These are interesting days. New churches are popping up on just about every corner. And it seems more people are flocking to these places where there is 45 minutes of a rock concert called worship followed by a 15 minute Dr. Phil-type, self-help message. Just because there is a sign out in front of a building that says “church” and a crowd showing up each week, does not mean it is actually a church.
The following is a list of 10 things you do NOT need to preach the Gospel.
#10 You do NOT need a FOLLOWING to preach the gospel.
Athletes have followers, as do rock stars and actors. True believers follow the Gospel, not preachers.
#9 You do NOT need a “LOOK” to preach the gospel.
And what is the “look” today? Try whacked out hair, disheveled clothes, a Christian-appearing tattoo and some cool eyewear and you’ve got the “look”. Preachers of the Gospel do not worry about the coolness of their appearance.
#8 You do NOT need a STYLE to preach the Gospel.
The Gospel message is about content, not style. Preachers of the Gospel do not dwell on technique. They work on content.
#7 You do NOT need TECHNOLOGY to preach the Gospel.
The message is what matters, not the medium.
#6 You do NOT need PERSUASIVE SPEECH to preach the Gospel.
It is not the preacher’s job to convince. That which persuades is the Holy Spirit who works through the Gospel.
#5 You do NOT need an OUTGOING PERSONALITY to preach the Gospel.
Some of the kingdom’s most Gospel-centered preachers are introverts.
#4 You do NOT need LARGE CROWDS to preach the Gospel.
A large crowd is not the measure of the Gospel’s effectiveness. Even a circus can attract a crowd. The effectiveness of the Gospel is measured in its faithful communication.
#3 You do not need the APPROVAL of others to preach the Gospel.
“If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).
#2 You do NOT need MAN-CENTERED MESSAGES to preach the Gospel.
The power is in the Gospel: the power that saves, that raises the dead, that meets needs, that remakes the world.
#1 You do NOT need WHAT THE WORLD SAYS YOU NEED to preach the Gospel.
To preach the Gospel, the communicator needs a good grasp of God’s Word, a clear understanding of the Gospel doctrine and a call from God to proclaim it.
As the Apostle Paul declared: For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:16).
Well there you go! Excellent post! In fact, I think I’m going to have to steal… baptize it… and use it myself. Of course I will give credit.
Sunday… PREACH IT!
I know this is a serious BLOG post … but I have to confess that when I read #9 I immediately thought of Dave Snyder and laughed out loud. I’m not saying that our new Student Minister NEEDS this LOOK – - but he sure does HAVE IT – - well, I don’t know about the tattoo – - but that other stuff is definitely Dave! (And Dave, if you read this, I say it with LOVE and a SMILE).