By David ReayThursday 15 Sep 2022LifeWords DevotionalsDevotionsReading Time: 2 minutes
As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too. (NLT)
There are Christian leaders and evangelists who make a name for themselves by popping up at various conferences, by being guest speakers at churches, by having a popular online profile. Nothing wrong with all that, though all such people need to be earthed in a church or small group that warns them against believing all their publicity!
It is interesting that Paul the apostle was not like that. Apart from not having a clue about the then non-existent internet, he tended to avoid being primarily an itinerant evangelist. His sharing of the message occurred in the context of a life lived among the people he sought to teach. His witness was not just in words, but in a life worked out in obedience to Scripture.
He didn’t use his apostolic status to get into a privileged position. He sees himself much like a mother caring for her children rather than some mighty man of God up there on a false pedestal of self-importance. This approach gave his message great power. Being a Christian teacher or preacher is far more than delivering eloquent or learned talks. People learn not just by hearing words, but by observing actions.
This is why long-term ministry in a church or community is so vital. Why “good teaching” is essentially relational. As the old saying goes, people will only care how much you know if they know how much you care.
Blessings,
David