Choosing to Preach Discussion

re: #3 - Must One Be Called to Preach?

Posted by Andrew Eby on Oct. 01, 2008 at 00:34

If we stick to the definition that preaching is helping people hear from God, then every Christian is a preacher when he/she shares the gospel with a friend. We have attached a higher elevation of a preacher as one who stands on the pulpit and delivers a message every Sunday. Yes, these people are gifted and God is using them to deliver a word to people. But is preaching reserved to "preachers"? I believe every follower of Jesus Christ is a preacher when they share their faith or help other believers hear from God. However some Christians never choose to preach and therefore "preaching" has been assigned to pastors or speakers and only happens once a week! Imagine a world full of Christian preachers who helped people hear from God 7 days a week instead of just once a week sitting in a pew!

re: #3 - Must One Be Called to Preach?

Posted by John Jeong on Sep. 30, 2008 at 02:14

Must one be specially called to preach?? Whether this “preach” indicates telling gospel of Jesus Christ to the world or bible teaching in the church the answer for the question is “no”. Everybody, disciples of Jesus Christ are qualified to preach in the church and somewhere else. Jesus commanded his disciples to go out to the world and to teach (preach) the gospel, and in book of Acts, Jesus ordered his disciples to go out to the end of the world to spread the gospel. In the bible, especially in N.T. few references support this idea. Then now we have a question whether we are disciples of Jesus Christ or not. Fortunately, it is very easy to find out whether we are disciples of Jesus or not. Once we have faith in Jesus Christ and accept Him as our personal savior, yes, we are disciples of Jesus Christ. Therefore, if there is certain qualification we need in order to preach, faith is only qualification that we need in order to preach. However, I believe God calls someone specifically in some occasions for the preaching for sure. Now I said someone who has faith in Christ is qualified to give preaching to the people in the church and the world. However, there are some more aspects that these preachers must have. In order to preach and teach in the church and some other places someone who preach must prepare for the lesson, but it does not necessarily mean that the preacher has to be a professional speaker. Preacher needs good understanding of the bible, and he must spend decent amount of time in prayer and reading the Bible. These lists sound so basic, however, these lists are the core reasons why not everybody is preaching in the church even though they can preach. It seems majority of Christians do not prepare for preaching. What they need is not special calling of God for the preaching or special revelation, however, they need their own effort for the studying the bible, praying, and teaching the message of God. Every believers of Jesus Christ can preach, however they have to prepare for this preaching by steadily walking with God in their daily life instead of waiting God’s miraculous calling for the preaching.

re: #3 - Must One Be Called to Preach?

Posted by Yong Wang on Sep. 29, 2008 at 20:11

Every believer is called to teach (Matthew 28:10-20) and proclaim (1 Peter 3:9). From this perspective, the Bible encourages everyone to go out and share God’s words with people. Here, preaching is not limited to the typical Sunday morning but to a broader sense of teaching and sharing God’s words.

Meanwhile, for the Sunday morning preaching, it is good that preacher is eligible and prepared. Most often, proper education and training are necessary. However, this is not to say that a person without relevant education and training cannot preach on Sunday mornings. Let’s say those churches with little resources and people with great power and gifts from God. Some people do have special call from God to be full time servants as pastors or missionaries. This call is different from the call of people to preach. Some pastors do not have this call but they still preach because God has called us all (Matthew 28:18-20).

re: #3 - Must One Be Called to Preach?

Posted by Kevin O'Coin on Sep. 21, 2008 at 18:55

There are two aspects to this question:

1) What do we mean by the word "preach"? If we speak of someone ascending the pulpit to deliver a 45-minute exposition of a biblical passage, then I would have to say that not everyone is called to preach—this is not to say that anyone may (though certain faith traditions would argue this), but simply that for some, this would not be for them to operate out of their gifting. But preaching really can take on many different forms, and it should, in order to be appropriate to a specific culture or environment. At its heart, preaching is the "persuasive communications of God’s Word," and there is always a time and a place for that.

2) We need look no further than the Apostle Paul to explode our ideas about preaching. Only three days after he was blinded on the road to Damascus, and as soon as the scales fell from his eyes, "he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God" (Acts 9:20). Though he was a learned Jew, he didn’t understand much high theology about Jesus, and most people would not look too kindly upon the leaders of a church who allowed a week-old Christian to give the message on a Sunday morning. And while that venue may not be the best fit for a Paul of today, such a person can certainly testify to the impact of God’s truth in their own lives, which is surely more likely to stir the heart in comparison to a 40-minute exegesis of Psalm 139.

In that sense, then, one does not need a calling to preach.

re: #3 - Must One Be Called to Preach?

Posted by Michael Holcomb on Mar. 26, 2008 at 18:39

I have just finished reading through the Epistles that Paul wrote to the church in various cities. I myself am as one of those in a lost world, saved by the Good News of Jesus Christ. I find myself believing and being compelled that to preach the Good News is like the breath that we take to sustain our physical life. If we have a choice, would we, should we take the next breath. When we accept the gift of life through Jesus Christ, we soon are indwelled with the Holy Spirit. Our choice to breath in and to exhale is to live. Is not the Holy Spirit the same and even greater essence of life to those of us bought by such a great price?

re: #3 - Must One Be Called to Preach?

Posted by Johnny Lo on Jan. 25, 2007 at 00:06

The Bible most definitely encourages everyone to go out and preach the Word. But preaching also has many different forms.

Now, are we all called to go out and preach to thousands of people at once like Billy Graham? Most likely not, but that shouldn’t stop us from telling our neighbours or friends about Christ.

re: #3 - Must One Be Called to Preach?

Posted by Michelle Young on Jan. 22, 2007 at 17:32

If following the definition of "preaching" as helping others to connect and hear from God, the answer would be "YES", all Christians are encouraged to preach the Word. Indeed, it is the great commission from our Lord Jesus commanding us to go and teach the nations (Matt.28:19-20) all that the Lord had taught us. However, if "preaching" is defined as the Sunday morning pulpit preaching, I believe not everyone is gifted or called to this area of ministry.

re: #3 - Must One Be Called to Preach?

Posted by zachariah rippee on Jan. 20, 2007 at 13:20

One can be called to preach. God does have chosen speakers who He has blessed to do his preaching. However, you don’t have to be called to preach, if you still have a desire to do it.

re: #3 - Must One Be Called to Preach?

Posted by dave ellis on Jan. 18, 2007 at 01:41

1 Thessalonians 1:5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. I like this verse because its describes the componets of preaching so well. Preaching is not just words, its a life lived among people, its not for us, its for those, you have been called to serve. The Holy Spirit is involed, not only in you, as you preach, but in those who you are preaching too. And then, the message is said to come in power, the very Gospel is anointed. Wow! Do I think we are called to preach? Yes, we are called out of the darkness and into the light. Living in the light, being led by the Spirit, its safe to say, that in some form your life will include preaching.

re: #3 - Must One Be Called to Preach?

Posted by Steve Driediger on Jan. 16, 2007 at 21:02

In "Choosing to Preach" Dr. Anderson uses 2 Timothy 4:2 (Be prepared to preach in season and out of season ….) to show that "if we are in Christ, we are called to preach in some capacity" (p. 28). My question about this proposition rises in light of the fact that Paul wrote this to Timothy, not to the church that Timothy lead. Does this passage mean that all Christians are called to preach, or that those who are the spiritual leaders of our churches are called to preach? I am not opposed to some understanding of the call to all Christians to tell the gospel, but I struggle to see that in 2 Timothy 4.