by Clay Gentry<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.”<\/p>\n
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:<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are still few. Will you join us?<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[536],"class_list":["post-93164","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-preaching"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":92221,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/advice-to-younger-preachers-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":93164,"position":0},"title":"Advice to Younger Preachers (McDonald)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Robert L. McDonald via Expository Review, April 1983 When I first began preaching, in the late 40s or early 50s, I looked to older preachers for any help they could give me. I was delighted to hear them reminisce about their many experiences and problems encountered. Over the years,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":12258,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/someone-said-i-wasnt-doing-my-duty-as-a-preacher-because-im-not-always-out-on-the-street-preaching-what-do-you-think\/","url_meta":{"origin":93164,"position":1},"title":"Someone said I wasn’t doing my duty as a preacher because I’m not always out on the street preaching. What do you think?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 9, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: A\u00a0young man, who is about 30 years old, married, and has a couple of children, took\u00a0a preacher training class.\u00a0I was informed by the preacher teaching that class that this man had\u00a0moved to this area several months ago.\u00a0The preacher asked me to contact him, so\u00a0I did so\u00a0last evening and learned\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":92600,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-positive-about-the-negative\/","url_meta":{"origin":93164,"position":2},"title":"The Positive About the Negative","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 15, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Lee Moses Many a faithful Gospel preacher has been chided for being \"too negative\" in his preaching. True, a preacher can certainly be overly negative, robbing Christians of the joy that is rightfully theirs by blasting the congregation from the pulpit every Lord's Day, condemning them for sins they\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":34460,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/any-advice-for-a-person-aspiring-to-preach\/","url_meta":{"origin":93164,"position":3},"title":"Any advice for a person aspiring to preach?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 21, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What is some advice you have for a person aspiring to be a preacher? Answer: First, study. You can't preach accurately what you don't know. \"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth\" (II\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14509,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-did-i-become-a-preacher\/","url_meta":{"origin":93164,"position":4},"title":"Why Did I Become a Preacher?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 31, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"by Mark Stinnett After having preached full-time for only a few years, a good friend exclaimed excitedly at the end of a worship service, \u201cNow, that is what I call preaching!\u201d A visiting preacher spoke that day. My friend was not intentionally unkind, and I did not take it personally,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/praying-over-Bible.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":92203,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-i-am-thankful-to-be-a-bi-vocational-preacher-and-why-you-might-consider-it\/","url_meta":{"origin":93164,"position":5},"title":"Why I Am Thankful to Be a Bi-vocational Preacher \u2014 And Why You Might Consider It","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by John W. Boyd I love gospel preachers. I admire men who devote their full vocational lives to ministry, and I am grateful for the sacrifices they make for the kingdom. This article is not an argument against full-time preachers in any way. 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