Is There Really a "Call to Preach"?

Saturday August 4, 2007 ~ 8 Comments

Now that I am out of the pulpit, I must confess the whole "call to preach" thing is a bit confusing to me. I am not sure that there is a "call" to preaching-- although I both value preaching and see it as essential.

Instead, I see a call to the office of pastor / elder which often involves preaching.

Don Whitney almost persuades me that there is a "call to preach."

But, there are few places in scripture where there is a clear "call to preach" that is not either:
1) a general call to all believers involving evangelism, or
2) a part of the "setting apart" to a biblical office.

For example, in the longer ending of Mark, "Then He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation" (16:15). That passage seems geared toward all believers.

In 2 Timothy 4:2, Timothy is (as I see it) already a pastor / elder when he is told to, "proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching." Important advice to all pastors, but not a call to preach.

So, pastors are called to preach the word. That seems clear. But, "preaching" and the "office" of pastor / elder do not seem to always be connected.

For example, in 1 Timothy 5:17 there are pastor/ elders who are obviously called to the office (as they are holding it), but they do not preach (since those that do have a "double honor").

Paul writes Timothy, "The elders who are good leaders should be considered worthy of an ample honorarium, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching" (HCSB).

(The whole "ample honorarium" thing is nice, grin, but I prefer "worthy of double honor.")

I don't have a problem with people using the "call to preach" language, just not sure it tells the whole story. It seems more clear to say that there is a calling to the office of an overseer / pastor / elder and that usually involves preaching and teaching. It is obviously important since "able to teach" stands in obvious contrast to the rest of the 1 Timothy 3 list.

I like how Gerald Cowan sees preaching as the first part of the elder calling. See here. (He also holds a different view regarding 1 Timothy 5:17.)

While I am on the subject, I am certain that we over-emphasize the "call to vocational ministry" as Paul seems to step in an out of the "vocational" part while still focusing on the "ministry" part.

It seems that for many, a pastor is not legitimate if that pastor holds another job (like Paul).

Pastoring is not a profession or vocation, it is a high calling and a biblical office-- neither of which requires a W-2.

So, the best language I can come up with is not a "call to preach" or a "call to vocation." Instead, there is a "calling to office" which often involves both preaching and vocation.

What are you thoughts? Is there such a "call to preach," "call to the office," or something else all together?

(The image is Raphael's painting of Paul preaching at Athens. It comes from the Victoria and Albert Museum .)

Posted on August 4, 2007 at 7:06 PM ~ 8 Comments

Tagged with: calling, ministry, pastor, preach

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8 Comments

By Mark Kelly on August 6, 2007 7:18 AM

The farther I get from my own initial experience of calling (now 35 years ago), the more I understand that I perceived my "call to preach" because that's what I knew at the time. You either were called to preach, to be a music leader, or to be a missionary. Preaching was what I thought fit.

It only took a few turns in the pulpit to figure out that wasn't it.

Now I talk about my "call to ministry," and I teach that every believer has precisely the same degree of calling waiting for them. We all have a special ministry waiting on us. We will discover it as we drill down into who we are in Christ and begin to experiment with exercising that uniqueness in serving others.

By Micah on August 6, 2007 9:07 AM

Our church planting team has spent some time discussing the whole idea of preaching and how much our idea of preaching has been shaped by our cultural and church experience and not the scriptures. Our culture and experience has defined preaching as someone (most likely a pastor) standing in front of a congregation of believers speaking about scripture. What we saw in scripture was that the majority of the time amongst believers there was teaching through dialogue concerning the things of scriptures not one person standing in front to "preach" to them. The times that the Apostles stood in front of large crowds to "preach" it was always to unbelievers and it was always clearly and plainly the gospel (Mars Hill, Pentecost, Stephen in court, etc.).

For our clarity we broke it down that preaching is always solely about the gospel (Christ's death, burial, and resurrection) and happens to unbelievers, while teaching contains the gospel as well as a other teachings from scripture. Therefore, preaching is teaching, but teaching is not always preaching.

We believe this defines the teaching/preaching spectrum by content not by medium. I would love to hear what any of you think about this, and if there is anything that we may have overlooked.

By Scott Welch on August 6, 2007 9:51 AM

One thought that came to my mind was that it is a call to an office, but an office (elder/pastor) that requires an ability to teach (1 Tim. 3:2). It seems that the office and the "job description" are inseperable as the call to the office of deacon leaves out the "ability to teach" part.

By Matt Jones on August 6, 2007 3:43 PM

I would have to say that while elders are able to teach, that does not mean they have to be the ones teaching in every setting of gathered believers. It would seem that the requirements in Timothy are meant to point to character and abilities rather than duties.

I know there are times I need to teach as an elder, but the only way more elders can arise is if they are given the opportunity to teach BEFORE they are fully functioning elders to see how they do. Therefore, a call to preach still seems to ring of a call to a duty rather than a quality of spiritual intimacy and depth with God.

I still hold out that every mention of elders in the NT points to men of a certain type of character as opposed to a job description.

By irreverend fox on August 6, 2007 4:03 PM

if there is not a specific “call to preach�? then what do we make of St. Paul's teaching in Ephesians 4:11-12

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up...

I've always assumed prophet and preacher was synonymous...do I assume to much? I guess it would seem that “evangelist�?, “pastor�? and “teacher�? are also related to “preachers�? although it would also seem there would exist distinctions as well (or why would St. Paul make it seem like their were distinctions?)

By Ed Stetzer on August 6, 2007 8:27 PM

Mark, good point. I often say that we are all called to ministry (by nature of our salvation) and all sent on mission (because of Christ's command). Glad to see you doing well.

Foxy, I think that I would not assume that prophet and preacher are the same, though they can be.

Scott and Micah, good input.

Thanks.

By ryan couch on August 10, 2007 9:23 PM

Ed,

I get your point...Paul said that each elder must be able to teach. Which is somewhat ambiguous. I don't think it means that each elder needs to be able to craft 35 minute messages that inspire and draw the masses. But I do think that each elder must be able to clearly communicate the message of the Word of God to one or many.

Paul said that God gave some to be "pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints..."

I've heard this interpreted as one gift...pastor/teacher. And as two gifts...pastor and teacher. A pastor who cannot teach seems to be an oxymoron. So I think the gifts are one.

But I do concede that the modern version of a "preacher" probably does not stem from a biblical model but neither does "senior pastor" or "worship pastor" or many of the other staff positions that make up the payroll of the 21st church.

By Bob Smith on April 3, 2009 12:56 AM

In 1982, while serving in the USAF and working as a Chaplain's assistant I felt the call of God on my life. I remember distinctly that the Chapel had a Lay Preaching program. I was preaching one night at the Ogden Rescue Mission, when the thought, impression, (voice of God) came into my mind, this is what you are to do with your life. A few months later while reading a book by Warren Wiersby (sp?) "Confident Pastor Leadership," I believe, I read the passage 1 Corinthians 9:16, "For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!" I Corinthians 9 has become a Life Chapter for me and verse 16 is my life verse. I do believe there is a call to preach seperate and distinct from the call to pastor and from the general call to all Christians to be witnesses. I would have to also say that I believe that God has a call on each of our lives, a call to service that takes on individual forms. Just a few thoughts. Thanks

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