Young People's Group

Preach the Word

by Mitchell Tan
February 02, 2018

THE SACRED MINISTRY OF PREACHING

What is preaching? It is the proclamation of a message from God’s word to His people. In the Old Testament, God would call and send out His prophets to bring a relevant word to the people of Israel. One such example was the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 6). He was sent by the Lord to bring a strong message to the nation of Israel with regards to their spiritual blindness. This same ministry of preaching His word has been entrusted to Pastors. It is a ministry that is not to be taken likely. It is indeed a most sacred ministry and to be to be guarded carefully. Paul gave this solemn charge to Timothy with regards to the preaching ministry.

“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom …”
2 Timothy 4:1

He was conscious that, as servants of God, he and Timothy were accountable to Him and the Lord Jesus. Our Saviour would judge all men including His servants one day when He returns. Paul wrote this as a formal and sacred command entrusting to Timothy with the responsibility of preaching the word.

THE FOCUS OF THE PREACHING MINISTRY – THE WORD

“… Preach the word!”
2 Timothy 4:2

Preaching the word is an imperative from the Lord. There are no two ways about it. The preaching ministry must be word-centred. It has to be focused solely on the truth from the Scriptures and nothing else. In the End Times, many would depart from the truth of the word of God. They will turn away from the truth to fables (2 Timothy 4:4). This must never happen in Bethany. That is why the Pastors and Student Pastors have sought to faithfully preach only the truths of God’s word.

FEATURES OF THE PREACHING MINISTRY

“Convince, rebuke, exhort”
2 Timothy 4:2

“And teaching”
2 Timothy 4:2

How do we go about preaching the word of God? We would seek to employ every means possible. The preacher would seek to convince. He would seek to use compelling evidence from Scriptures to prove and even expose where there is error. At other times, he would seek to rebuke. The preacher would bring a word of rebuke to the congregation in order to correct them. Furthermore, there are times when he would seek to exhort the brethren by encouraging them. All these are to be done based on Biblical doctrines.

RESPONDING WELL TO THE PREACHED WORD

“Because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it, not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.”
1 Thessalonians 2:13

In Paul’s epistle to the Thessalonians, he commended them for the exemplary manner in which they received the word of God. As they listened to the preaching of the word, they received it not as mere words of men. They regarded Paul’s preaching as a relevant word from God. They saw it as truth and they welcomed it with open hearts. The Thessalonians also continually exercised faith in His word and the Lord’s power worked in their hearts and life. They became imitators of the Churches of God in Judea (1 Thessalonians 2:14).

Young people, let’s also have the highest regard for the preaching of His word. Let’s follow the Thessalonians in receiving and responding well to the preached word.

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