Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction. – 2 Timothy 4:2

The 3 B’s

When you get a group of preachers together, it doesn’t take long before the conversation turns to the 3 B’s – buildings, budgets, and bottoms in the seats. Essentially, we want to know “How big is your church?” or “How were Sunday’s numbers?” Some pastors beam with pride while others mumble in embarrassment or seath with envy.

Toilet Paper Task

I once pastored a small church. As I reflect on “small church” pastor life I remember when my daughter first began sitting through my sermons. In the early days of her hearing my invitation, she made the short trek from the front pew to the altar.

I leaned forward and my daughter whispered, “Daddy, I have something to tell you.”

My heart skipped a beat. Could the Spirit be moving in my daughter?  Could my little one be ready to give her life to Jesus?

I kneeled down beside her and whispered back, “Yes dear?”

She responded, “There is no toilet paper in the girl’s bathroom.  I know you’re in charge of that.”

Preaching has a way of keeping you humble.

Preach the Word

I now pastor a large church. I’m no longer in charge of supplying the bathrooms with toilet paper. Yet, the pastoral call and task remains the same: Preach the word.

A young preacher once complained about the size of his church to Charles Spurgeon. A bit angered, Spurgeon asked, “How many souls do you preach to on the Sabbath?” The young preacher answered, “About 100.” Spurgeon, now more than a bit angered, responded, “100 souls is more than enough to account for on the day of judgment.”

Preacher, when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ we will not give an account of our congregation size, but rather, how we handled God’s word.

Some churches are big, some small. The circus can draw a crowd, but we’re not after crowds.

Preacher, preach the word.

*I’ve heard the Spurgeon illustration a number of times. I most recently heard it in a sermon preached by HB Charles at the Truth In Love Conference 2020.