Four years ago, I stepped into the pulpit at FBC Greenville to celebrate Martha Stearns Marshall Month of Preaching to preach my first sermon outside of the seminary classroom. It’s hard for me to believe that it’s been four years since people first called me preacher and proclaimer for the first time.
This Sunday, I shared with the people at First Baptist Greenwood, and as I sat listening to the choir, I realized whether I am preaching at Emmanuel, preaching at a retreat, or preaching in a new congregation, the nervous excitement that fills my heart and mind never changes, not even after four years. As I step into the pulpit, there is joy that this is what I get to do for my job because it is what I was created to do and gratitude that there are people and places that invite me to answer that call.
Soon, I will have spent more time preaching than teaching and at one point in my journey from teacher to preacher this would have made me sad, but not now. I know that God called me out of the classroom into God’s house in order to participate and invite God’s people into the wonderful work of bringing God’s kingdom here on earth.
Thanks be to God, that God calls us, invites us, urges us to be a part of this wonderful story.