~ The Spiritual Gift of Preaching ~
Opening Comment ~ “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (James 1:16-18).
Category ~ We are still in the broad classification of grace gifts which I think of as the medical community. The Gift of Preaching could be considered the spiritual Physical Therapist.
Preaching is mentioned many times in Scripture and there are many gifted preachers. It is interesting to note that the gift of preaching is not mentioned in Scripture specifically as a gift. Clearly it was in the days of the early church and remains so today. There is no question that preaching can be a spiritual gift. I good friend of mine and spiritual mentor once told me, “Bob, I am not a good speaker, but I am a gifted preacher.” I knew him well and that was a true statement.
Definition ~ Primarily "preaching" is a technique, a methodology, a delivery vehicle for exercising Biblical gifts such as: Teaching, Exhortation, and Evangelism. As in the use/misuse of all grace gifts it is possible for a preacher to be exercising, in a fleshly way, natural abilities such as skill in oratory.
Biblical Examples ~ Jesus Christ (i.e., the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7), the Apostles Paul (i.e. Mars Hill, Acts 17:22-31) and Peter (Acts 2:14-42), and others.
Traits ~ While not an exhaustive list, here are some characteristics to consider:
Accepts the Bible for what it says without doubt.
Persists even when inwardly discouraged, and works harder to achieve results.
Speak clearly, organize and present material so that others understand.
Encourage people to continue in Christian growth by taking the next step.
Like decisions to be made, once people have heard the truth.
Enjoy addressing a large group, feel uncomfortable sometimes in one-to-one settings.
Tells people when they are doing wrong, and encourages them to build a disciplined life.
Find the foundational truths of Scripture to be worth repeating over and over.
Challenges people to set high standards of Biblical conduct for their daily activities.
Plan appealing presentations to get people to respond with positive changes in behavior.
Closing Comments ~ “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:12-16).
“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:6-7).
“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
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