“Where do preachers come from?”
I once asked that question the leadership of a church that was in transition between pastors. Their response scared me:
“God just calls them and they automatically know how to do it.”
Their view was that God just downloaded the ability to preach into a man who was called to be a preacher the same way that Neo learned Kung Fu in The Matrix.
While I believe strongly that I have been called by God to the important task of preaching, I have found that the Lord has used very tangible things to help me grow into this weighty responsibility.
The Bible. As with many other topics, the Bible says more on preaching than you may initially recall. All throughout the Bible, we see God speaking to His people. In the Old Testament, we see the phrase, “Thus says the Lord…” and others like it all over the place. This reality assures me that God is a God Who speaks to His people. God is a Preacher.
We also see God’s prophets all throughout the Old Testament with a clear responsibility from God: say what God has said. They were not to add to or take away from God’s Word. Instead, they were to speak to the people what God had spoken. “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.” (Deuteronomy 12:32 [ESV])
Jonah. This small book of the Bible has impacted me in a powerful way. Perhaps the story of Jonah is familiar to you, but have you considered the message of it? Jonah is a prophet of God. And yet, his heart does not reflect God’s heart. And God is going to work that out in Jonah’s life. As a preacher, I must allow God to align my heart with His heart… continually.
2 Timothy. This is likely the last letter the Apostle Paul wrote. He wrote it to his younger protege, Timothy. It seems that Timothy is losing his vigor and energy for the work at hand. There have been many weeks that I too have faded in my energy for the work. In fact, this tendency of pastors/preachers causes many to quit the work altogether. Peoples are even naming this problem: “The Great Pastor Resignation.”
In the midst of this fading flame of Gospel ministry in Timothy, Paul encourages him to fan into flame the gift that God has given him. He tells him to spend his time pouring his life into other men who will help in the important work of raising up others who can faithfully handle the Word of God. And then, the “go to” passage for all preachers is found towards the end of this short letter: “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” (2 Timothy 4:2)
Dig and Discover Principles Booklet. Yes, I know that we haven’t left the Bible yet. And yes, I’m aware that there are a LOT of books on preaching out there- I believe I’ve read at least 10 of them. However, what has helped me the most as a preacher regarding my heart, my will, and the craft is getting together with other preachers to dig into God’s Word together and discover God’s purposes in it. I have now been a part of five of five such groups over the past three years that use this small, ~30 page booklet to learn and grow in studying and preaching the Word of God. It has been one of the greatest joys and privileges of my life and God has used it to grow me as a preacher.
If you are a preacher or an aspiring preacher, perhaps you don’t need another book. Perhaps you need to be renewed and invigorated for God’s Word. I would encourage you to connect with one of these groups!
If I’m going to preach, I want to be faithful in that endeavor. I also want to see more faithful preachers raised up to faithfully proclaim God’s Word!
I love you guys,
Brian O’Day
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