Good News for the Non-Preachers
April 27, 2009
Dear Friends,
Do you ever feel like you are incapable of preaching? Some of us feel like we don’t know enough. Some of us are uncomfortable talking with new people. Some people are afraid of being caught in a situation we are unable to adequately defend our faith and possibly making a fool of ourselves.
The fact that the Scriptures are explicit in the command to preach adds to our discomfort. We read verses like “preach the word” (2 Tim. 4:2) and “devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching” (1 Tim 4:13) and they make us feel guilty if we are not so engaged. Some fabricate all kinds of excuses for these verses like “these verses don’t really apply to everyone” to make themselves feel better.
There is good news for everyone who finds themselves in this predicament. Let me suggest that one of our basic problems is that our definition of preaching is way too limited. When we talk about preaching and preachers, we conjure images of people standing on street corners or speaking to crowds of people or knocking on doors. These are forms of preaching, but preaching is by no means limited to these venues and means.
By way of background, let me share with you the most successful preaching campaign I was ever involved in. But first, it helps to know a little about me and my preaching experience. First, I am not shy about preaching. I don’t mind at all talking about what I believe in front of or behind a podium. I don’t mind knocking on doors. I don’t even mind getting into a debate with a worthy adversary (although this is a largely ineffective means of preaching as few have ever been argued into Christianity). The most effective preaching campaign I was ever involved in, however, involved none of these skills.
Last summer I went to South Africa with my daughter, Ana. We were asked by the brethren there to go to a black township on the outskirts of Durban called Mariannhill. They had just opened the brand new ecclesial hall there on the first Sunday we were there and had about 35 people in attendance. The following week was winter break for the children in this township and they were left largely unattended by their parents who had to work. The plan was to go there during the week, essentially babysit the kids (crafts for the girls and soccer for the boys) with a few Bible lessons thrown in. The object was to practice what has become known as “touch and teach” which simply means that you show people you care and develop a relationship with them before you try and teach them the Gospel. Another way of putting it is that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
The first day began with about 20 boys and 20 girls that came out. During the course of the week, the number swelled to about 300 children. We ordered 250 t-shirts at the beginning of the week with “the Good News of the Kingdom of God” emblazoned on the front and were 50 short at week’s end. We also had a cookout on Friday and invited the kids and their parents to come eat with us at the new hall.
The next Sunday, the ecclesial hall, which had opened the previous week, was rendered obsolete as we had 135 people show up for the service. The service had to be held in the yard to accommodate all of the people that came because they could not fit in the building.
The point is this. Until that week, I had never played soccer in my life and if you had asked me if soccer was a preaching skill I would have laughed out loud. I thought at the time I knew a lot about preaching, but the fact is that I didn’t know much at all. Preaching is about proclaiming the Good News and you can proclaim that Good News in a LOT of different ways. Can you take care of kids? That is a preaching skill. Can you cook? That is a preaching skill. Can you listen to people? That is a preaching skill. Showing people God’s love with a view to sharing the Good News of the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ is preaching. For everyone intimidated about preaching, this is the good news for you! You can do it! Just find the skill set you are comfortable with and then get to work.
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”(Is. 6:8)
Have a great week,
