For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
In April of 1984, my wife—then pregnant with our first child—and I moved to Astoria, Oregon. We had been sent out of Platteville Baptist Church in Platteville, Colorado to plant an independent Baptist church there.
I suppose I should have realized I wasn’t cut out for church planting. I hadn’t gotten very far with starting Platteville Baptist before Pastor Don Smith came along and “rescued” me. He had the leadership, confidence, and tenacity to keep after souls until a congregation was established.
I got to Astoria, rented a building, and began preaching—but I didn’t have the right stuff to reach souls. I’ve always been quiet, shy, afraid of people. About the only thing I had going for me was this unshakable sense that I was called to do what I was doing and that I could not quit.
I was so shy I couldn’t even find a job, and I didn’t really believe in asking churches for support. But God provided work for me. Not once, but twice during the years we lived in Astoria, contractors built huge metal complexes on the docks and barged them to their destinations. The first was an oil refinery built in Astoria and sent to the North Slope of Alaska. Because of my welding/ironworker background, I got a phone call from a man named Rich Pomeroy asking me to come for an interview. The job at Astoria Oil Services, though temporary, was a lifesaver for my small family.
But all the while I worked there, I knew my calling and responsibility lay outside those fences—as a preacher of the gospel. I scribbled this verse inside my welding hood to remind me constantly that, though I had to work to support my family, God had called me to preach.
It’s been more than forty years now. I’ve retired from full-time pastoring, having been cared for and supported far better than I ever deserved. But the necessity to preach has not diminished. I have nothing to glory of. I have no natural skill or personal charisma. If someone were to analyze my ministry style, they’d likely come away marveling that we made it this far.
All I’ve ever had to work with is an unshakable sense that I must preach the gospel.
#CalledToPreach #WoeIsUntoMe #FaithfulInWeakness #PreachTheGospel #GodsGraceSustains
Forty Years of GOD’S Faithfulness: Called to Preach
👉 God still calls ordinary people to do extraordinary things through the gospel. You don’t need charisma—you need conviction. I had no natural ability, but I had an unshakable call: “Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 9:16, KJV)
🗣 What has God called YOU to do that you’ve been afraid to start?
Drop your answer in the comments.
✍️ ACTION STEP: Share the gospel with one person today. Speak it, write it, text it—but do it. Someone near you needs to hear the truth.
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