Where Are All The Preachers?

Reports in recent years have revealed an increasing dearth in preachers among the churches of Christ. Multiple studies have concluded that pulpits are being vacated far quicker than men are being trained to fill those same pulpits.

I suppose we could list any number of possible causes for this trend. Irrespective of the reasons, the body of Christ simply must make it a greater priority to train young men to preach.

Some of our pulpits are being filled by well intentioned men who have little to no formal training. Certainly, I am not alleging that it takes a degree to preach God's word. However, like anything else, preaching is a skill that ought to be honed through education and study whenever and wherever possible.

How can the preacher shortage be remedied? Consider just a few suggestions:

1. Encourage those who are but small boys now to be aspiring preachers. You never know how planting that little "seed" of encouragement early on can blossom at a later time!
2. Be careful how you speak of preachers and elders, particularly in the company of children. How many young men will want to go to school to be trained as a preacher when he grew up hearing mom and dad badmouth the preacher and elders?
3. Support one or more preacher training schools in your monthly budget (we have several schools doing a fine job).
4. Remember that no preacher is as great as some brothers and sisters think, nor as bad as others think. The respectable preacher is one who sees himself as one among many humble servants of God, laboring alongside every member of a local body of Christians.

In an address at Transylvania College in Lexington, Kentucky, Edgar DeWitt Jones said...

The preacher for this day must have the heart of a lion, the skin of a hippopotamus, the agility of a greyhound, the patience of a donkey, the wisdom of an elephant, the industry of an ant, and as many lives as a cat.

Friend, we need better men for better churches. Inspire today's children to dream of preaching the gospel; support and encourage those presently being trained and schooled; and work willingly alongside those who even now address the saints from time to time with messages from God's own word.

r2