# “A consuming fire for the pastor and the pulpit” by Jordan Steffaniak

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2026/02/27/a-consuming-fire-for-the-pastor-and-the-pulpit-by-jordan-steffaniak/
- Published: 2026-02-27T14:30:00-06:00
- Author: tollelege

“I firmly believe that classical theism is unashamedly ecclesial. It’s ecclesial
because worship is driven by the church’s confession of the faith, and the telos
of classical theism is doxology.

It is to confess with Saint Paul, ‘To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible,
the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen’ (**1 Tim 1:17**). It is
to praise alongside David, “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his
greatness is unsearchable” (**Ps 145:3**).

Throughout Scripture one finds the authors naming and confessing God as acts of 
prayer and praise. And so, classical theism, as Michael Allen says, ‘summons the
church to confess the incomparable beautiful name of God.’

It causes us to ‘remember that His almighty power has been willed toward our flourishing.’
The very vocation of such theology is worship. This is why classical theism is not
merely abstract or theoretical.

In fact, all theology is practical because it is ultimately directed at action-theology
informs to excite and impel. And the most fundamental human action is the worship
of God. Therefore, classical theism is resolutely practical because it shapes, grounds,
and guides our worship.

It leads us to stand in awe of God and love Him. God delights not in our strength,
not in our power, not in our wisdom, but in our fear of Him and our hope in His 
steadfast love (**Ps 147:11**). Our hope and fear of God are both grounded in who
He is as God.

Thus, the church as pillar and buttress of the truth confesses the God who is all-
sufficient, all-good, and perfect in every way. Classical theism gives shape and
depth to this confession. It allows us to ‘praise Him according to His excellent
greatness!’ (**Ps 150:2**).

Therefore, classical theism is not only abstractly good for the church. It is a 
steadfast rock for the grieving widow in her sorrows, who casts her hope on the 
God who never changes but remains faithful to His creation forevermore.

It is a consuming fire for the pastor and the pulpit, fueling the sermonic grandeur
of God and kindling the hearts of the congregation. It is a soothing balm for the
anxious mother who trusts in the eternally present God who never leaves nor forsakes.

But more than merely revealing the object of worship, classical theism is also designed
to safeguard our worship of God. The classical doctrine of God protects the steadfast
love of God about which the psalmists so frequently sing.

It builds us up to the unity of the faith and knowledge of God so that we are no
longer children tossed by every wind of doctrine. Classical theism considers any
other foundation to be sinking sand.

All the beautiful claims of Scripture- God is loving, faithful, kind, merciful— 
depend on these doctrines. In doing so, this doctrine is the lifeblood of the liturgical
life of the church. As Augustine so long ago advised us, the true function of all
knowledge is the preaching of the gospel.

And classical theism is the bedrock of this preaching. It is the church’s doctrine-
or so I hope to argue. It is not the opinion of a few isolated individuals but the
communion of saints throughout the ages. And as a ‘dogma’ of the church, classical
theism ought to be defended.”

—Jordan Steffaniak, _**[Classical Theism: A Christian Introduction](https://amzn.to/4sfGAI0)**_(
Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2026), 8-9.

![Classical Theism by Jordan Steffaniak](https://i0.wp.com/tollelege.net/wp-content/
uploads/2026/02/51EiHyfjdL._SL1200_.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&ssl=1 ""A consuming fire
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