Our Ministry, Mission, and Message

According to WordPress today’s post is #3500 for ThePreachersWord.

We had no idea when we began this little blog 11 years, 11 months and 6 days ago that we would still be posting, let alone amass this volume of work.

This major milestone sparks a bit of reflection about this effort that has become an important means of our ministry, mission, and message.

Our Ministry

ThePreachersWord was birthed during a period when I was in between working with local churches. We were looking for a method to minister while considering our future. A friend of mine suggested I needed my own web page. That sparked the idea of taking it a step further and developing a daily devotional blog.

The Bible teaches that all Christians are to be ministers (Rom. 12:3-8). The means and methods vary based on our talents, gifts, abilities, as well as our opportunities. Not everyone is equipped to be a public proclaimer or Bible class teacher. Not everyone is qualified to serve as a pastor. Some roles are well served behind the scenes.

Blogging has reminded me that we can minister to others by writing and publishing through the technology provided by the internet, and social media. We have been able to begin and continue this ministry before, during, and after our work with local churches. We are not supported or financed by any foundation, organization, or church. We are totally independent. Accountable only to the Lord.

Our Mission

Jesus’ mission was to preach the “gospel of the Kingdom of God (Matt. 4:23) and to “seek and save the lost” (Lk.19:10), as He came to ransom and redeem mankind from sin (Matt. 20:28; Tit. 2:14).

Following Jesus’ resurrection and just prior to His ascension back to heaven, Jesus commissioned the apostles to “go into all the world to preach the gospel to every creature” (Mk. 16:15). Furthermore, they trained and partnered with others to accomplish this mission. Timothy. Titus. Barnabas. Apollos. And lesser known preachers like Epaphroditus, as well as many men and women mentioned in Romans 16, were fellow laborers in this mission.
By implication and application preachers, pastors, and all Christians continue that first century mission today.

Not all of us are able to travel the entire world to share the gospel. We are limited by time, resources, and opportunity. However, ThePreachersWord has found its way into over 200 countries and territories around the world. (Some of which are not necessarily friendly to Christianity).

In addition, our readers have shared in this ministry in various ways. Over the years we’ve learned that posts from ThePreachersWord have been reprinted in bulletins. Published in newspaper articles. Posted on social media platforms. Printed and distributed to friends, relatives, and co-workers. Used as Wednesday evening talks and communion talks. Served as seed thoughts for sermons. Become a resource for sermon illustrations. Reblogged on other blog sites. Quoted by fellow bloggers. And used as Bible class material.

We’re grateful, and thank our many friends and fellow preachers who’ve partnered with us in this ministry and mission.

Our Message

We constantly remind ourselves that the message is not political or social, but a spiritual message. It’s about Jesus. The Gospel. The Good News.

The apostle Paul stated it succinctly and accurately when he wrote, “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Cor. 4:5). That’s our goal for ThePreachersWord.

In an age where the message has been muddled, mishandled, misapplied, and often misunderstood, we seek “to speak the Truth in love (Eph. 4:15). To proclaim the “whole counsel of God” (Ax. 20:27). And edify, exhort, and encourage us to greater faithfulness in serving the Lord (1 Thess. 5:14; Rom. 14:19; Eph. 4:11-12).

We try to keep our message simple and practical as it applies to our daily lives and addresses real issues that we face. We recognize that not all 3,500 posts hit a home run with every reader. But we pray that the majority of our readers have been both enlightened and encouraged on a regular basis.

As we forge ahead writing and publishing ThePreachersWord, we do so with the caveat and warning of James that none of us know what tomorrow will bring. Life is transitory and uncertain (Jas. 4:13-15). However, if “the Lord wills,” we plan to continue this work for the foreseeable future.

We thank all of you who have supported us through the years, who continue to offer encouragement, and who provide the motivation to keep on keeping on.

For whatever good is accomplished through our ministry, mission, and message, “to God be the glory.”

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman