The Cry of a Young Preacher
The following is a guest post by Nathan Lee Moon. Nathan is young man who feels called to preach. He serves as the men’s ministry leader for Campus Crusade for Christ, Whitewater, WI. For more from Nathan you can check out his blog.
This is how I feel every single day:
O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay. (Jeremiah 20:7, KJV)
I tell myself, “I’m too young; I’m a novice; I know little…” then, as suddenly as I berate myself, HIS WORDS are in my heart burning, and I grow weary, and I groan, and I cry in my soul, “WOE is me if I don’t preach. WOE is me if I don’t share the gospel to but ONE PERSON; WOE is me if I don’t write these precious words on my heart!”
If you’re called to preach, you must preach. I’ve heard it said, “If you can do something other than preach, you may not be called to preach.” Nowhere does it say we can’t be bi-vocational. It does say we have a gospel and we should preach it. Preach it, and God will lead you!