Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Called to Preach?!



An Inkling
Did you know you’re called to preach?  “Who?  Me?  You’ve got to be kidding!”
Nope, I’m serious.  And we had a great example this Sunday of how that can work.  The video of Arlene’s witness touched the hearts of everyone who heard it.  She is answering God’s call to preach!
How?  By telling what God’s been doing in her life.  She had “preached” to me in bits and pieces over recent weeks, telling about what she had seen the Lord do in and around her.  She didn’t know she was preaching, but she was – only not in a pulpit expositing scripture.  We need that flavor of preaching too.  But her preaching arose from simply letting her observations about what God was doing flow into her daily conversation. 
Having heard her “preach,” I asked if she would be up for sharing more broadly with the congregation.  In her case the video provided a good means for doing so.  And so many were blessed.
It’s how you’re called to “preach” as well.  Whether you ever stand in a pulpit and exposit a scripture passage or not, every day brings you an opportunity through word and deed to hold forth on what God is doing in and around you.  That’s a big part of what Jesus had in mind when he sent his disciples out to tell the good news.  Now their calling is yours.
How can you find your preaching voice?  Let’s help each other learn.  It’s our common calling.  And as the good news finds expression through you, someone’s going to be touched with the love of God.
Preach on!
Keith