Romans 10:15, How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”
We are told through Scripture that the Word of God travels, in part, via the preacher. The Word is precious and Holy and Perfect, yet it is committed to men who are wholly imperfect. It is given to those who would preach to distribute grace to those who are the starving and lost. For a man to preach is either the height of arrogance, or the pinnacle of submission. Which of these it is might be hard, if not impossible, for the average person to differentiate, but truthfully time always tells the true story of the heart.
The world we live in today largely rejects the truth of God’s Word. Some seek access to man’s heart by “updating” ministry to deal with common social problems in an effort to show care to the blindness of man. Others are willing to bypass certain scriptures to avoid any uncomfortable subjects that might impede an otherwise workable relationship. After all, the money in the contribution comes from the people in attendance.
I would say there are essentially three kinds of preachers in this world. One is useless in the pulpit because he has simply no idea what he is supposed to be doing. I’m not referring to education, but to their own lack of a spiritual relationship with God. They might be great presenters, but their qualifications as the sons of God are questionable at best. Another and preferable model is the man of God who is an example to all. A soldier of God fighting the righteous battle of God. He cares little about his own sacrifice, and seeks the accomplishment of God’s mission above all else. To this man numbers, and finance, and social power are never considered when weighing the real value of the work. The pressure from the world, and shamefully even some brethren, to become more worldly to share the watered-down gospel of the “religious moment” will never crush his spirit or change his vision. These men are invaluable. The problem is that only time can tell whether someone is truly a person of this kind of character. It takes a lifetime to develop a reputation like that. But be sure, there are those working today who will gain that reputation and for each and every one I am grateful and blessed. The third type of preacher is one who is struggling to be the second type mentioned. They are developing and growing. They are trying with all of their heart to be God’s men in their life and service. Not all are full time ministers. Many serve congregations that can’t afford a full-time minister, so they work secular jobs to supplement any income derived from their work in the pulpit or other areas of ministry. They labor as hard as any other preacher – sometimes harder.
All ministers are in one of these three categories. There are some that need to find other occupations. Short changing the church, and even worse God, will bring nothing but pain, disillusionment, and grief to people who need the undefiled truth of the Only Living God. The second one is he who has proven himself to be, a blessing to all. He is a glowing goal in a dark world. The third is where most of us reside. Not trying to gain any particular reputation, just trying to execute God’s Will in a world that fights truth on every turn. My prayer is that the honest man of God will keep up the fight, even when the “prince of the power of the air” seems to be winning the battle. The victory will only be found when God gives it. We can’t force it, and honestly, we don’t produce it. It is only God who will ever bring the “Increase.” (1 Corinthians 3:6) One of Satan’s greatest lies is that certain servants have the ability to save, when others bearing the same truth will only ever fail. The power is in the seed we sow and the giver of life who brings the increase.
Too many are overly concerned how the world views our every move and statement. There are some for whom no solace could ever be given. They have elected to give away their eternity for the false promises of momentary pleasure. For those that are seeking salvation the minister is the one who stands up for what is right and sacrifices himself to share the blessings of God. Whatever a minster is, he is absolutely a Servant. What kind of servant we are is up to us. There is hope for the minister in category one who is struggling. It is the same hope we all have, repentance and grace can change our futures. Perhaps equally important is that that same repentance and grace can change us. The rest of us have to make a daily decision to be servants. Every morning we rise to a new set of opportunities.