Back to the Gospel 4: You and I are all called to Preach!

Why don't we preach anymore?

"Our church does!', I hear you say, "our pastor preaches great sermons to our church every Sunday!'

You didn't hear me right did you? I said preach!

Didn't you hear me right?? I said PREACH!

Let me give you a clue!

Now let me give you the 2 Greek words that are translated as 'Preach' in the New Testament:

kerysso – to proclaim, announce (news)

euangelizo- to announce the Good News

Please check me out! The word 'preach' consistently means to share the good news of Jesus with unbelievers.

A Scripture quote:

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather round them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

2Timothy 4:1-5

I am not just being picky here. This is a serious error. Not only were the apostles expected to preach the Gospel. It was taken for granted that other church leaders and members would as well.

And I'll put this to you as well.

We are ALL commanded to preach!

He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on people who are ill, and they will get well.’

After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Mark 16:15-20

But only some are commanded to teach.

Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

James 3:1

This distinction is important. More on this later!