Articles
You Are a Preacher
You Are a Preacher
Tyler King
The term "preacher" often carries with it the idea of a man who works throughout the week, ministering to the congregation while also working on lessons for Sunday and Wednesday. Unfortunately, that's about as far as the term reaches for the modern mind. In fact, you yourself may not think you're a preacher either. Let me suggest otherwise.
Preaching derives from the word kerysso which literally means "to proclaim, or make public declaration." Mark 1:45 is a good place to start when looking at this word. Most translations will say that this man, after encountering Jesus, went about "talking" or "proclaiming" freely. Later, the apostles were commanded to preach and testify that Jesus was the Messiah (Acts 10:42). A powerful commission and a necessary one for the Kingdom to grow.
At its very root, an individual has the ability to preach anything. In fact, whether you realize it or not, you are preaching on a daily basis. The contents of your declarations may not always be Christ, but you are constantly broadcasting some sort of message with the life you live. Paul makes the implication that he does not preach himself, but Christ (2 Cor. 4:5). The question then must be asked, what is it that I preach in my life? Do I preach monetary gain? Do I preach myself? Do I proclaim and declare pessimism and grumbles? Or do I preach Christ and the joy, peace, hope, and faith He provides?
From a practicality standpoint, there are two ways to preach. An individual can devote his life solely to the life of ministry. That, in and of itself, can equate to a plethora of positions; missionaries, teachers, college ministers, congregational ministers, youth ministers, outreach ministers, and so on. There is also the option to preach Christ in your everyday life, whether at your job or in your school. This seemed to be the route that many in the Bible took. If you look at the occupations of the Bible, you'd be astounded at the normality of the lives that people lived.
- Isaac was an expert bow-hunter (Genesis 21:20).
- Designers played a significant role in the process of making the tabernacle (Exodus 35:35).
- Blacksmiths were necessary for the process of weapon-making (1 Sam. 13:19)
- David was a shepherd boy and spent a lot of time in a field watching livestock (1 Sam. 17:34).
- Ahithophel was David's counselor (2 Sam. 15:12).
- Construction workers were mandatory in the building of the temple and temple walls (Nehemiah; 1 Kings 6).
- Jesus was a carpenter (Mark 6:3).
- There was a gardener amidst the tomb where Jesus was laid (John 20:15).
- Luke was a doctor (Col. 4:14)
- Paul was a tentmaker (Acts 18:3)
- Gamaliel was a teacher (Acts 22:3)
- Peter, Andrew, James, and John were fishermen (Matt. 4:18-22).
- Matthew worked with taxes (Luke 5:27).
No matter where you're at in life, you're a preacher. But I'd ask the question, preacher; what is it that you preach?
