REGULAR GOSPEL MEETINGS

Preaching And Praying For Blessing

Commentary by R. DeWitt, 12/05

As perhaps a feeling of inadequacy, some Christian assemblies do not hold regular gospel meetings, and wait for a very gifted brother to come along to speak. There may be other special reasons for this, but in general this does not seem to me to be a good thing. "The time is short!". We don't need an eloquent speaker, but "a voice crying in the wilderness", as it were.

One may not feel able to preach the gospel for an hour, but why not for twenty minutes? Great evangelists seldom preach longer than that, and leave the rest of the time for singing, prayers, and a personal appeal. Two or three good gospel songs, earnest prayer by the assembly for God's blessings, and the reading of gospel verses with some comments, is a faithful witness. It may very well be that some dear brothers do not feel suited to speak at all, and that is understandable and we should not press it.

We need to "preach the gospel" in the little while we have left (Mark 16:15; Rom. 10:14; 1 Cor.1:21; 2 Tim.4:2). Most saints of God can do that. Most brothers in the local assembly can at least tell what Christ has done for them and what Christ will do for others who put their trust in Him. They may not be able to speak more than a few minutes, but an earnest sharing of the love of God in brief is better than no witness. Confidence comes from practice. We need to exercise our "royal priesthood" (1 Pet. 2:9). In some assemblies two brothers will share the time, or in some places the meeting is divided with half the time for a gospel witness, and the other half for a reading and study of the Word.

The issue is not that we must see a gathering of the public before we can preach; rather, that we be a faithful witness, that it cannot be said in a day to come: "there was no testimony in that neighborhood where we dwelt". A saint may have occasion to invite an unsaved friend to the meeting and they should hear a gospel witness. God should be able to lead one in the neighborhood to come in to hear the gospel (Rom.10:14), or else say to one at judgment time: "I had a testimony in your neighborhood and you did not care to go there to hear it." We also have young people among us that need to hear the personal testimony of others to encourage them, and the gospel encourages us all.

It is not the salvation of souls that is committed to us, but the preaching and praying as faithful servants to glorify God. Are we willing to do that?

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