Natl. Youth Leaders Conference – preacher vs. christian
I had the opportunity this week to attend Jeanne Mayo’s National Youth Leaders Conference in Dallas. There were over 2000 people registered for this conference. The line up of speakers and presenters was incredible. I had the priviledge of sitting and listening to such speakers as Ed Young Jr, Judah Smith, Josh McDowell, Chris Hill and the list goes on and on. Each session was filled with wisdom, insight and heart felt pleas. We had a great 2 1/2 days at this conference.
But out of everything that was shared over these past few days, one statement that sticks out in my mind was when Jeanne Mayo said, ”Many of us make much better preachers than we do Christians”. Those words have rung in my head over and over again. How many times have I given advice, counsel and yet not lived how I tell others to live. I believe that for most preachers, that has been true in some way, shape or fasion. But that’s not the ministry I want to have. That’s not the type of preacher I want to be.
I do want to be a good preacher. I want to be a preacher that can effectively deliver a word from God. So yes, I do want to be a good preacher…but I want to be a great Christian. Those words that Jeanne spoke have been an alarm to my spirit and to my heart. To those of us who have the great priviledge and responsibility of preaching God’s word, may we never become “professional pulpiteers” but may we all become genuine and authentic lovers of God and may our words and messages flow out of that intimacy with Him.
