Does a man become a preacher out of calling or escaping from reality?
Rev. Guo Ling from a church of Ningbo finds that some choose to be preachers for the occupation gives them "security." The pastor claims in her article, "Many preachers find jobs in church and also a lot seek their own interests and glory."
For them, she quotes the word of Paul, "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. " (2 Tim 4:3)
She continues with a warning, "Will they get what they wished for?" The probable answer is no, adds her. Paul said, "But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. " (2 Tim 4:5-6) It shows that a preacher like Paul may not have a comfortable life nor earn interests.
"It's not hard to be a preacher, but it's challenging to become a real preacher, who follows after God's heart. " She declares.
A real preacher spares no effort to serve people with the love of Christ and even dies for the gospel at the most crucial time. A real preacher is always the most friendless, so much so that his co-worker may betray and leave him as a lover of the world.
She exhorts, "Be cautious to become preachers. If you don't receive a clear call or are not resolved for devotion, please be careful to step on the preaching road, otherwise, you, the church and the name of the Lord will be harmed. You will have to give an account of everything to God."
Another statement from a WeChat post named "Should Preachers Be Paid?" says that we shall not preach the word only by love or enthusiasm and the church today has the problem that some serve the Lord merely driven by these things without finding out whether they are called to minister or not.
Translated by Karen Luo
