Among all the ordinances of
public worship appointed by our God, none is so important as the public
ministry of the Word. Christ, our ascended Lord and King, gives to his church
men who are gifted and qualified by him for the ministry of the gospel. It is
the task of those who preach the gospel to seek a message from God each time
they stand to preach that will edify the saints of God, while at the same time
striving to bring sinners to faith in Christ. Therefore, their messages must be
full of gospel truth and proclaimed with bold simplicity. In order to
accomplish this task, the servants of Christ must give themselves wholly to
study, prayer, and meditation. It is for this reason that those who preach the
gospel are to be maintained in their livelihood by the churches of Christ.
"They which preach the gospel should live of the gospel" (I Cor.