Winston Salem church of Christ

The sound of a bird as it calls can be melodic, calming, or just beautiful and amazing.  Unless it is a rooster.  Unless it is a rooster at 4:00 AM.  Unless it is a rooster at 4:00 AM, 4:15 AM, 4:30 AM and for the next several hours.  I can understand why farmers find it so easy to wring their necks!  I would not be surprised if this often happens at the crack of dawn!

But you do not have to sound beautiful to be a bird.  God’s rooster proves that.

Likewise you do not have to sound beautiful to be a preacher.  God’s word proves that.  The “sound” of a preacher is found in 2 Timothy 2:24-25: (25) The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, (25) with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition…, 

Can we “hear” the sound of the preacher’s life?  Can we “hear” his patience as others disagree or even quarrel?  Can we literally hear his ability to teach, which requires knowledge and the ability to explain, but not necessarily a beautiful voice, funny anecdotes and imaginative lessons?  Does it help a preacher to work hard on his public presentation?  Absolutely!  And all preachers should.  For one we preachers can better keep the attention of the congregation and keep it longer – so we can teach.  And two – it makes the church not want to wring our necks!