Thoughts about Preaching

It's interesting being "ordained."  It's a funny thing if you think about it. Let me explain. This last Sunday I preached at Stephenville CRC, which is a couple hours away, because their pastor is on vacation. I preached about God's providence and the story of Esther and this next Sunday I preach there again and will talk about unity among Christians and different denominations.

This church did not know me at all to begin with, but because I am an ordained Minister of the Word in our denomination, the Christian Reformed Church, this church in Stephenville trusted me to come and declare God's Word to them and how it should convict them of sin, change their lives, and give them hope. Wow!

Preaching is quite humbling in general for most pastors because of this. But for me right now, it is even more so, because I am doing pulpit supply and speaking to churches that hardly know me. But they have placed trust in our denomination, and so they recognize the calling of another church on my life. Emden CRC is the church that called me and ordained me, and it's probably a church most of the Christians in Stephenville have never heard of. I guess I just want to say that this whole experience humbles me and makes me feel privileged. It's amazing the good trust that they put in me. 

This also gives me yet one another reason why I love being part of a denomination. There is so much trust fostered by being part of a like-minded group of churches. We have written statements of faith and a set process one has to go through for ordination. The people of Stephenville may not know me, but they know our denomination, they know the process, they know our main beliefs, so that they can place faith in me and give me the opportunity to preach. And I'm very grateful for it.