A Refreshing Reality – But We Need More!
He was but a teen the last time I saw him face to face. Now he is married and has four growing children! I’ve known his wife for many more years than I’ve known him. Her grandfather was a gospel preacher and a great friend of mine. She was only four when he died. I’ve known her parents for most of her life, and I’ve known his parents for close to thirty years. Both are very faithful in the Lord’s kingdom, as his full-time labor is preaching the gospel of Christ.
Though I’ve heard him teaching online, and have read a few articles by his hand, I had never heard him preach “live and in person.” That opportunity availed itself this past week. I was impressed! His material was well prepared and fervently presented. He mentioned my name, and that “having older preachers that he has heard, and still respect sit in his audience made him nervous.” Remembering my youthful beginnings in the work, I fully understood but told him following services, “Don’t ever be nervous preaching the truth. We old preachers still need to be taught.”
It wasn’t long ago that another dear brother and I talked briefly about the need for younger men to prepare to take the place of us older men in the pulpit, but also recognized few men are even trying to preach. It was refreshing to hear my young friend this past week and be encouraged that at least in his hands, the gospel remains at the ready and will continue to be preached in season and out of season. And, if prayers are answered favorably, he has three boys that someday can follow his example and use their knowledge of God’s word and their examples of obedience to it, as they teach others do to the same (Matthew 28:19-20).
Yet, the fact remains we need more men to stand in pulpits and boldly proclaim the gospel of Christ. Some factors stifle this need: some are reasonable while others are shameful excuses. If there is a true lack of knowledge of the Scriptures, that can be remedied with increased diligent study. If it is a lack of knowledge in the realm of public speaking, that too can be eased with training. If it is a lack of encouragement, brethren can be made aware of that need and eliminate it by building up one another in the most holy faith. If it is a lack of experience, that is easily removed by granting opportunities at home to speak. There is no better critique than those at home who will HONESTLY assess the beginning attempts to faithfully serve our Lord.
Among the negatives offered are silly ones. Some fear a lack of income for the work. They need to consider the example taught by John the Baptizer (Luke 3:14) and remember Matthew 6:33. Granted, Paul taught a workman is worthy of his hire (1 Corinthians 9), but none of these passages eliminate working with your hands while preaching (1 Corinthians 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:11) to supply your needs. Another similar negative is several seem to want to “start at the top” as if they have achieved a similar level of ability and recognition as those who have devoted the greatest part of their lives to this service. Such ones seem to have a mentality of “hierarchy” among preachers. Unfortunately, some preachers have contributed in abundance to this negative attitude, and NOT to the improvement of the Lord’s kingdom! These young men will find that the LORD elevates a good man much higher than brethren (including himself with his ego) can exult him! (1 Peter 5:6) Humility works best every time!
Perhaps the greatest deterrent toward young men becoming gospel preachers is the work itself. It is tiring to the body as it requires countless hours of study (Ecclesiastes 12:12; 2 Timothy 2: 14 – 26). It often requires times of separation from the wife and family. It is then you must remind yourself of Matthew 6:33; Colossians 1:18 and Hebrews 13:5 – 6. And there are the critiques of the brethren. (See Luke 6:26). Brethren can be cruel in their statements, even if they claim to make them in jest (for which lessons from Ephesians 5:4 might be appropriate.) These are matters that the young, devoted man will learn to tolerate. He won’t “get used to them,” but his spiritual skin will get tougher as the years help mature him, and he wears the marks of our Lord Jesus (Galatians 6:17).
But most negative of all is when the brethren make him a “pastor” (meant in the secular sense of the word) when he is not, nor does he intend to be the “authority” for things taught and done in the local church. His work is to preach! (2 Timothy 4: 1- 8). While that may entail writing articles, teaching classes, both public and private, and certainly being an example of God’s truth in word and deed (Colossians 3:17), being the preacher is never seen the Lord’s church as an “office of authority” and should never be made to appear as such by either the brethren or the preacher! His work is best defined by a young boy who answered an experienced preacher who asked, “What is a preacher?” with the reply, “He’s a loudmouthed church member.” If he becomes more, he’s too much; and anything less isn’t enough!
From the moment a young man is raised to walk in the newness of life, brethren should begin encouraging him to study God’s word with the goal being to teach others the gospel. Older men need to take that role (Titus 2:1-2) seriously and provide the opportunity for these young men to learn by trying. The “physical” can be trained; but the SPIRITUAL – the DESIRE – must be engrained by the support, love, and encouragement of the brethren to have these men determined to serve God!