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Acts of the Apostles, against, case, Christianity, elders, God, Jerusalem, lay, leadership, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, New Testament, preachers, preaching, Samaria, sermon, unbiblical
Every Christian should be able to give an account of why he is a Christian; but that does not mean every Christian is meant to preach.
This distinction is brought out in a most interesting way in Acts 8 in verses 4 and 5. There we are told in the first verse that a great persecution of the church arose in Jerusalem, and that all the members of the church were scattered abroad except the apostles. Then we are told in verses 4 and 5, ‘Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the Word. Then Phillip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.’ That is the King James Version translation, and in both cases you have the word ‘preached’. But in the original the same word was not used in the two verses; and this is the vital distinction. What ‘the people’ who went everywhere did was, as someone has suggested it might be translated, ‘to gossip’ the Word, to talk about it in conversation. Philip on the other hand did something different; he was ‘heralding’ the Gospel. This is, strictly speaking, what is meant by preaching in the sense that I have been using it. It is not accidental that such a distinction should be drawn there in the actual text.
That is the position then, that every Christian should be capable of doing what is indicated in the fifth verse. In the New Testament this distinction is drawn very clearly; certain people only are set apart and called upon to deliver the message, as it were, on behalf of the church in an official manner. That act is confined to the elders, and only to some of them – the teaching elders, the elder who has received the gift of teaching, the pastors and the teachers. It is clear that the preaching in the New Testament was confined to the Apostles and the prophets and the evangelists and these others.
Why do I suggest that this is important? What is the ultimate criticism of what is called ‘lay-preaching’? The answer comes to this, that it seems to miss completely the whole notion of a ‘call’. There are also other reasons which seem to me to militate against the idea. My main argument is that the picture I have already given of the preacher, and what he is doing, insists not only that this is something to which a man is called, but also something that should occupy the whole of his time apart from exceptional circumstances. It is not something that can be done as an aside, as it were; that is a wrong approach and a wrong attitude to it.
- D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Preaching & Preachers
Here’s a question I’ve gotten a good bit: if someone is gifted in teaching and they are actively teaching the Bible (say in Sunday school) would that qualify them to preach. It goes back to the old saying that all preachers are teachers but not all teachers are preachers. That being said, if one is gifted to teach (and others have acknowledged that gift) and they have a desire to preach should they be allowed?
Short answer: There are too many who call themselves ‘preachers’ and teachers. Bottom line is, God alone births, calls and appoints preachers. Actively teaching the Bible doesn’t necessarily mean that God has called such a one to give up all (and he must) for the sake of heralding the Gospel. Teaching Sunday school and leading a congregation as a pastor/elder/teacher are quite different things.
I think the timing of this post was predestined…I heard a pretty good discussion of the issue of calling vs. vocational choices on Sunday afternoon. It is troubling that too few times today do we hear of a calling upon someone’s life. Instead we hear too much about people positioning themselves and strategizing and promoting themselves for their career development. Where is God’s leading? Where is our desire to have God’s guidance BEFORE we decide which vocation and/or ministry to pursue? Inquiring minds want to know…or do they?
Hi Pastor,
Well said! Thanks for your insight and keep up the great work on your blog.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Witnessing, proclaiming the gospel to folks along the way – such is to be the part of every blood-bought child of God. Preaching and shepherding a local flock of the Lord is for those He has called and given the desire and gifts unto. Such a man will be examined by those who have been faithfully serving as elders so as not to quickly allow anyone to take up the role in haste, posing a danger to himself and the flock.
Seminaries are not the birthplace of pastors/elders. It is a teaching institute of man that can do much good and much evil.