Brian Poitras gave me this article, which I had read before but ceretainly thought worth reprinting here. Even though it was an article written by an old preacher exhorting young preachers, I think it doesn't take much to see the idea applies to ALL of us!

How long has it been since you couldn't wait to get into the pulpit? How long has it been since you couldn't wait to get into your study? How long has it been since you missed a meal because you couldn't leave what you were studying? Brethren, it is not that the pulpit is ineffective today - it's that there are too many ineffective preachers in the pulpits. "Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay." (Jeremiah 20:9)

We must never forget that it is the Gospel that is God's power to save. "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16) Why, then, do so many use any and everthing else in the pulpit? "For though, I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity it is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel!" (1 Corinthians 9:16) Far too many preachers today spend more time quoting their former teachers or sectarian theologians than they do in quoting Peter an Paul. Need we remind ourselves of II Corinthians 4:5? "For we preach not of ourselves, but Cgrist Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." I fear the reason the former are quoted more often than the scripture is that too many are more familiar with these other sources than they are the Bible. Men desperately need to fearlessly preach the truth in love without apology. "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." (1 Corinthians 1:21)

Brethren, reread II Timothy 4:1,2: "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine." In view of Paul's charge:

   In the day of religious error - Preach the Word.    

   In the day of gloom, despair, heartache - Preach the Word.

   In the day of indifference, wordliness, materialism - Preach the Word.

   In the day of pridefulness within the church - Preach the Word.

   In the day of promotions, gimmicks and programs - Preach the Word.

   In the day of growing number of heresies - Preach the Word.

   In the day of growing liberalism and modernism in the church - Preach the Word.

   In the day of the break-up of homes and marriages - Preach the Word.

   In the day of ineffective preaching - chang that by Preaching the Word.

When we can put aside all of our pride, degrees and diplomas and once again humble ourselves before God and turn to Him for help and to His Word for guidance, then and only then will we be the kind of servants that will be pleasing to God. Thus may we be in accord with Paul who said, "We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written. I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe and therefore speak." (II Corinthians 4:13)

                         - Oran Rhodes, Four State Gospel News, Feb, 1983

Mark 2:2 And straightaway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

Make 16:20 Add they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following them. Amen.

Acts 8:4 Therefore, they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

Acts 11:19-21 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose abot Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preach the word to none but unto the Jews only. And some of them were men of Cyprus and cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.

Acts 13:42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

1 Corinthians 2:4-5 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

2 Timothy 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

1 Peter 1:24-25 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away. But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.