21 Days of Prayer for the Lost: Day 16

In our day and age, preaching often gets a bad rap.  The prevailing culture tells us preaching is pushy, politically incorrect and judgmental.  It’s equated with Bible-thumpers and street-corner evangelists with booming voices, or hypocritical pastors on TV who have fallen into scandal and disrepute.

Within the church, many believers view preaching as a specialized calling that applies only to an elite group of pastors and leaders who are uniquely trained and gifted.  They would never imagine themselves preaching to anyone.  But the word “preach” just means to proclaim or announce something openly. It doesn’t require speaking to a crowd.  It can refer to one-on-one conversation.

In Romans 10:14-15, Paul makes it clear that the gospel must be heard in order to be received.  Actually, he describes a series of events that includes five inseparable links in the chain of salvation: Send>Preach>Hear>Believe>Call.

First, do you see yourself as one who is “sent” by God to help those who are lost?  This was Christ’s own mission – “to seek and to save the lost” – and he enlisted us to complete it (Lk 19:10; Mt 28:18-20).
 
Second, do you see yourself as one who is called to “preach” the good news to the people around you?

The reason the gospel has to be heard (or read) is because it contains truth claims that are essential for salvation.  They must be understood in order to be believed.

It reminds me of the quotation attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel at all times.  Use words if necessary.”

I appreciate the intent of that statement.  It reminds us that we should demonstrate the good news of the gospel with our actions, not just our words.  We should love, serve, help and care for the lost in practical ways, just like Jesus did.

But the quotation above is false, because words are necessary!  The words of the gospel are life and truth (Jn 6:63, 17:17).  They are the power of salvation for those who believe (Rom 1:16). And there’s nothing more beautiful than sharing them with others.

Ultimately, this is not an either-or proposition: “Either we preach the gospel… or we demonstrate good works.” We are called to communicate the good news of the gospel in word and deed.  Good deeds are necessary (Eph 2:10; Jas 2:26).  But so is preaching.

Things to pray for today:

• Pray for the pastors, missionaries, and ministry leaders who have dedicated their lives to preaching the good news.  Pray they will not grow weary or lose heart.
• Pray for God to raise up more laborers who are willing to speak out – including yourself.
• Pray for many unsaved people to repent and believe in Jesus in the coming year, as we engage in the “Each One Win One” outreach campaign.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.