Where Are all the Preachers?

I was going to write something for Father’s Day, but as I was tending to the baptistry this morning, another thought came to my mind. Please bear this in mind: I’m not speaking to my own situation, but I was reflecting on the fact that, right now, there are hundreds, if not thousands of churches are without preachers today. It’s not localized to one denomination or another, but it’s something that, quite frankly, is happening everywhere. While there may be a plethora of reasons that preachers are difficult to find, my experience has brought it down to a few major ones.

The main reason comes down to calling. If you’re not called to preach the Word, you shouldn’t. Some men want the power and “prestige” of preaching, but they see that it is a hard work, that, being a shepherd, the sheep often bite, and it is quite often a lonely life, so they quit after a few years. Some can’t handle being in a fish bowl, having every aspect of your life examined by everyone all the time. Some can’t handle that, when you’re called to ministry, some within the congregations they serve will expect the load to be carried almost exclusively by the minister. So What is the solution to this problem? Expect your preacher to do three things well, and, as more is piled on their plates, to do nothing well: Preach and Teach the Word of God, equip and train the saints (you) for the work of ministry, and make disciples who make disciples. Do the work alongside them. Seek to use your gifts for the work of the Church that, when he and you work together, the Church will grow.

Another reason is that there is no money in ministry. These Mega-Church preachers who live in mansions, have fancy cars and own private jets are few and far between. The Majority of preachers live just above, or quite a bit below the poverty line. The Highwaymen said “mama’s don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys,” but when it comes to their sons wanting to be preachers, parents often discourage their kids from going in to the ministry because, simply put, there is no money in it. Those of us who are in this calling accept this as a hard fact, and no, we don’t want sympathy, or even a raise in response to this statement! Many of us work multiple jobs to support the ministry we do and we’re proud of it! We have chosen to leave all behind to follow Jesus. So what can you do in this area where so many young men are discouraged by those at home? Encourage them to do the hard stuff! Encourage them toward Christ. Encourage your sons who feel led to the ministry to understand that the life will be hard, but the rewards are not here on earth, but in heaven. Tell your sons: money will come and go. You can’t take a penny with you to heaven. Go and preach the word, that the saints of God may be equipped for the work of the ministry, and be in the business of soul winning.

I know I’ve already gone long, but there’s another reason in which there are so many churches without preachers, and this one stings: members of churches want the preacher to do the work that they should be doing. Beyond the Biblical requirements, many churches have long lists in contracts for preachers. Friends of mine in the ministry are afraid of getting fired for preaching the truth, because one congregational vote could have them looking for a new town and a new pulpit. Church members are the body of Christ, with Jesus at the head. We ALL have work to do, together, and, for too long, people have treated the preacher as a hired hand, saying “what do we pay the preacher for?” when he is often working several jobs to maintain his ministry already! In talking with church planters and evangelists, it is more expedient to plant a new church than to try and get a church full of people who don’t want to do the work of the ministry to work alongside the preacher to help it grow. Paul says “you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” You are the body, the preacher isn’t a hired hand, he’s someone whom the local body supports to preach and teach, equip and train, and make disciples who make disciples. And when the whole body works together, the congregation grows.

I know this has been rough. I’ve only been in the ministry about 20 years, 5 of which were as a volunteer and unpaid intern, so I know there are men who are more learned than I who probably know more. But in the trenches, and in talking to friends in the ministry across denominational lines, and preaching in three states, having friends in just about every single one, and in multiple countries across the world, these seem to be the major issues the Church at Large faces. What is my point in all of this? Why am I writing this? I hope not merely to present problems, but to urge you, Christian, to work alongside your preacher, and if your congregation doesn’t have one, to be the church until a preacher arrives, and, indeed, be the church WHEN he does. Work together for the sake of Christ and the Gospel. Be the Church. Let the body be healthy, and work, actively, for the sake of souls!

1 Corinthians 12

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

And I will show you a still more excellent way.