“How will they hear without a preacher?”

The most popular way in evangelical circles to define the word “preacher” is relating it to that of a pastor. In fact, the members of our church often called me “preacher.” However, there is a bit of a difference between a preacher in the sense of Romans 10 and how our parishioners address me.

Proclaim

In the Greek, the word kēryssō is translated preacher, but really there are several meanings of the word. It could mean to herald, to announce, to make known. But it also means to proclaim. Essentially, it means that there is a message to be proclaimed and one must announce.

Paul, in context, is showing how it is the Word of God that produces faith in wicked human beings. Faith cannot be produced in any other way, other than the Word of God. If you were to look at the phrases before the one listed above, you would see that it is the Word of God by which one hears, then believes. And in verse 17, it is faith that comes from hearing.

Whose Preacher Are You?

I know it sounds a bit cheesy, I admit. But there are some mighty implications for the Christian life in this passage of Scripture. Here are a few:

1. The Word of God alone can save. This may be obvious, but it should never be forgotten. Nothing we do in and of ourselves can produce faith in someone else. The only work we do is sharing the gospel or proclaiming the gospel message.
2. Those who hear the gospel hear it from someone. Most people do not search for God on their own. I know there are some exceptions to this rule, but our depravity limits our searching for God. Therefore, the unbelieving must hear the gospel by someone who is intentionally sharing it.
3. Preachers aren’t the only ones who can proclaim this message. It would take generations on generations for the gospel to advance if the only ones sharing were pastors and church leaders. The Bible exhorts all believers to share the gospel (Matt. 28:19).
4. It is our Christian duty to share the gospel. 2 Timothy 2 shows us Paul’s great plan for the advancement of the ministry with Timothy. He encourages Timothy to entrust the same gospel, that was entrusted to him, to faithful men who will then teach others also. He was discipling Timothy to teach others how to proclaim the message of the gospel.

Whose preacher are you?