As a preacher, whenever you have the opportunity to share the gospel, aim to save souls, not empty people’s wallets/pockets; offer hope, not burdens.
As it is written, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17, KJV). Sadly, that is not the case now; in fact, one’s faith often dwindles when seated under the ministration of some contemporary preachers.
Many messengers today venture into the world, spreading their philosophies, cloaked in religious ideals. I once witnessed a man preaching at a bus station, flipping through what appeared to be a Bible. His message lacked substance and lacked any biblical references. Upon closer inspection, I discovered he was using a pamphlet, not a Bible. After a brief speech, he spent the larger part of the time soliciting money as an offering for his ministry. Sad!
During a period of prayer and fasting, seeking guidance on how the end-time generation can remain faithful to the Lord in light of Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:22-24, God revealed to me that contemporary messengers must possess the ability to expose deception.
The devil is leaving a mark on the minds of this generation, falsely portraying preachers as money-seekers. Today, many people hesitate to listen to street preachers because they’ve encountered so many who don’t truly convey the message.
The 2022 Afrobarometer Survey conducted by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), Ghana, has been released, and to my astonishment, religious leaders (many of whom are Christians) rank among the most corrupt individuals in the country.
I fear that if this pattern continues, messengers of the word may be viewed similarly to the tax collectors in the days of Jesus, eroding trust in men of God due to the actions of a few.
The devil is determined to diminish the value of messengers by making some preach and act inappropriately, tarnishing the reputation of all messengers. However, he is a liar!
Apostle Peter targeted the kingdom of hell and converted three thousand souls to heaven instantly.
We should also do same. We must preach the unadulterated word of God for the salvation of souls.
When preaching our message should revolve around these key truths: Jesus saves, Jesus grants eternal life, Jesus loves you. And After we have fulfilled our part, let’s leave the conviction of the heart and the rest to the Holy Spirit.
Written by Elder Owusu-Bibini (Dumasua District)