Who Can Preach?
Who can preach? More specifically, who should preach?
In Acts 9, Saul begins proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues immediately after his conversion. But does Saul's example mean that every new Christian should immediately start a church, launch a YouTube channel, or begin debating atheists and Muslims?
In this episode of Know & Do, we take a closer look at Saul's unique calling and ask what his example teaches us about preaching, pastoral ministry, theological training, and evangelism.
We’ll consider four diagnostic questions:
Are you Saul of Tarsus?
Saul was uniquely called and trained by the resurrected Christ. His experience was extraordinary and is not the normal pattern for Christian ministry.
Have you been called to preach by a biblically faithful church?
The official preaching ministry of the church is not something a man simply gives himself. Scripture gives qualifications for church leadership, and a biblically faithful church should recognize and affirm those who are called to this ministry.
Are you a Christian?
While not every Christian is called to be a pastor or official preacher, every Christian is commanded to proclaim the gospel. Jesus commands His followers to make disciples of all nations in Matthew 28:18–20.
Can you explain the basics of salvation?
Christians don't need to know every theological nuance before sharing the gospel. But we should be able to explain the basics: our sin and guilt, Christ's death for sins, His resurrection, and salvation through faith in Jesus alone.
The episode ultimately draws an important distinction: not every Christian is called to be a pastor, but every Christian is called to tell others about Jesus.
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