This morning’s sermon was most helpful. Gwynn Williams, minister of the Welsh Evangelical Church in Cardiff encouraged us to pray for preachers, taking as his text Romans 15:29: And I am sure that when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ (AV). What shall we pray for when we pray for our ministers and preachers throughout the land? Taking Paul’s own words, Gwynn Williams suggested that:
- We should pray that they would preach the gospel of Christ. This should not be taken for granted as many good men have been known to slip.
- We should pray that they should know the blessing of the gospel of Christ. It is one thing to preach faithfully, but we should expect conversions.
- Finally, we should pray that they should come with the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. Again, we can be faithful and know a measure of the blessing of the gospel of Christ, but do we come with the fulness of the blessing? Very few preachers do know that fulness in Wales today (and in Western Europe). We should pray for that special unction of the Spirit upon the preaching which will make it more powerful and change many more lives. Those who have experienced that fulness have been forever changed.
What’s striking in those words of Paul is also his assurance: I am sure, I am certain. Do we pray that preachers will know the same assurance?
How do we pray for our ministers and missionaries?