What Do You Know About The Role Of The Preacher?

Added: 08/01/2006

If you go to church, you probably enjoy the fellowship with other believers. You probably like the atmosphere, and if your local congregation also offers a Sunday school program for the kids, the odds are pretty good that you appreciate this effort as well. Most believers like to go to hear an inspiring, and sometimes challenging, message which is delivered by the preacher. Do you ever wonder how to encourage your preacher?

In the movies you might have enjoyed the portrayals of the classic black preacher in "The Blues Brothers." Perhaps you might think of Martin Luther King, Jr. when you think about what the preacher of a church should look and sound like. No matter if you are inspired by the examples of the black preacher, or if you have ever wondered what the preacher of your church is doing all day when he is not preparing for his sermon, this article will help you to understand that there is so much to being the preacher than simply giving a book report on any given Sunday.

It does not matter what you call the preacher in your church: he might be called a minister, a priest, a pastor, a clergyman, or a reverend - the job descriptions are pretty much the same. When the church meets, the preacher is expected to communicate Christian doctrine from the Bible to the congregation. He needs to be able to not only understand the Bible, but also put together a lesson that is based on it. For this reason, he needs to diligently study the Scriptures and recognize (and understand) connections.

When he is not preparing for a sermon, studying his theology, or giving a sermon, the preacher is still a busy man. Oftentimes he has a family and as such has an obligation to his wife and kids. In addition, he is the one who needs to walk as an example in front of his congregation. Thus, if the main focus of a Christian lifestyle is to make disciples, and bring other people to know God and have a relationship with Him, the preacher needs to walk as an example ahead of the congregation by spending much of his time speaking to stranger about Christ, inviting them to come to church, and being willing to hold Bible studies with those who will take him up on his invitation.

This takes up a lot of time in the preacher's daily life. Add to this the load of phone calls he gets. If someone is sick, or dies, the preacher is usually one of the first to hear about it. If someone's marriage is in danger of breaking up, the preacher once again is the one who is called in for some impromptu marriage counseling. Since emergencies do not keep office hours, it is not surprising for the phone to ring before dawn and not stop ringing even after midnight. Depending on the size of the congregation he is overseeing, his workload might be more than he may think capable of handling, but every day he puts in his very best effort.

For this reason, go ahead and think about ways of encouraging your preacher. Perhaps a card or a gift card to Starbucks or any other coffee shop would be a nice gesture. Maybe an offer to baby-sit his kids when he is called away on an emergency; maybe you could invite the preacher and his family over for dinner just to say "thanks" for the many things he does for you personally, and for each member of the congregation, as well as for those who are not members yet. On the other hand, consider encouraging your preacher by acknowledging his Sunday sermon with more than yawns, by taking some notes and complementing him on some of the points he made, and - most importantly - by putting some of the things you hear into action!

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