30 June | Youth

If I Do Not Preach

«For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!» 1 Corinthians 9:16

Preaching the gospel is in the DNA of the Christian religion. It is a legacy of the heroes of faith, who at the cost of blood shared this message to us. Jesus himself declared to his disciples: “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Luke 10:2). Unfortunately, over time, the church has been less and less missionary and there has been a tendency to replace individual and personal work with collective initiatives.

The apostle Paul felt this individual duty to conduct missionary work, as grace reached him individually. If salvation is for each person, so is the duty to share it. Paul, however, went further and described this action of preaching as a personal “need.” There is a work that no one can do in our place, and there are people who can only be reached by our individual influence.

Once, a theology student, during his internship period, was able to meet someone who thought differently. While the young theology student was talking about the church's mission with a local leader, he ventured to ask what the missionary life of that congregation was like. The brother promptly replied: “Young man, we do not have time to preach here. We are very busy. Everyone has their own job. However, most are faithful in their tithes and offerings so that you pastors and workers can do the work for us.” He was outsourcing the mission.

The responsibility to witness about the gospel of Christ is a work that belongs to everyone. Financial contributions are important, but they do not replace personal involvement. As Ellen White advises: “This work cannot be done by proxy” (Gospel Workers, p. 188). Regardless of age, physical or financial conditions, in one way or another, everyone can (and should) testify to the grace they have received. Whenever you feel tempted to ignore this important Christian duty, do not give up or abandon your post. On the contrary, stand up and preach without fear. God will give you the strength and wisdom you need!