Determined To Be The Best Preacher I Can Be

Ok, it's official. I have committed myself fully into the preaching task. Recently I was reminded of one of my first speaking engagements: I spoke before my youth group at a fairly large church to the largest group I have ever spoken to, even to this day. I was not in the “in” crowd in the youth group, or really in with the movers and shakers.

So how did I get the gig? In short I was called by God. The particulars are unclear, but I do remember that I went with the seniors on a trip to a cabin owned by a member of the church. While we were there, the youth pastor announced to the group that one of us would speak to the entire group, and was wondering if anyone was interested. I recall that there were some, “I'd do it”s, but as everyone's eyes looked around, the youth pastor looked at me and said, “I'd kinda like to hear Jake do it.”

I think there may have been some disappointed folk, but I agreed to do it.

My heart was thumping as I put that wireless mike on (and I said so) and spoke on “Walking on Water.” I went too long, I guess, because there were plans to do other activities, but they did not happen after I finished. My ever-gracious pastor said, “I wish my first message was that good!” Like I said, ever gracious.

Why do I look back at this moment with such fondness? Frankly, I had not thought of it for years. But what it frames for me over a decade later is the fact that God was calling me to preach from an early age, even though the message, quite frankly, fell a little flat.

For years I had doubted, or perhaps set aside this call, until I had an occasion to preach my last sermon in seminary. The night before I prayed with my wife, “Lord, if you don't want me to preach, let it be made known to me tomorrow...gently, please...and if you do, make it abundantly clear.” When I finished that message, my professor, who knew nothing of my prayer or reservations said, “Jake, I don't know what God has in store for you, but preaching is a part of it.”

Since then, I have had messages that have felt “magical,” and blessed by the Spirit of God; and messages that have fallen quite flat.

Today, I determine to be the best preacher that I can be. What this means will have to wait for my next post.