Definition matters massively. One person might say, “professional preachers are the problem!” Then another person might say, “amateur preachers are the problem!” And both might be right. It all depends on what they mean by what they say.
1. “Professional” can be referring to very different issues. What image does the term “professional” bring to mind? You might think of a person’s skill, or how they handle their communications with customers, or their manner in person, or their motivation for what they do. That is already four variations of potential meaning for the term “professional.” Perhaps an electrician is called to solve a problem in your house. They might be a real professional in their work (positive – they knew exactly what to do), their invoice was very professional looking (positive – good communications), their conversation and manner in conversation might have been a bit professional (negative – cold or aloof communications), and their reason for working may have seemed too professional (negative – it was all about the money).
2. “Amateur” can be referring to very different issues, too. What image does the term “amateur” bring to mind? You might think in the same categories as before. Perhaps the electrician was amateur in their work (negative – they did not know what to do), their invoice looked very amateur (negative – sloppy communication), their conversation might convey the enthusiasm of an amateur (positive – they love what they do), and their reason for work may have been the best side of an amateur (positive – they do it for the love of their craft).
3. In terms of skill, be professional. I don’t want someone showing “amateurish” skill levels when they fix my car, cut my hair, or operate on me. Skill is good. In reality, some of the most skilled people in the world may not be paid for what they do, while some who are paid should not be allowed anywhere near your car, your scalp or a scalpel. So actually, pay is irrelevant. The point is about skill. So as a preacher, it does not matter to this point whether you are paid to preach or not. In terms of skill, be as professional as possible. Read, learn, study, grow. Be a good steward of the ministry opportunity God has given you.
4. In respect to motivation, be amateur. When someone’s vocation has been “professionalised” then their motivation becomes suspect. This is why a nationally known car exhaust company may not be trusted (did they do more work than was needed in order to get more of my money?) Or why it is a problem if your medical practitioner is incentivized by drug companies to prescribe treatments to as many people as possible (whether they need the treatment or not!) In this respect, skill is not the issue. The point is about motivation. A highly skilled mechanic who rips off the customer is not to be celebrated. A brilliant clinician who risks lives to increase their income should be prosecuted. So as a preacher, your skill level (in this point) is not my concern. In terms of motivation, be as amateur as possible. Love God, love people, and love your craft. Be driven by the privilege of getting to speak God’s Word to people for their benefit.
5. And in the area of interpersonal communication, be genuine. I have underlined issues of skill and motivation, but interpersonal communication is also part of the package. Coming across as too professional can be problematic, even when you are not preaching. Coming across as an amateur might be an issue too. Instead, how about we settle on the need to be genuine? It does not resolve all the complexity of conversational dynamics, but it does leave us with two clear points to finish.
6. As a preacher, let’s do what we do as well as we can. If that means being professional in some sense, so be it. We certainly don’t want to be amateurish.
7. As a preacher, let’s do what we do with heartfelt motivation. If that means being amateurs in some sense, so be it. We certainly don’t want to be professionalised.
The definition of labels is important. This is an example worth pondering as far as preaching is concerned and how we might view our ministry. We should preach as professionals in the sense of “to the best of our ability” and as amateurs in the sense of “with the passion of a captured heart.” We should not preach as professionals in the sense of “relying on our own ability,” or “just for money,” nor as amateurs in the sense of “to a poor standard.”
It is also an example to keep in mind in a world where labels so easily get applied as a pejorative, and the mud sticks because people don’t question what is really meant.
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In the next week or so I will be completing my short video collection through the Psalms. Please do check it out and share with any who may find it helpful as a reference, or better yet, as a companion through the Psalms in 2023!
A Clay-Treasure Ministry
Why does Christian ministry often look so unimpressive? We pray for the transformation of many lives, which surely is the will of God. However, so often we feel beaten down by the lack of response from others, and sometimes even by the lack of transformation in ourselves. We have such a wonderful calling, but all too often, it can feel so mundane.
Understandably, we long for greater power, greater impact, and greater results. Maybe we pray for big breakthroughs as confirmation that God is still at work in our ministry. But perhaps our frustrating experiences are confirmation that our ministry is actually going according to plan.
In 2 Corinthians, Paul continues to defend his ministry against accusation and criticism from some in Corinth. In doing so, he offers a glorious consideration of New Covenant ministry.
In chapter 3 he shows how, even though the Old Covenant was out-of-this-world wonderful, it is as nothing in comparison to all that is ours in Christ. In chapter 4, Paul addresses two potential discouragements in ministry: the lack of response from the lost, and the unimpressive person we see in the mirror each day. Paul does not want his readers to lose heart, but instead to look forward to all that is to come in the future (chapter 5).
The image Paul paints is treasure in jars of clay. The treasure? That is the wonder of intimate fellowship with God by the Spirit, who unites us to Christ. The New Covenant blessings of sins forgiven, a new heart, and the indwelling Spirit are the greatest treasure. And yet it is stored in jars of clay. That would be us. Fragile, easily broken, unimpressive, almost disposable.
When we come to chapter 6, Paul is urging the Corinthians to be responsive to his ministry. He doesn’t want them to receive God’s grace, but then not allow it to work in their lives (6:1-2). He is concerned that their affections seem to be restricted, that they are holding back their hearts in some way (6:11-13). In between, Paul presents a long list of the factors commending his ministry for them to consider.
At first glance, the list of commending factors seems overwhelming. It begins with ten negative things, followed by nine positive things, and then a set of nine paradoxes (positive and negative, simultaneously true). It feels like a long list to read, and a real challenge to preach. But keep in mind the jars of clay imagery from chapter 4. New Covenant ministry will be New Covenant shaped. That is, there will be the unimpressive and mundane jars of clay, but also the real treasure within.
Paul’s life and ministry was shaped like that. I suspect the same could be said of those who preached the gospel to you in the past, or led your youth group, or were your parents. Very normal, unimpressive people in many ways. And yet, there was a treasure there.
A New Covenant ministry person may seem so normal, even weak on the outside. But within there is patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, and genuine love. They seem to be dying physically, and yet strangely alive spiritually. They are often poor, but others are so enriched through them. They may not have much, but they seem to possess everything. The Clay-Treasure ministry that Paul lived and described in this passage is not a contradiction of the New Covenant, it is a confirmation of it.
So, when you are discouraged by the lack of response in others, or even the unimpressiveness you see in yourself and your circumstances, remember that the treasure comes in a clay jar. This will be true for you if your ministry is a New Covenant ministry. It was true for those that brought the gospel to you. It was true for the Apostle Paul himself. And, ultimately, it was true for Jesus!
Just take a moment to reflect on the list in 2 Corinthians 6:4-10. Maybe you can relate to some of the negatives. Maybe you are aware of some of the positives in your life. But don’t spend too long looking at yourself there. Instead, let your hearts gaze on Jesus Christ himself. Consider how he suffered. Ponder what perfect treasure he carried within. Find your motivation in the ultimate New Covenant minister. Celebrate Jesus. Worship Jesus. And then, take a deep breath, stand up, and press on in your service for Jesus.
5 Rubbish Reasons to Preach
I was with a group of preachers last week and we had a conversation about good reasons to preach. Along the way we generated a few not so good reasons to preach … actually, five downright rubbish reasons to preach (for non-England English speakers, “5 Bad Reasons”). Just in case this is helpful:
1. To keep my job – I understand that both ministry and life are often challenging. I also understand that we at times will find ourselves preaching without the fire we know we should feel inside. But when it gets to the stage of simply trying to keep your job, you are long overdue a conversation with some trusted friends.
2. To make them laugh – There are probably a million variations of this. Essentially the goal is to make people respond to you. Maybe it is to make them appreciate you. Maybe it is to show off your intellect rather than your wit. Whatever the case, if the motivation in your heart is for them to be appreciating you, then your ministry is misfiring.
3. To get the petrol money – Whether it is official honorarium, or a kind gift to cover travel expenses, or even your salary … the chances are that you are not being adequately remunerated for the time spent in study, in ministry experience, and in message preparation. We are far better off trusting God for our support and serving wholeheartedly, rather than worrying about the gift. Once we start directly equating our effort for whatever may come back in return, we are probably better off looking at most regular jobs – not just because of the money, but also because of the state of our hearts!
4. To arrive at the end of the service – Sometimes you aren’t thinking about job security, or the response of the people to you, or even the money you might receive, but you are simply longing for the minute hand to reach the appropriate ending point for the sermon. If you are new to preaching, don’t worry, this feeling won’t last long and you will soon be wondering how your time disappears so quickly. If you are just going through a really low time, prayerfully make it to the end and sit down with someone safe who can listen and pray with you.
5. To get invited back – This is a weird one in preaching world. Whether you are a visiting speaker hoping to not offend enough to get another invitation, or whether you are “preaching with a view” and hoping for a pastoral call, the motivation seems off here too. In every situation we should be trusting God and saying what we believe is appropriate for the text, the listeners and the occasion. Too many “pulpit dating” sermons and the church won’t be getting a healthy diet, even if they are getting “your best sermons.”
There are plenty of reasons why we should preach, but what would you add to this list of rubbish reasons?
Why Do We Preach 4
Here are another pair of thoughts as we reflect on the why? behind the ministry. Perhaps these two should give more pause for thought than the others already posted?
7. Because we can’t help but speak of Someone so wonderful. This should be the case. Sadly, over time, it can easily cease being the case. We can end up in a role, in a ritual, in a rut. We end up preaching because that is what we do, or that is how we pay bills, or that is how we get respect. We feel we should. We feel it is expected. We know it is needed. And somewhere along the way we fail to notice the fog gathering between our hearts and heaven.
A growing spiritual complacency is the proverbial frog in boiling water syndrome for preachers. God can become familiar and distant at the same time. He can become a concept, a set of truths, a source of identity for us, but somehow fade from being the captivating One who so fills our hearts and lives that we can’t help but speak of Him. May we all have a constant stream of newly engaged folks in our churches – constant reminders of the simple reality that a captivated heart can’t help but spill out.
8. Because we care about the people to whom we preach. Again, this should be the case. Sadly, over time, our flesh can easily co-opt the other centredness of ministry and turn it to a self-serving project. We can become preachers doing so to gain respect, to gain credibility, to gain attention, to gain a following, to gain influence. The gain increases and the give becomes token. Of course we can talk about giving – we can frame the ministry in self-sacrificial and spiritual terms. But really?
Just as spiritual fog can go undetected for too long, so a growing self-absorption is hard to spot in the mirror. Our flesh will always justify a subtle pursuit of godlike status. So we must keep walking with the Lord and ask Him to search us and know us. Ask Him to underline the motivations that drive what may look like a gloriously giving ministry. The true biblical preacher is shaped by the Word they preach, and they join God in giving of themselves as they preach it to others. The blessings are hard to quantify, but they must be the by-product, not the goal.
Biblical Preaching 