PRINCIPLES FOR FAITHFUL MINISTRY: PERSEVERE IN PREACHING
David Robles serves as teaching pastor of Iglesia Evangelica de León and is founding president and professor of Berea Seminary (Spain). He also serves as regional pastor and leader for Ibero-America of Grace Ministries International and The Master’s Academy International. He has a wide teaching and preaching ministry throughout Spain and the Spanish-speaking world. He is a graduate of University of Leon, Multnomah Biblical Seminary, and The Master’s Seminary.
In the initial years of the early church, Paul and Barnabas were two of the greatest examples of faithful missionaries. Acts 14:1–7 reveals the way these two persevered in preaching, despite the opposition they faced. Contemporary missionaries and pastors need to be reminded of the missions approach they took.
Now it happened that in Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks. But the unbelieving Jews instigated and embittered the minds of the Gentiles against the brothers. Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done through their hands. But the multitude of the city was divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers to mistreat and to stone them, they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region; and there they continued to proclaim the gospel. (Acts 14:1–7 LSB)
Having been sent by the local church of Antioch (13:1–3), according to 14:1, the first thing Paul and Barnabas did when they arrived in Iconium was enter the synagogue and preach from the Scriptures. God, blessing their faithfulness, caused “a large number of people” to believe. Taken out of context, that Paul “spoke in such a manner” could give the impression that his own effort and eloquence brought about the salvation of those who believed. It could therefore be tempting to expect similar results when attempting to preach like Paul: that if a missionary or evangelist walks into a synagogue and preaches, many people will be saved.
While God certainly may use the ministry of an individual preacher to bring many to faith, Scripture written by Paul himself clarifies that God alone is the one who brings salvation (1 Cor 3:6). Throughout history there have been many unknown small-town preachers who have poured themselves into the lives of people in an obscure place that it seems no one knows about. Those preachers devote themselves week after week to preaching God’s word. Are they less successful than the ones who see an abundance of fruit? Not if they preached and ministered faithfully to the souls God gave them. When the pastor faithfully labors in the pulpit and leaves the results to God, he is a faithful preacher.
Acts 14:1–7 instructively reveals the outcome of faithful preaching. The first success of Paul and Barnabas experienced met with persecution. The disbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles against these missionaries (v. 2). What was Paul and Barnabas’s response? They preached even more (v. 3). They did not flee. They did not say, “We should go somewhere else.” They stayed for a long time, faithfully proclaiming the Word of God (v. 3). As Paul and Barnabas continued preaching, the Lord increased the profile of their message by allowing them to perform signs and wonders, leading to greater hostility from the unbelievers. The city divided in half because of their preaching (v. 4). People either believed or opposed—there was no middle ground. Through all this, the two continued preaching faithfully.
Not until the people plotted to kill Paul and Barnabas did they decide to change locations (vv. 5–6). They remained until that time, persevering in the face of opposition, faithfully preaching the gospel of Christ. And when they discerned that the time to leave had arrived, they did not stop preaching. Instead, they went into the surrounding areas and continued ministering just the same. They were faithful in preaching, steadfast in the task, even though their proclamation earned them slander and violence.
The passage stands as a prompt to missionary faithfulness. Those Christ has called to minister His Word may see but few signs of success. And perhaps the results they do see will be in the form of opposition. But like Paul and Barnabas, the faithful preacher will continue trusting the Lord, remembering that He alone causes the growth. The preacher’s mission is not to save but to faithfully preach the Word, even in the face of persecution. If opposition mounts to the point that the preacher must pack up and move, let him not move simply to avoid suffering, but to go to a new area and continue the ministry of faithful preaching. Let him also remember that persecution will likely follow, just as it did for Paul and Barnabas, two of the greatest missionary examples the church has ever seen.