The Call to Preach

There is something major in my life that I've talked about to people, but never really spent the time to explain fully. That is my call to preach.

Almost all of the prophets in the Old Testament have a record of their call. The disciples were called directly from Jesus Christ and sent out from His presence from time to time to preach the gospel. Some would argue that the Great Commission is a call for all men to preach. I would tend to agree, but not in the sense that all men are supposed to stand behind a pulpit every week.

When I was just a boy, maybe eight or nine, I came down the stairs after getting home from church one night. I told my parents I felt like I was supposed to preach when I grew up. My parents were wise enough not to take that hook, line, and sinker. Many Christian parents would immediately be enrolling kids in preaching contests and start looking at Bible colleges! They told me with a smile that that was a good thing, but that I should keep praying about it. I did just that, but after a while that impression seemed to wear off on me. I just wasn't sure about it, and I didn't have to have been. I was a kid!

It wasn't until my freshman year of High School that preaching was impressed upon my heart again. We were living in Lebanon, OH and going to Grace Baptist Church in Middletown, OH. Max Fernandez (who is now the pastor there) was the youth leader at the time and he took us to Youth Congress. Youth Congress is a week of teen camp hosted by the Temple Baptist Church in Powell, TN where Brettnay and I are now members. Youth Congress is a blast for teenagers and I would  recommend it to anyone! I do not remember what the preacher was preaching that night. I don't even remember who the preacher was. But I remember that while I had my head bowed that day I felt the impression of God on my spirit about preaching.

 I struggled within myself because I didn't want to go forward. I didn't want to surrender my own selfish desires to God. It had been a long time since I was a boy and talked to my parents. Could God use someone like me?

Someone walked by the pew and brushed my shoulder as they did. It was enough to get me to lift my head and when I did I saw the most obvious slap in the face from God I have received to date. When I looked up I saw a verse imprinted above the baptistery of the church. "...They ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ" Acts 5:42. I believe God can use a brush on the shoulder to get your attention. I go to church there now and every time I look at the baptistery I see that verse.

I didn't go forward that day. To my shame I shook off God's slap in the face and waited. The next service I couldn't do that again and I went forward and surrendered to the call. Soon after I was called to missions, but that's a story for another day.

Thanks for your faithfulness to read the blog and please continue to pray for Brettnay and I as we seek to follow God's will for our lives!

Your brother in Christ,
Simeon