on imparting knowledge and skills towards a targeted group of learners, while preaching is a process that focuses on making a life-changing impact on a target group.

Primary Aim

The primary aim of teaching is to transfer knowledge, skills, and information to learners. On the other hand, in preaching, a preacher tries to make a positive difference in the attitudes, behavioral patterns, and habits.

Educator Involved

Teaching is done by teachers, whereas preaching is done by preachers.

Approach

A teacher mainly addresses the intellectual needs of the learners, while a preacher takes a more spiritual approach.

Focus

Teaching mainly focuses on information, while the focus of preaching is on revelation.

Heart vs Mind

Preaching aims at nourishing the listener’s heart, while teaching aims at nourishing his mind.

Conclusion

In brief, teaching mainly focuses on imparting knowledge and skills towards a targeted group of learners, while preaching focuses on making a positive difference in the attitudes, behavioral patterns, and habits of listeners. A teacher mainly addresses the intellectual needs of the learners, while the preacher mainly focuses on the spiritual needs of listeners. This is the main difference between teaching and preaching.

Reference:

1. “What Is Teaching?” Flight Literacy, 6 Apr. 2020.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Teacher, Learning, School, Teaching, Classroom” (CC0) via MaxPixel
2. “Pastor Church Person Preacher Priest Holy” (CC0) via MaxPixel

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