Will You Preach?
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld observed:
According to most studies, people’s No. 1 fear is public speaking. No. 2 is death. Death is No. 2. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.
Most of you can probably relate to the fear of public speaking. Saying you’re not alone is an understatement. But it’s hard for me to imagine anyone who was more fearful of speaking in front of a crowd than I. That petrifying anxiety hit me sometime in junior high or high school. Ironically, in grade school, I loved having an audience. My ventriloquist dummy and I were a big hit in the elementary school talent show. I was voted “class clown” in the sixth grade. My penchant for getting a laugh from classmates was much more significant than my ability to focus on anything academic.
Beginning in grade seven, I went from goof-off to earnest honor-roll student. My marks started to improve while my anxiety over things like reading aloud in class intensified. Expression through sports was fine, just don’t ask me to talk. The thought of preaching didn’t exist in my young world. Through college, the paralyzing fear of opening my mouth in front of a crowd precluded thoughts of a commitment to an endeavor requiring me to face an audience.
Even while attending a Bible college to play basketball and learn God’s Word, with no intention of pastoral ministry, the concept of public preaching made me sweat. The guys who relished the opportunity—chomping at the bit to wax eloquent from the pulpit—were like beings from another planet to me. I assumed preaching was not for me. Just learn the Bible and go on to a career suited to my comfort zone. That’s what I wanted. God had other plans.
For reasons known only to God, He called this self-conscious introvert to preach. Now I look back on over 40 years of public ministry and still marvel that He chose me for this. I always get nervous. I’m still a self-conscious introvert. But nothing is more fulfilling than sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with people, even a crowd of people staring back at me.
You may be thinking that it’s nice how God directed me to preach despite my fears. Maybe you’re also thinking that preaching is definitely not for you, and you serve the Lord in other ways, perhaps more within your comfort zone and gifting. But let me suggest something that may surprise you: God called you to preach. Don’t worry, it’s not likely you’ll be in the pulpit next Sunday. However, preaching is something you should expect, prepare, and begin to do.
The main reason you may be surprised at that suggestion is that you, like most people, have a very narrow view of preaching. To you, preachers preach. They get paid to preach. They’re educated for that purpose. Not all Christians can do what you picture as preaching. Well, that depends upon how you define “preach.” The biblical definition may be different than what you assumed preaching to be.
Preacher (Greek: kēryssō) simply means “to be a herald” or “to announce.” In other words, as you announce the good news of Jesus Christ, you are fulfilling the role of a preacher. In the popular view, a preacher enthusiastically delivers a message to a crowd from a pulpit. Often, we even distinguish between preacher and teacher mainly because of the style of delivery. But both are announcing, both are heralding God’s message of grace. And so are you when you tell a friend about Jesus.
So you don’t have to be a public speaker to be a preacher. You don’t need a seminary education. Don’t expect a paycheck. But you must and have been called to preach if you know Christ. You won’t have to overcome “people’s No. 1 fear,” but you may have to allow God to give you the strength to overcome any fear you have of sharing your faith. The only question remaining is: Will you preach?
“And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!’” –Romans 10:14-15