F asked who I am or what I do, my response is always, "I am a Gospel preacher." This is all I want to be and the only way I care to be known.
On the back wall of our chapel is written the Romans 10:17
verse, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the
word of Christ." Paul’s argument is that no one will believe
unless the Gospel is preached. It is therefore plain that the
preaching of the Gospel takes precedence over every other form
of ministry. The preaching of the Gospel is, in fact, the most
important work in which anyone will ever engage. It is putting
love into action - concrete action. All else I might do in
service to others will shrink nearly to trivia, since there will
be a resurrection to life and to death. Paul put it like this:
For we are aroma of Christ to God among those who are
being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a
fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance
from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
(2 Corinthians 2:15-16)
Preachers impart the word of the Gospel in many ways. My
belief is that the chief means should be public preaching in the
church worship service. However, other means have almost
limitless possibilities, and I delight in any presentation of
the Gospel, even when those with whom I disagree do it. I take
my cue from Paul:
Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but
others from good will. The latter do it out of love,
knowing that I am put here for the defense of the
gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not
sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.
What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense
or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I
rejoice. (Philippians 1:15-18)
Preaching the Gospel is my great delight. I have been known
to say that I pastor a church in order to preach. This may be
somewhat off target, but it does express how I feel, and this
"Preacher’s Corner" will be for all of us who love to preach the
grace and mercy of God in our Lord Jesus Christ.
