Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain" (John 15:16). The vocation of the preacher is the most noble there is. "Man of God" in a very definite sense, the preacher should bring to the world the message of salvation. The present conditions require of him a good general culture, an extensive knowledge of the Bible, of history, of archeology, as well as a better preparation for evangelism.
We may consider preaching under three different aspects.
A Science
The word "science" exerts a magic power upon the world. All is impregnated with its influence. In this age of progress, of discoveries, and of inventions man has risen to the highest branches of the tree of knowledge. From this summit he has tried to penetrate the mysteries of life, and often he professes only little pity for the ignorance and simplicity of the Christian. It goes without saying that modern conditions impose themselves upon the preacher. He must be a man well informed on the things of his time, and that agrees with a declaration contained in Gospel Workers:
"Hard study and hard work are required to make a successful minister or a successful worker in any branch of God's cause. Nothing less than constant cultivation will develop the value of the gifts that God has bestowed for wise improvement."—Page 71.
We are sometimes accused—and not always wrongly—of being bound and limited in our Biblical interpretation by a spirit of system. Without doubt the Scriptures have clearly traced the path to follow, and our salvation depends upon not going away from it; but the prophets and the apostles, following the example of Christ, were full of comprehension for their listeners.
A pastor of the Reformed Church wrote the following lines thirty-five years ago to a pious and sincere member of the church:
"I ask you to pardon my frankness. But, you see, your interpretation of the Scriptures is too uniform. Your point of view is as narrow as Christ is broad. You take the accessory for the essential. . . . You are the best people on the shores of Lake Geneva; that is why people come to you for fomentations and treatments. But I assure you that you know hydrotherapy better than theology, and gymnastics better than dialectics. . .. One of the striking things about you is the tendentious usage you make of the Bible: you utilize it incessantly to prove Adventism, much more than to nourish the soul; incessantly to discover the future, instead of fathoming the work accomplished by the grace of the Lord."
Then this pastor closes with these words full of Christian courtesy:
"Finally, my dear friend, I hope that in the day of judgment we shall meet, and that we shall be at the right of the Shepherd, whether we have or have not been Sabbathkeepers; for what is important is to be a new creature."
Undoubtedly these remarks are not without prejudice; nevertheless we can profit from them. The truths that we were almost alone in preaching formerly, such as the return of Christ, baptism of adults, conditional immortality of the soul, tithing, etc., today find defenders among eminent theologians.
Recent archeological discoveries have largely contributed to enriching and establishing our faith. These works have demanded of those who undertook them unheard-of efforts, together with a vast knowledge. It seems that these magnificent discoveries of different documents that come to confirm the Biblical books and their divine inspiration have been reserved for the time of the end.
But what is important in the gospel ministry is the knowledge of the human person, the object of salvation. It is at once the most complicated and the most delicate, for here we are in the presence of a living reality, and how precious it is! A soul, a single soul, has greater value than all the treasures of the world put together. It can be saved or lost for eternity; for it, God did not hesitate to give His own Son. The knowledge of the human soul, of its aspirations, its struggles, its distresses, its hopes also, is a science that can only be acquired through observation, prayer, contact, and experience, to which is added a great sympathy. Modern science is in the act of "disjoining" the human person to make of it only an automatic creature, anonymous, deprived of all individuality. However, man created in the image of God still carries his titles of nobility. The science of the preacher consists in knowing how to bring the human being to his Creator, thus realizing the beautiful words in Proverbs: "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise" (ch. 11:30).
But the knowledge par excellence is indeed that of God, the source of eternal life (John 17:3). By it our thoughts are brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Thus eternal life begins already here upon - the earth, to expand later in the splendor of heaven. Yes, the preaching of the gospel is a noble, great, and beautiful science because it unites man closely to God.
Also an Art
For some, preaching is first of all the art of eloquence. It is needful, however, to remember that this gift is rather rare; the masters of words do not abound, and in the church perhaps they are fewer than elsewhere. It is useless to wish to "walk the straight line," trying above all not to commit any fault, as if eloquence were the principal thing in preaching. Certainly our language must be correct, well shaded, exempt from crudity or weakness and from useless words. Simplicity is always the best means of being eloquent.
"It is not flowery discourses that are needed, not a flood of words,without meaning. Our ministers are to preach in a way that will help people to grasp vital truth. My brethren, do -Lot soar where the common people cannot follow you, and if they could, would be neither benefited nor blessed."Ibid., p. 154.
The methods of preaching are no longer the same as formerly. Our age is an age of pictures, of the radio, and of speed. Jet planes and supersonic planes have replaced the first planes, which are now in disuse. However, we should not forget that conversions do not operate on an assembly line, at the wish of our technical means. Just as nature must have the necessary time to make plants grow and bring fruits to maturity, so also the Spirit of God must have time to prepare conversions by His interior working. One must never work against the laws of nature, whether they are of the physical or the spiritual order.
The preacher should also know how to adapt himself. "I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some," said Paul. Time has changed many things, multiplied methods and means of action; but in this domain there is no magic formula. Preaching needs intelligence, discernment, and great tact. How desirable it is for preachers to be like those sons of Issachar, of whom it is written that they "had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do"! (1 Chron. 12:32).
The presentation is also important. The final success depends to a great degree upon a presentation made with conviction, with a lively manner, by appropriate illustrations, avoiding the extremes of overnicety and harshness. There must be a logical and harmonious linking together of ideas to arrive at a clear conclusion on the subject, remembering that the arguments used are like steps that lead us to the top of the ladder. The external appearance of the preacher should be well kept, for negligence in this domain reveals disorder also in his ideas.
To science and intelligence one must add the art of persuading. The world today is the prey of skepticism; it does not easily allow itself to be moved or convinced. On the other hand, the material conditions of life singularly complicate existence; the possibilities for creating for oneself an independent situation are rarer, and the circle of individual liberty is narrowing down more and more. Obedience to the commandments of God is rendered difficult, and one must not expect much improvement in that direction. Our valiant evangelists have a daily experience of this with the persons who are interested in present truth.
In this great struggle for souls, it is comforting to know that it is the Spirit of God Himself who assures the victory. "Eternal One, thou didst persuade me, and I let myself be persuaded! Thou wast too strong for me, I had to yield" (Jer. 20:7, Moffatt *). We will often have to have recourse to the power spoken of in this verse to obtain decisions.
The Power of Preaching
Science, that is to say the ensemble of knowledge acquired, and art are not sufficient in this important and delicate work of the preaching of the gospel. Just as Zacchaeus, in order to see Jesus, added the height of the sycamore to his small stature, so it is necessary for the worker to add the power of God to his human weakness and his limitations, in order to do a work truly worthy of the vocation to which he has been called.
"A minister may be able to present the letter of the word of God; he may be familiar with all its commands and promises; but his sowing of the gospel seed will not be successful unless this seed is quickened into life by the dew of heaven. Without the co-operation of the Spirit of God, no amount of education, no advantages, however great, can make one a channel of light."—/bid., p. 284.
"Those who are under the influence of the Spirit of God will not be fanatical, but calm and steadfast, free from extravagance in thought, word, or deed. Amid the confusion of delusive doctrines, the Spirit of God will be a guide and a shield to those who have not resisted the evidences of truth."—Ibid., p. 289.
It was in the weakness of the flesh, but leaning on God, that Paul went out to preach at Corinth. "My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God" (1 Cor. 2:4, 5). There, in truth, is the program of the preacher. There is the measure of a man of God and an able minister (2 Cor. 3:3-6). With such a program his conversions will mount, and one will be able to say of him, "He brings forth much fruit, and the fruit remains." To lay well the foundation and build with care is to assure the solidity of the building.
Then, when the evening comes, the worker will remember with humility and gratitude the words of Christ, "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gayest me to do" (John 17:4). Having sought nothing but the glory of God throughout the course of his ministry, the preacher will see with joy, love, and gratitude the magnificent rays of a setting sun irradiating his activity consecrated to the Lord.
Note:
* The Bible: A New Translation by James Moffatt, Copyright 1922, 1935, 1950-52 by Harper & Brothers. Used by permission.