Topical Bible: The Gospel: Ministers Have a Stewardship to Preach

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The concept of stewardship in the context of preaching the Gospel is a profound responsibility entrusted to ministers by God. This stewardship is not merely a duty but a divine commission that requires faithfulness, dedication, and a deep sense of accountability. The Apostle Paul, in his epistles, frequently emphasizes the gravity and honor of this calling.

Biblical Foundation

The Apostle Paul articulates the essence of this stewardship in 1 Corinthians 9:16-17 : "Yet when I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility." Here, Paul underscores the inevitability and necessity of his mission. The phrase "Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!" reflects the profound obligation that ministers feel, driven by divine compulsion rather than personal ambition.

In 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 , Paul further elaborates on this role: "So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful." This passage highlights the dual identity of ministers as both servants and stewards. As stewards, they are entrusted with the "mysteries of God," which refers to the revealed truths of the Gospel. Faithfulness is the primary requirement, indicating that the integrity and commitment of the minister are paramount.

The Nature of the Stewardship

The stewardship of preaching the Gospel involves several key elements:

1. Proclamation of Truth: Ministers are called to proclaim the truth of the Gospel without compromise. This involves teaching sound doctrine, refuting false teachings, and ensuring that the message remains pure and unadulterated. As Paul instructs Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2 , "Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and careful instruction."

2. Accountability to God: Ministers are ultimately accountable to God for their stewardship. Hebrews 13:17 reminds believers to "obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who must give an account." This accountability underscores the seriousness with which ministers must approach their calling, knowing they will answer to God for their faithfulness.

3. Servant Leadership: The model of leadership exemplified by Christ is one of servanthood. Ministers are to lead by serving, following the example of Jesus, who came "not to be served, but to serve" (Matthew 20:28). This servant leadership is integral to the stewardship of the Gospel, as it reflects the humility and love inherent in the message they preach.

4. Empowerment by the Holy Spirit: The effective stewardship of the Gospel is empowered by the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8 promises, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." The Holy Spirit equips and enables ministers to fulfill their calling with boldness and wisdom.

Challenges and Rewards

The stewardship of preaching the Gospel is not without its challenges. Ministers often face opposition, persecution, and the temptation to dilute the message to appease cultural or societal pressures. However, the rewards of faithful stewardship are eternal. As Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4:7-8 , "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but to all who have longed for His appearing."

In summary, the stewardship of preaching the Gospel is a sacred trust that requires unwavering commitment, integrity, and reliance on the Holy Spirit. Ministers are called to be faithful stewards, proclaiming the truth of the Gospel with boldness and love, ever mindful of their accountability to God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Corinthians 9:17
For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed to me.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Import of the Great Commission.
... of one thousand from the twelve thousand ministers in the ... all the world, and to preach
the Gospel to every ... various offices of the society, and have charge of ...
/.../dibble/thoughts on missions/chapter vii import of the.htm

The Preacher as an Apostle.
... of thinking of his office was as a stewardship, which he ... of the Lord Jesus, to testify
the Gospel of the ... week among you; but in Scotland ministers have, as a ...
/.../stalker/the preacher and his models/lecture viii the preacher as.htm

The Dutch Calvinist Colony on the Hudson and the Swedish Lutheran ...
... power and the right to preach the gospel must be ... be a means of subsisting those
ministers, but they ... religion." [42] Evidently such support would have for its ...
/.../bacon/a history of american christianity/chapter vii the dutch calvinist.htm

Concerning the Ministry.
... Moreover, they who have this authority may and ought to preach the gospel, though ...
are to be esteemed but as deceivers, and not true ministers of the gospel. ...
/.../proposition x concerning the ministry.htm

The Necessity of Diligently Seeking the Saints' Rest.
... How few are the ministers who are serious in their ... cry out of men's disobedience
to the Gospel "in the ... believing that, without these, they can never have life? ...
/.../baxter/the saints everlasting rest/chapter vii the necessity of.htm

Christian Baptism.
... Even ministers themselves seem to grow indifferent to this ... this dereliction; and
when they have occasion to ... age of railroad progression and gospel libertinism. ...
/.../philips/the christian home/chapter xi christian baptism.htm

Preface by the Editor.
... by this able minister of the gospel, many of ... He may likewise have discovered, when
catechizing some of his ... as of the discourses of some other ministers, who in ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/preface by the editor.htm

A Discourse of Mercifulness
... there are (unworthy the name of ministers), itineraries, the ... gave the rich man in
the gospel that appellation ... 7 The examples of others who have been renowned ...
/.../15 a discourse of mercifulness.htm

Be not Conformed to this World. Romans 12:2.
... Let ministers be educated as well as they can, the ... Let the ministry have the spirit
of prayer, let the ... Ghost be upon them, and they will spread the gospel. ...
/.../finney/lectures to professing christians/be not conformed to this.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1836 to the ...
... thoroughly Wesleyan in his views of the gospel, and the ... one of these occasions, I
remember to have heard him ... any that can be found among the ministers of the ...
/.../chapter 14 from the close.htm