Monday, April 21, 2008

Preaching

I love it. I crave it. I feel gifted and called. There is nothing else I want to do with my life. When I am standing in front of people talking about Jesus, I feel most alive. I love the prep work. I love wrestling with Scripture. I love delivering.

Last week, I was listening to a speaker named Paul Washer, and there were two statements he made that stuck with me. (I don't remember them word for word)
1) I want to preach as if I will never preach again. Not in a way of quitting the pulpit, but rather in a way that I feel compelled by God to declare the daring message of the good news of Jesus as if this might be my last chance to declare it.
2) Preaching is a dangerous thing. It is dangerous, because I have been entrusted as a person who stands before God on a regular basis—to wrestle with Scripture, to pray, to be silent in order to listen, and to speak only after I have been spoken to. I have a job in which I am entrusted with Truth. This is dangerous. For if I fail to speak truth, I fail both God and my fellow human beings.

This is my passion!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen and Amen! It is energizing. Though there are so many facets of ministry that need to be accomplished on a daily basis, preparation and delivery are my passion.

Rick Ross said...

I love that!

"Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!"

Several times a week I thank God that I get to do what I do -- and get paid for it!

Tammie's Thoughts said...

Josh,
We at Sycamore View are eagerly awaiting your coming! I'm sorry to say that neither my husband, Tim, nor I will be there the first Sunday. I put the explanation on your wife's blog, but we will look forward to meeting you next week at Pepperdine!
Tammie Hacker