What Does It Mean to “Preach the Word” as a Christian?
When we think about preaching, most of us picture a pastor standing behind a pulpit delivering a Sunday sermon. But what if preaching the Word is actually something every Christian is called to do? This message explores what it truly means to preach the Word in our daily lives and why it’s not just reserved for those in ministry.
Is Preaching Only for Pastors and Ministers?
Many Christians believe that preaching is exclusively for those called to ministry. However, when we examine Scripture, we find that this responsibility extends far beyond the pulpit. The passage in 2 Timothy 4:1-5 states:
“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:1-5
This passage isn’t hidden away in a ministry manual, it’s in the Bible for everyone to read and apply.
Where Does Our Responsibility to Share the Gospel Come From?
The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 provides the foundation for every Christian’s calling to share the Gospel. Notice the word “therefore” in this passage – it’s significant. Jesus says:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20
The “therefore” refers back to verse 18 where Jesus declares: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Because of Christ’s divine authority, He commands us to make disciples. This isn’t a suggestion, it’s a command backed by the full weight of God’s divinity.
How Do We Preach Without a Pulpit?
Preaching the Word isn’t limited to formal sermons. We preach through:
Our Actions: Sometimes we preach the Word through how we live, and sometimes we unfortunately preach the opposite through our poor choices.
Our Words: The conversations we have in everyday life communicate a message about our faith.
Our Lifestyle: Whether we realize it or not, we carry a “pulpit in our pocket” – we’re always preaching some kind of message to those around us.
What Message Are You Preaching?
This is a crucial question every Christian should ask themselves. Psalm 139:23-24 provides a helpful prayer:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” Psalm 139:23-24
Are you preaching a message of:
- Hypocrisy (saying one thing, doing another)?
- Judgment and condemnation?
- Bitterness and anger?
- What was versus what God is doing now?
Or are you preaching the message that Jesus’ life and ministry taught us:
- Grace and mercy
- Compassion and forgiveness
- Sacrifice and salvation
What Does It Mean to Be “Ready in Season and Out of Season”?
Paul tells Timothy to “be ready in season and out of season.” In Greek, this translates to “be ready to attack”, but not in the way we might think. We’re not waiting to catch people in sin or shame them into conformity.
Instead, we should be ready to attack:
- Unrighteousness and lies
- Hopelessness and helplessness
- Anger and addictions
- Any ugliness the enemy uses to distract people from Christ
The best way to defeat these tools of the enemy is to walk in the power of the Spirit, demonstrating love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
How Should We Handle Correction and Rebuke?
When we attack a person or their character for sin, we reduce repentance to an act of shame and punishment instead of the act of healing and redemption it should be. This approach loses our witness and our opportunity to exhort and teach.
The Gospel is both convicting and offensive, but not in a punitive way. True conviction convinces people that there’s a different way – a better way. As John 16:8-11 explains, the Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning:
- Sin (because they don’t believe in Christ)
- Righteousness (Jesus’ way, not our way)
- Judgment (the defeat of evil, not threat of punishment)
Are We Becoming What We Criticize?
Ironically, many Christians have become the very people described in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, those who “will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.”
We often:
- Seek people to tell us we’re right
- Form groups to support our positions
- Gang up on those who need correction
- Focus on preferences rather than biblical issues
What’s the Heart of Our Message?
The Gospel isn’t about us, it’s about Him. Consider the thief on the cross who died alongside Jesus. He never attended church, never served in ministry, never studied theology. Yet when he acknowledged Jesus as innocent and himself as guilty, Jesus promised him paradise.
If asked how he got to heaven, the thief’s only answer would be: “The man on the middle cross said I could come.”
Any response or correction that starts with “I” or “me” is wrong. Our message should always point to the third person, to Jesus. Because He died, conquered death, and rose again so that we could live.
Life Application
This week, examine the message you’re preaching through your life. Ask God to search your heart and reveal any hidden anger, frustration, cynicism, or bitterness that might be corrupting your witness. Replace these with God’s goodness, joy, peace, patience, and kindness.
Challenge yourself to preach the Word courageously, in your home to your spouse and children, to your coworkers, friends, and family. Remember, the same Word that gave you hope, healing, and restoration is the Word others need to hear.
Questions for Reflection:
- What message am I currently preaching through my actions and words?
- Am I ready to share the Gospel “in season and out of season,” or do I only speak up when it’s convenient?
- When I correct others, am I pointing them toward shame or toward healing and redemption in Christ?
- How can I better demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit in my daily interactions?
The call to preach the Word isn’t reserved for pastors, it’s the responsibility and privilege of every believer. The question isn’t whether you’re preaching, but what message you’re sharing with the world around you.