"PREACH THE GOSPEL"

"PREACH THE GOSPEL"
Mark 16:15

Don Fortner


 When I was a young man, I listened with astonishment to a conversation between two older preachers, pastors who believed and preached the doctrines of grace. They were talking about the deadness of their churches, the apathy of the people, and the fact that they were seeing no results from their ministries - their churches were not growing. One of the men said, "If I could just get an issue to stir folks up, I know I could make something happen." The other pastor agreed. I was shocked. I said to them both, "We've got the issue. The issue is the gospel of Christ. If that doesn't stir men's souls, nothing will! And anything we make happen will be of no consequence. Only God can make the gospel effectual." They both nodded in agreement, and one of them said, "But people have to have an issue to keep their interest aroused."

Both of those men are still chasing issues, trying to make things happen. Over the years, they have chased one rabbit and then another. Every time they hit the trail of a new rabbit, they get a new crop of people to run the chase with them for a while. I suppose, each time they congratulate themselves and say, "Things are really happening now. The Lord sure is blessing!" Each of them chased revivalism for a while, then religious education, after that legalism, sabbatarianism, and church government. Then they took up family studies and got heavily involved in counselling. They have never openly denied the doctrines of grace. When they get around to preaching on election, redemption, or effectual calling, they preach it right. The problem is they seldom get around to it!

Such ministries are a waste of time, a mockery to men's souls, and a reproachful abuse of the pastoral office. God's servants are called to "preach the gospel." They are "determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." They faithfully labor, giving themselves wholly to the work of the gospel, in season and out of season. But they do not try to make things happen. They are content to wait and tell their people to "Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord."


Don Fortner is pastor of
Grace Baptist Church
Danville, KY