Lately, I have found myself caught in a quiet, persistent debate, a tug-of-war within my own heart. I used to sit in the pews or listen to sermons, and wonder: Who is truly called to preach the gospel? What is the threshold of holiness or education one must cross before they are allowed to speak for God?
I once asked a friend why many feel the need to attend seminary to teach the Word. Their answer was simple: a calling to learn everything, especially the parts they don’t understand. That gave me pause. I have spent years wandering through the words of the Bible, and I admit—there are confusing parts I still cannot navigate.
But lately, I have begun to ask myself a different question: Is the point of this holy book to master every detail, or to be mastered by the Truth? Furthermore, I cannot help but notice the cost of this pursuit; many of these preachers spend years and take on significant financial debt to earn degrees that grant them the “authority” to interpret the text.
It makes me wonder: do we really need a purchased education to understand a love that was meant to be a gift? Is the gospel truly a puzzle that requires a tuition fee to unlock?
I fear that sometimes, the institutions build a wall of complexity between the seeker and the shepherd to almost cause a separation between His Word and His flock. Preachers/priests tell us there are “deeper meanings” that only the degreed can unlock, as if the gospel were a puzzle meant only for the few, rather than bread meant for the many.
Take the exodus from Egypt. To an academic, it is a historical or theological pivot point. But to my soul, it is a visceral experience of rescue. It is the raw, terrifying, and beautiful reality of a God who walks through the fire with us. Does it matter if I can explain the chronology of the plagues? No. What matters is the hope that flickers in my chest when I realize that the same God who protected the Israelites is the same God watching over me in my own personal, and at times a lost wilderness.
The Bible is not a collection of doctrines; it is a love letter written in the language of relationship. When I read it, I am not trying to be a theologian; I am trying to be a child listening to the Father. I have found that the most profound answers rarely come from a sermon. They come in the quiet of the morning, through the patience of reading and the courage to ask questions of people who walk the same dusty path I do.
As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.
Ecclesiastes 11:5
We must remember: the original disciples were not scholars. They were fishermen, tax collectors, and outcasts—untrained, ordinary people who possessed something far more powerful than a degree: they possessed a conviction that had set them on fire. They spread the gospel not because they had mastered it, but because love had touched them.
A Personal Reflection
At the end of the day, “preaching” is not a title you earn; it is a life you offer to God. It is not about the eloquence of your speech, but the authenticity of your walk.
If you are just opening the Bible for the first time, do not be intimidated by those who claim to have all the answers. Your story, your doubt, your budding faith, and your willingness to be kind in a harsh world—that is the gospel in action.
You do not need to be a lighthouse to shine; you only need to be a candle. If you live with radical kindness, if you hold onto hope when everything else is shaking, and if you share the small, quiet ways God is showing up in your life, you are speaking His word.
Don’t rush the journey. You don’t need to be perfect to be a messenger. My prayers at times are a little confused, but they are sincere, so don’t think you need to be preacher like when praying. Every step you take, no matter how small, is a testament. You are already on the path, and you are never walking it alone. Just ask the Lord to join you.
There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
1 Samuel 2:2
H John & Jean
Our Divided World Ministry
john@ourdividedworld.com
jean@ourdividedworld.com
https://ourdividedworld.com
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