What I Found Out About Preaching
by Clay Gentry
Today, as I stepped into the pulpit, I began my 20th year of preaching. Looking back at that second Sunday in January 2007, I realize I’m no longer the “young preacher” in the room. I spent nearly 13 years with the good brethren at Lanton and have been with Jackson Heights for over 6 years now.
It’s a perspective that makes me want to look every young man – and every thirty-something sitting where I once sat – in the eye and say: “The church needs you.”
If you’ve ever felt the urge to preach, but you’re hesitating, let me tell you what I’ve found over the last 19 years:
Preaching work is people work.
Preaching isn’t just about a pulpit; it’s about people. As a preacher, you’ll experience the privilege of being invited into their lives – from cookouts to hospital rooms, you'll experience so many different seasons of life with people. You’ll find that when you love the people outside the pulpit, they’ll give you their hearts when you stand inside it.
It is a life of constant discovery.
If you’re worried that you don’t know enough yet -- perfect. This work keeps you a student of the Word and a student of life. You’ll grow into lessons you aren’t ready to teach yet, and that’s the beauty of it. You don’t have to be a finished product to start; you just have to be a willing disciple.
It is a long game of maturing.
Preaching isn’t a sprint; it’s a long walk with a local church. There’s a certain kind of growth that only comes with “spiritual miles.” I see ideas I had ten or fifteen years ago, and things I tried but didn’t fully understand then, finally maturing in my work today. You’ll find that as you stay the course, your ability to walk with people and your teaching gains a depth and a nuance that simply cannot be rushed.
You don’t have to quit your “day job.”
Many men hesitate because they think ministry requires an immediate, total career change. It doesn’t. I spent nine and a half years as a bi-vocational preacher. I took that job because I needed the money to support my family after a third child, but I wanted to keep preaching. I know the grind of balancing a j-o-b with the sacred responsibility of preaching the Word. Whether you're in an office, a shop, or the Post Office, God uses that time to season you. You can serve the Lord’s church while you provide for your family.
I owe a debt to the “older guys” who invested in me when I was wet behind the ears at Lanton, and who still play a role in my life today. One such man is Bradley Dugger, who took me under his wing as soon as we moved to Columbia. I was thankful to see him up front this morning. His steady guidance along the way has helped me become the man I am today.
I want to pay that debt forward. If you’ve been thinking about ministry, have questions about how to start, or just need someone to talk to about the work, my door is open. I guess I’ve officially transitioned from the “young guy” to the "seasoned-middle-aged guy,” and nothing would give me more joy than helping you find your voice for the Lord.
The harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are still few. Will you join us?
