Call to Prepare
The call to preach the gospel, to tell the salvation story is a call to prepare for a life of ministry.
Now begins the lifelong journey of preparation to preach. Preachers become acquainted with books on all kinds of subjects, they watch a variety of videos and movies, and they always love a good story.
Preachers become wordsmiths, poets generating and creating words that sometimes have never been heard before.
But whatever kind of preparation is necessary to reach the people God has put in your path takes preparation.
Preparation in my opinion is where the first challenge to our faith becomes a reality. Most teachers or preachers do not begin their classes by telling the students what they believe.
The student is introduced to many different ways of looking at the bible, to different ways of thinking about God, to seeing people in a completely different way (than what the bible portrays) and can be overwhelming.
This is especially true in academic setting.
This can be a very vulnerable time because it requires the student or learner to be well grounded in his or her faith. Almost every day you will have to decide whether some teacher, professor, Dr. or pastor has a Christian worldview.
Just remember, everything you do in the Lord prepares you for your next step toward the land of milk and honey.
Preparation begins with church attendance and learning Scripture in Bible study. Then maybe learning in small groups, house churches, over the Internet and watching good television ministry programs.
Always paying close attention to the qualifications and worldview of the teacher with an ear to hear what The Lord is saying to you.
Formal schooling should be in your plan if possible. There are many good correspondence courses that are excellent equipping tools.
There are many great books, old and new that can contribute to your study. Personally, I prefer using the older books; many times they are more established and less controversial.
Nothing is more important to a preacher than their library, so as you study and read different books develop your library. Books are the tools of the trade that will allow spending more time in the study in prayer and meditation.
It is interesting to me that so few Christians are willing to study Greek and Hebrew (even preachers).
Greek study is very important because it directly relates to where we are today. That is to say, the New Testament is written in the Koine Greek.
Everyone living in the last 2000 years has pressed into the principles found in the New Testament.
We have the original language in which the New Testament was penned (some 1500 copies). When we study only from the Old and New Testament translations we are at the mercy of the translators.
It's like having someone else eat an apple, then try to explain to you what it tastes like. Understanding the original language allows you to eat the apple yourself.
It gives you that connection that cannot be understood and experience in any other way.
In the last 30 years so many new and specific translations are on the market that it's become difficult to understand what the Original Word really said.
Please know that the door is now open through the many translations for the doctrine of demons, controversial teachings, schemes and formulas that wrap people in darkness.
Serious preachers must have a working knowledge of Greek and Hebrew to be able to effectively and honestly teach and preach to God's people.
Remember…a part of our charge is to rightly divide The Word of God.
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