Sermon Central
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What’s A Preacher To Do? Series
Contributed by Jeff Strite on Sep 5, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: Christians have all kinds of opinions about what preachers should do in their congregations. But what does God want those who enter the pulpit ministry to focus on? What is the "main thing" that these men should devote themselves to?
ILLUS: There was once a famous Methodist evangelist named Peter Cartwright was known for his uncompromising preaching. However, one day Andrew Jackson the President of the United States came to worship there.
Cartwright was known for his plain speaking, and the church elders warned him not to offend the President.
But when Cartwright got up to speak, the first words out of his mouth were,
"I understand that President Andrew Jackson is here this morning. I have been requested to be very guarded in my remarks. Let me say this: Andrew Jackson will go to hell if doesn’t repent of his sin!"
The entire congregation gasped with shock.
How could this young preacher dare to offend the tough old general in public? they wondered.
After the service, everyone wondered how the President would respond to Cartwright.
When Andrew Jackson met the preacher at the door he looked at him in the eye and said, "Sir, If I had a regiment of men like you, I could conquer the world!"
CLOSE: To say it another way: if there was a regiment of men in the pulpit like Cartwright had been, the world could be changed. And that’s what God wants for the world to be changed and that calls for men to stand in the pulpits and stand on the street corners of our nation and declare God’s Will
THE CHALLENGE: Now, I love preaching, and I’d like to think I’m making a difference in what I preach and how I preach it. But I’m just one man and I have only so much influence I can make in this world. That’s why I’m convicted of the fact that more men need to rise up and take this challenge.
We’re entering a contentious political season where folks will tell you how important it is to select the right senators and representatives (and I suspect they’re right). But there isn’t a senator or representative – not even a President or King – who has the kind of power to change this world than a simple preacher in the pulpit.
Today you may be a young man of 10, or 15 or 40 or even older that God has been talking to about stepping up to be His man in the pulpit. Maybe today is the day you need to make that decision…
