Christ Leads The Way

“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” – 2 Timothy 4:2

Hi, friends! I hope that you are well and rested! Thanks so much for your support in reading my blog. From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate you!!!

Growing up in a God-fearing family who attended church services every Sunday, I’ve heard a lot of preaching in my lifetime. Some of you probably can relate. There are so many ways a preacher can present a lesson from the Bible. And often one preacher might use different methods in conveying the message. Despite the tone, the style, the pace, the volume, or the aids used in presenting, the best preaching is preaching that is done straight from the Word of God – book, chapter, and verse.

There are few preachers who have reached my top favorite. There’s the one who was preaching the night I was baptized into Christ (and several weeks before that), and there are a couple others. And there’s one preacher who has encouraged, challenged, and inspired me to be more like Jesus the past few years: Richard Harp.

He’s currently one of the preachers for the congregation with whom I worship. And he presents the truths of the Bible in a way that is practical, meaningful, and contextual – never steering away from God’s Word. Richard’s sermons have had me smiling at times and in tears at others. It’s the kind of preaching that Paul encouraged Timothy to do in 2 Timothy 4:2 when he said, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” And boy, have I been convinced, rebuked, and encouraged by his teachings! I’m sure there are others who can say the same.

Sometimes we just need a little nudge, a small word (or four) that pushes us in the direction that God will have us to go. And I can honestly say that his preaching has changed my life for the better. And for that I am so very grateful.

Have any of you had a preacher impact your life in a good way? I don’t know if he will ever read this, but if somehow he does, I just want to say it loud and clear. Thank you, Richard.

Thank you for letting God use you and for pouring kindness, goodness, and the love of God into my life and into the lives of so many others. I appreciate you, brother, and your sweet wife and family for the work that you all are doing for God and His kingdom.

May “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you” (Numbers 6:24-25).

Preach, preacher!

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