We live in an image-driven culture. Even the oldest among us grew up with photographs and most of us grew up on TV and movies. There is no escaping the power of the image. A picture truly is worth a thousand words because we will remember an image long after the words have been forgotten.
The New Testament presents images of what it means to be a preacher and proclaimer of God’s Word. John R.W. Stott communicates five of them in his timeless work, The Preacher’s Portrait, which are:
- A steward
- A herald
- A witness
- A father
- A servant
Stott writes: …I propose that we should take a fresh look at some of the words employed in the New Testament to describe the preacher and his task. We need, I believe, to gain in the Church today, a clearer view of God’s revealed ideal for the preacher, what he is and how he is to do his work.” (7)
This is the objective of my next few posts: a clearer view of God’s revealed ideal for the preacher.